SC Ventures is preparing a $250 million fund for digital asset investments, with launch slated for 2026 and backing from Middle Eastern investors.
Summary
- Standard Chartered plans a $250M fund for digital asset investments, launching in 2026.
- Backing expected from Middle Eastern investors, with global focus.
- Part of Standard Chartered’s wider push into custody, trading, and tokenization.
Standard Chartered’s venture arm, SC Ventures, is set to launch a $250 million fund dedicated to investing in digital assets, a sign of the growing institutional interest in blockchain and crypto infrastructure.
The plan was revealed on Sept. 15 in a Bloomberg report citing SC Ventures’ operating member Gautam Jain.
Standard Chartered’s expanding global strategy
With support from Middle Eastern investors, the fund is anticipated to make its debut in 2026, reflecting the growing demand for digital assets in the region. The capital will be used globally, focusing on financial services, and aiming for sectors like tokenization, blockchain technology, and other regulated digital asset plays, according to Jain.
Alongside the $250 million vehicle, SC Ventures also plans a $100 million Africa-focused fund and is considering its first venture debt fund, though those will not be primarily aimed at digital assets.
As the innovation arm of Standard Chartered, SC Ventures was launched in 2018 and has backed fintech startups and new business ventures. Its presence in the Middle East has expanded in 2025, with operations opening in Saudi Arabia earlier this year and plans for a domestic fund in the kingdom by 2026.
Digital asset push accelerates
The move builds on Standard Chartered’s broader digital asset initiatives. This year, the bank became the first global systemically important institution to launch deliverable spot Bitcoin (BTC) and Ethereum (ETH) trading from its U.K. branch and rolled out tokenization efforts through Libeara, its blockchain platform. It also partnered with exchanges like OKX to expand collateral solutions using cryptocurrencies and tokenized money market funds.
Standard Chartered is demonstrating its belief in the long-term potential of digital assets by placing SC Ventures at the forefront of these initiatives. Given that fintech revenues are expected to reach $1.5 trillion by 2030, the new fund may hasten institutional adoption, particularly in areas like real-world asset tokenization and decentralized finance integration.