New alliance signals accelerating demand for digital assets among traditional finance giants
In a major development for institutional cryptocurrency adoption, FalconX, a California-based prime brokerage firm specialising in digital assets, has entered a strategic partnership with global banking powerhouse Standard Chartered.
The move marks FalconX’s first-ever collaboration with a traditional global bank and underlines growing interest among institutional investors in gaining exposure to digital assets via established financial infrastructure.
Matt Long, FalconX’s general manager for Asia Pacific and the Middle East, said the alliance would allow the firm to tap into Standard Chartered’s global banking and foreign exchange network to serve its institutional clientele more efficiently.
“Our clients will be able to engage more efficiently in fiat currencies settlements, which means a lot faster settlement, better capital efficiency and overall reduced operational risk,” he told Reuters.
The partnership will enable FalconX to leverage Standard Chartered’s expansive access to multiple global currencies, thereby offering clients faster and more secure transactions involving traditional fiat settlements.
FalconX has emerged as a key player in the crypto brokerage space, providing institutional access to digital assets. The company’s client roster includes some of the world’s largest asset managers, sovereign wealth funds, hedge funds, and family offices.
Standard Chartered said the collaboration was driven by increasing digital asset adoption among its institutional clients. The bank has been steadily expanding its footprint in the digital finance sector, signalling a longer-term commitment to integrating cryptocurrency into its broader offerings.
Luke Boland, Asia head of financial technology at Standard Chartered, confirmed the rollout would begin in Singapore, with further plans to extend services across Asia, the Middle East, and the United States.
The London-headquartered bank has made several bold moves in the crypto space in recent years. Notably, it launched a digital asset custody service in the United Arab Emirates last year, demonstrating its growing confidence in the sector’s long-term potential.
As regulatory clarity continues to evolve and traditional finance players increasingly explore blockchain-based solutions, the FalconX-Standard Chartered partnership stands as a significant milestone. It reflects an industry shift toward more secure, regulated, and scalable access points for digital assets—one where banks and blockchain firms are no longer on opposing sides but strategic allies.
