The venture capital arm of Standard Chartered, SC Ventures, is gearing up for a new venture. The British bank aims to raise $250 million for a fund dedicated to digital asset services. The target is to launch in 2026, with support already expected from Middle Eastern investors.
This announcement is not random. In a market where major global banks are accelerating their forays into blockchain and crypto, Standard Chartered confirms its determination to stay in the race.
Un fonds global à la sauce Middle East
The project was unveiled at the Money 20/20 event in Saudi Arabia. Gautam Jain, a partner at SC Ventures, specified that the fund will target global investments in financial services related to digital assets. The presence of Gulf investors is significant: the region is emerging as a new hub for Web3.
Dubai already has its Virtual Assets Regulatory Authority, while Saudi Arabia is multiplying initiatives through its regulatory sandboxes. The ideal conditions exist to attract traditional finance giants and their capital.
Des ambitions multiples au-delà de la crypto
SC Ventures doesn’t stop there. In parallel, a $100 million fund for Africa is under consideration, along with the structure’s very first venture debt fund. Although these projects are not specifically focused on digital assets, they confirm a clear intent: to broaden the group’s investment arsenal.
For Standard Chartered, this is a way to position itself on multiple fronts simultaneously: digital innovation, emerging markets, and alternative financing.
Une tendance institutionnelle qui s’accélère
Standard Chartered is not alone. JPMorgan recently launched Kinexys, a blockchain solution for interbank payments, while Goldman Sachs collaborates with BNY Mellon on a tokenized money market fund. The signals align: Wall Street giants are pivoting towards digital assets, with a clear logic of tokenizing financial markets.
For crypto investors, this news goes beyond mere announcements: it proves that traditional finance is no longer just observing but is now putting their billions on the table.
The launch of a $250 million fund by SC Ventures is not just about size. It is a signal to the market: digital assets are no longer a speculative niche but an integral segment of global financial services.
With capital from the Middle East and a global reach, Standard Chartered could accelerate the structuring of an ecosystem where banks, startups, and regulators now move forward hand in hand.
