Standard Chartered
Standard Chartered is an international banking group with a presence in 55 markets. Companies and financial institutions use the bank to finance trade between countries and to hold cash and securities, and private clients in many of these markets keep their accounts and investments there. Standard Chartered PLC is listed on the London and Hong Kong stock exchanges.
Standard Chartered has served German corporates and financial institutions since 1907, according to the bank. Since a full German banking license in December 2018, Standard Chartered Bank AG in Frankfurt has been the EU hub of the group, while a separate entity in Luxembourg holds the MiCA authorization for digital asset custody.
Standard Chartered Bank AG in Frankfurt
Standard Chartered Bank AG is the EU subsidiary of the group and works under the banking license granted in December 2018. From Frankfurt it serves companies and financial institutions in the European Economic Area, with branches in France, Sweden and Poland. Germany is one of its fastest growing client franchises, according to Standard Chartered.
Jörg Hessenmüller is Chief Executive Officer of Standard Chartered Bank AG, Alexander Engel is Chief Financial Officer and Isabelle Saadjian is Chief Risk Officer.
Digital asset custody from Luxembourg
On 9 January 2025 Standard Chartered opened an entity in Luxembourg as its regulatory entry point to the EU for crypto and digital asset custody for institutional clients. On 29 June 2026 the bank announced its MiCA authorization and an electronic money institution license, and Luxembourg for Finance named the CSSF as the authority.
Standard Chartered plans a phased rollout of custody from Luxembourg and wider EU service through the MiCA passport where approvals allow. Laurent Marochini is Chief Executive Officer of Standard Chartered Luxembourg, which appears among the largest crypto custodians in Europe.
Spot trading in bitcoin and ether
Standard Chartered launched its digital asset custody service in September 2024 and added deliverable spot trading in bitcoin and ether for institutional clients through its UK branch in July 2025. According to the bank, it was the first global systemically important bank to offer this kind of trading.
On 3 September 2026 Standard Chartered extended the service to the UAE through Standard Chartered DIFC. Clients trade through the electronic channels of the bank and settle with a custodian of their choice, including the custody service of Standard Chartered.
Upcoming banking and digital asset events in Frankfurt
Bitcoin price forecasts
The research department of Standard Chartered publishes bitcoin price forecasts, and Geoffrey Kendrick is its global head of digital assets research. In February 2025 the bank set a target of 500,000 US dollars per bitcoin by the end of 2028, as The Block reported. Such forecasts are research opinions, and the bank gives no guarantee that a price target will be reached.
Zodia Custody as a separate custodian
Standard Chartered is one of five backers of Zodia Custody, a London custodian for institutional clients with its own MiCA authorization in Luxembourg. Zodia Custody is a separate company with its own license, so Standard Chartered Luxembourg and Zodia Custody (Europe) appear as two different custodians in the MiCA register of ESMA.
Standard Chartered and Finance Loop
Employees of Standard Chartered regularly attend Finance Loop events in Frankfurt and other cities. Digital asset custody and bitcoin trading for institutions belong to the Investment & Digital Assets track of Finance Loop.
Finance Loop is a professional network and has the goal of driving the institutional use of emerging technologies in finance, such as AI, digital payments, cloud and blockchain solutions. Finance Loop helps its members build skills and personal networks in these fields: Investment & Digital Assets, Payments & Digital Money, Digital Infrastructure & Sovereignty, and Risk & Compliance.