Quick Breakdown
- OKX extends collateral mirroring service with Standard Chartered to the EEA.
- The programme lets institutions trade crypto while assets stay in bank custody.
- Expansion aligns with MiCA rules, boosting regulated crypto infrastructure.
Crypto exchange OKX is extending its collateral mirroring programme with Standard Chartered Bank into the European Economic Area (EEA) as part of its push to expand regulated crypto services under Europe’s Markets in Crypto-Assets (MiCA) framework.
The move builds on the programme’s initial rollout in the United Arab Emirates, marking a major step in the exchange’s efforts to strengthen institutional participation in the crypto market through bank-grade custody solutions.
From wild to mild, speculation to utility, crypto is growing up.
Infact, our partnership with @StanChart brings greater assurance for institutions and clients alike with:
• Reduced counterparty risk
• Seamless exchange access
• Bank-grade custodyRooting for the future of… pic.twitter.com/N6IiSVBBpn
— OKX (@okx) October 16, 2025
Bridging traditional finance and crypto trading
The collateral mirroring programme enables institutional clients to store their digital assets with Standard Chartered—which acts as a regulated custodian—while their corresponding balances are mirrored on OKX for on-chain trading.
This structure allows clients to maintain the safety of traditional financial custody while gaining access to the liquidity and trading opportunities of the crypto market. Through this model, cryptocurrencies and tokenized market funds can be used as off-exchange collateral, significantly reducing counterparty risk.
“By bringing this partnership into the EEA, we’re making it possible for clients to trade and secure their digital assets on a truly global scale,” OKX said in its official statement. “This isn’t just an expansion—it’s the next step in building a safer, more reliable ecosystem for digital assets in Europe.”
Strengthening regulatory and custody standards
According to Margaret Harwood-Jones, Global Head of Financing and Securities Services at Standard Chartered, the European rollout leverages the bank’s established custody infrastructure and the region’s robust regulatory standards to ensure institutional-grade security and compliance.
With the MiCA framework setting clear operational guidelines for crypto companies in Europe, OKX’s move positions it to serve institutional clients seeking both regulatory assurance and efficient digital asset trading infrastructure.
In a recent development, OKX founder and CEO Star Xu revealed that the company quietly developed a decentralized perpetuals trading platform in 2023 through its Web3 division, targeting competitors like Hyperliquid and Aster as part of its broader DeFi strategy.
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