FalconX and Standard Chartered Announce Strategic Partnership to Serve Institutional Crypto Investors

The deepening ties between traditional finance and the digital asset space are strengthening, California-based crypto prime broker FalconX and global banking giant Standard Chartered (LSE: STAN) have announced a strategic partnership aimed at supporting institutional investors seeking access to the cryptocurrency market.

This collaboration marks FalconX’s first formal alliance with a global traditional bank and highlights the surging demand from institutional clients, such as hedge funds, asset managers, sovereign wealth funds, and family offices, for integrated crypto services within established financial frameworks.

Under the agreement, FalconX will leverage Standard Chartered’s global banking infrastructure and foreign exchange capabilities, including its access to a wide array of fiat currencies, to strengthen its service offerings to institutional clients. Matt Long, FalconX’s General Manager for APAC and the Middle East, said the partnership would provide FalconX’s clients with more efficient and secure access to global liquidity and settlement services.

“The ability to tap into Standard Chartered’s FX expertise and global reach will be pivotal in bridging crypto with traditional capital markets,” said Long.

Standard Chartered, which has been progressively expanding its digital asset footprint, sees this move as part of a broader strategy to cater to institutional clients’ evolving needs. Luke Boland, Asia Head of Fintech at Standard Chartered, noted that the collaboration will initially roll out in Singapore, with plans to extend to key markets in Asia, the Middle East, and the United States.

The multinational bank, headquartered in London, has been making notable strides in the digital asset space. In 2023, it launched a digital asset custody service in the United Arab Emirates, and in April 2025, it partnered with crypto exchange OKX to allow institutional clients to use crypto as collateral for trading.

The announcement comes at a time of renewed enthusiasm in the crypto sector. The global digital asset market recently surged past $3 trillion in value, spurred by the election of crypto-friendly Donald Trump as President of the United States—an event that has ignited expectations of a more supportive regulatory landscape for digital assets.

Standard Chartered is bullish on the future of digital assets, forecasting the total value of the market to hit $10 trillion by 2026.

Founded in 2018, FalconX has emerged as a major institutional player in crypto prime brokerage. The company was last valued at $8 billion after securing $150 million in a 2022 funding round, with backing from Wellington Management, Singapore’s GIC, and Tiger Global Management.

As institutional adoption of cryptocurrencies gains traction, partnerships like that of FalconX and Standard Chartered may pave the way for a more mature, regulated, and integrated digital asset ecosystem.

James Cullen
UCW Newswire