Quick breakdown
- SC Ventures will launch a $250M digital asset fund in 2026, backed by Middle Eastern investors.
- The fund will target tokenization, blockchain, and regulated digital asset infrastructure.
- Standard Chartered is bolstering its crypto services and tokenization initiatives, while also planning regional funds in Africa and Saudi Arabia.
Standard Chartered’s innovation arm is preparing a major push into blockchain and crypto infrastructure, with a $250 million digital asset fund set to launch in 2026.
Standard Chartered expands its digital asset strategy
SC Ventures, the venture capital arm of Standard Chartered, is gearing up to roll out a $250 million fund dedicated to digital asset investments. Backed by investors from the Middle East, the fund will debut in 2026 and focus on financial services innovations, particularly tokenization, blockchain technology, and regulated digital asset opportunities, according to Gautam Jain, operating member of SC Ventures.
ALT TXT: Digital asset treasuries’ mNAVs have been under broad pressure since June.
Source: Bloomberg
The initiative underscores the growing demand for digital assets in the Middle East while advancing Standard Chartered’s broader global expansion strategy.
Additional funds in the pipeline
Beyond the flagship $250 million fund, SC Ventures is preparing a $100 million Africa-focused fund and considering its first venture debt vehicle. While these will not primarily target digital assets, they signal the bank’s intent to broaden its investment reach across emerging markets.
Launched in 2018, SC Ventures has played a pivotal role in funding fintech startups and developing new ventures. Its regional presence has strengthened further in 2025, with operations opening in Saudi Arabia and plans to establish a domestic fund in the kingdom by 2026.
Standard Chartered’s digital asset push
The fund builds on Standard Chartered’s aggressive expansion into blockchain and crypto services. This year, the bank became the first globally systemic financial institution to introduce deliverable spot Bitcoin and Ethereum trading from its U.K. branch.
It has also advanced its tokenization agenda through Libeara, its in-house blockchain platform, while teaming up with exchanges like OKX to integrate crypto collateral and tokenized money market funds into its offerings.
With global fintech revenues projected to hit $1.5 trillion by 2030, Standard Chartered’s bet on digital assets could accelerate institutional adoption of tokenization and decentralized finance (DeFi) across global markets.
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