In a further move to integrate digital currencies into regular banking, Standard Chartered has partnered with B2C2, a company that provides Bitcoin trading services to large investors.
The partnership was announced this week amid wild fluctuations in the total value of all cryptocurrencies worldwide, peaking at over $4 trillion in late 2025 and settling at around $2.4 trillion as of mid-February 2026. While Asian markets have seen the most trading activity, Western banks and financial companies are grappling with new regulations to participate in the cryptocurrency space.
Bridging the gap between banks and crypto exchanges
The companies say they want to solve a problem plaguing large investors: the difficulty of moving funds between traditional banks and crypto exchanges. They aim to facilitate the buying and selling of digital assets by establishing a direct connection between leading international banks and leading crypto trading companies.
B2C2 customers, including corporations, hedge funds, asset management companies and wealthy households, will now have direct access to Standard Chartered’s global banking network and payments system. Timing is critical due to significant regulatory developments in the banking sector in 2025.
The UK has made significant progress with its own digital asset laws, and the European Union has introduced the MiCAR standard. These new frameworks are forcing banks to start trading in cryptocurrencies rather than just discussing them.
The deal combines B2C2’s ability to provide liquidity for both standard crypto trading and options markets with Standard Chartered’s banking capabilities. According to the 2025 Global Cryptocurrency Adoption Index statistics, Asia Pacific has seen the fastest growth in blockchain activity. Approximately $2.36 trillion worth of transactions took place across the region, an increase of 69% year-on-year.
Luke Borland, Standard Chartered’s head of financial technology for Asia, said Standard Chartered “offers regulated, scalable market connectivity without compromising execution or risk.” management. “
Thomas Restout, head of B2C2, pointed to Standard Chartered’s global presence and strong regulatory position. He described the bank as an “ideal strategic partner” to help more institutional investors enter the digital market. His comments align with B2C2’s recent operational improvements, including recently achieving SOC 2 certification. 2025. This certification shows that the company meets the stringent requirements of leading financial institutions.
Built on months preparation
With the new arrangement, B2C2 clients willSakarataAccess Standard Chartered’s banking systems across multiple countries. This means that institutional investors can handle both regular currencies and digital assets more easily and with better supervision. Standard Chartered was recently appointed custodian of 21Shares, taking on a different role in the crypto world and creating what amounts to a full service package that traditional fund managers will find attractive.
B2C2 has built a reputation for providing stable cryptocurrency trading services to institutional clients around the world. Standard Chartered operates in Asia, Europe and the Middle East, helping clients move money across borders and access different markets.
The companies said they plan to build a trusted system for institutional cryptocurrency trading that supports digital assets becoming part of mainstream finance.
The groundwork for this deal began several months ago. Standard Chartered announced in July 2025 Announced expansion of regulated digital asset services for institutional clients. The bank has now started offering spot Bitcoin transactions through its UK branches.
The transaction is integrated into the bank’s existing foreign exchange platform, giving customers options on how to settle their trades and store their holdings. This setup allows traders to work with Bitcoin and Ethereum using the same methods they already know for trading the world’s major currencies such as the dollar, euro, and yen.
The partnership between Standard Chartered and B2C2 represents a change in the way digital assets are handled at the core of global finance, making it easier for financial institutions to operate in both traditional banking markets and new crypto markets.
