Quick Breakdown
- Standard Chartered is considering a crypto prime brokerage platform under its SC Ventures unit, according to Bloomberg.
- The bank cut its medium-term Ether price forecasts, citing weaker Bitcoin performance and broader market softness.
- Investor sentiment on ETH is mixed, with whales accumulating while smart money trims exposure.
Standard Chartered is reportedly exploring the launch of a crypto prime brokerage platform, signalling a deeper move into digital assets as global banks accelerate their crypto strategies.
According to a Bloomberg report on Monday, the British multinational lender is holding early-stage discussions to set up a crypto trading and prime brokerage platform under its venture capital arm, SC Ventures. People familiar with the matter said no launch timeline has been agreed upon, and the plans are still preliminary.
If launched, the platform would mark another step in Standard Chartered’s growing involvement in digital assets. In July 2025, the bank rolled out crypto trading services that allow institutional clients and corporates to trade major cryptocurrencies.
The move comes as traditional financial institutions increasingly test the waters in crypto. Morgan Stanley recently filed to launch an Ether (ETH) exchange-traded fund (ETF), its third crypto ETF application to date.
Meanwhile, Bank of America, the second-largest bank in the US, earlier last month approved four spot Bitcoin ETFs for proactive recommendation across its network of more than 15,000 wealth advisors.
Standard Chartered trims Ether price outlook
Despite its reported interest in expanding crypto services, Standard Chartered has revised its medium-term outlook for Ether lower, pointing to broader weakness across digital asset markets.
In a report on Monday, the bank cut its end-2026 Ether price forecast to $7,500, down from $12,000. Its end-2028 target was also reduced to $22,000 from a previous $25,000 estimate.
Still, the bank remains bullish over the long term, lifting its 2030 Ether price target to above $40,000 from a prior $30,000 projection.
Onchain data shows mixed Ether sentiment
Onchain data paints a divided picture among investors. Large
holders, commonly referred to as whales, accumulated about $16.5 million worth of Ether across 324 wallets over the past week, doubling their buying pace from the previous week, according to Nansen.
In contrast, so-called “smart money” wallets that traders with strong historical returns sold approximately $7.13 million worth of spot ETH during the same period.
Ether has struggled in recent months, falling 17% over the past three months and 5.4% year-on-year. At the time of writing, ETH was trading around $3,105, according to Nansen data.
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