In a significant development within the cryptocurrency sector, FalconX, a leading digital assets prime brokerage, has announced a strategic partnership with global banking giant Standard Chartered. This collaboration marks FalconX’s first engagement with a major traditional bank, signaling a growing convergence between institutional finance and the digital asset ecosystem.
Partnership Overview
The alliance between FalconX and Standard Chartered aims to enhance services for institutional investors in the digital asset space. By leveraging Standard Chartered’s foreign exchange and banking infrastructure, FalconX plans to offer more efficient fiat currency settlements. This integration is expected to improve capital efficiency and reduce operational risks for clients such as sovereign wealth funds, hedge funds, and asset managers.
Matt Long, FalconX’s General Manager of APAC & Middle East, emphasized that the partnership would enable clients to engage more efficiently in fiat currency settlements, leading to faster transactions and better capital efficiency. The collaboration will initially launch in Singapore and is expected to expand to other regions, including Asia, the Middle East, and the United States.
Strategic Significance
This partnership is particularly noteworthy as it represents FalconX’s first collaboration with a major traditional bank. It underscores the increasing institutional interest in cryptocurrencies and the growing recognition of digital assets as a legitimate asset class. Standard Chartered’s involvement brings credibility and stability to the partnership, potentially attracting more institutional investors to the digital asset market.
Luke Boland, Asia Head of Fintech at Standard Chartered, highlighted the bank’s commitment to supporting the growing digital asset ecosystem and meeting the evolving needs of institutional clients. He noted that the collaboration with FalconX would begin in Singapore and later expand to other countries in Asia, the Middle East, and the United States.
FalconX’s Institutional Offerings
Founded in 2018, FalconX has established itself as a trusted provider of digital asset services for institutional clients. The company offers a range of services, including trading, derivatives, and lending, and is backed by prominent investors such as Wellington Management, GIC, and Tiger Global Management. Valued at $8 billion following a 2022 funding round, FalconX continues to expand its offerings to meet the growing demand for digital asset services.
FalconX’s platform aggregates liquidity from over 70 venues, providing access to 94% of the global crypto market. The company’s FalconX 360 platform offers a unified investment and risk management solution, allowing institutional investors to access spot and derivatives trading, credit, clearing, staking, and reporting through a single account. This consolidated access saves time and maximizes capital efficiency for investors, enabling them to be more active and agile in their investments.
Standard Chartered’s Digital Asset Initiatives
Standard Chartered has been actively expanding its digital asset operations. In 2024, the bank launched digital asset custody services in the United Arab Emirates, with Brevan Howard Digital as its inaugural client. Additionally, in January 2025, Standard Chartered established a new entity in Luxembourg to offer cryptocurrency and digital asset custody services throughout the European Union, aiming to capitalize on the increasing demand for digital asset security.
The bank projects the digital asset market will reach $10 trillion by 2026, indicating its strong belief in the future growth of the sector. By partnering with FalconX, Standard Chartered aims to position itself at the forefront of the digital asset ecosystem, providing institutional clients with secure and efficient access to digital asset services.
Implications for the Digital Asset Ecosystem
The collaboration between FalconX and Standard Chartered signifies a significant step towards the integration of traditional financial institutions with the evolving cryptocurrency ecosystem. It reflects the growing institutional interest in digital assets and the increasing recognition of cryptocurrencies as a legitimate asset class.
As more traditional financial institutions engage with the digital asset sector, the industry is likely to see increased liquidity, improved infrastructure, and enhanced regulatory clarity. These developments could pave the way for broader adoption of digital assets among institutional investors, further legitimizing the sector and fostering its growth.
The partnership between FalconX and Standard Chartered represents a pivotal moment in the evolution of the digital asset industry. By combining FalconX’s expertise in digital asset services with Standard Chartered’s established banking infrastructure, the collaboration aims to provide institutional investors with secure, efficient, and scalable solutions for engaging with digital assets. As the digital asset ecosystem continues to mature, partnerships like this will play a crucial role in bridging the gap between traditional finance and the emerging world of cryptocurrencies.
