Standard Chartered is reportedly exploring the launch of a crypto prime brokerage platform, signaling a potential expansion of its digital asset strategy as major banks continue to deepen their involvement in cryptocurrencies.
According to Bloomberg, the British multinational lender is holding early-stage discussions about building a crypto trading and prime brokerage business under its venture capital arm, SC Ventures. The report cited unnamed sources and noted that no formal timeline for a launch has yet been set.
Standard Chartered has not officially confirmed the plans. However, the move would build on its existing digital asset initiatives. In July 2025, the bank introduced trading services that allow institutional clients and corporations to trade leading cryptocurrencies.
The reported development comes as traditional financial institutions increasingly test and expand crypto-related offerings. Morgan Stanley recently filed to launch an Ether exchange-traded fund, marking its third crypto ETF application. Earlier this month, Bank of America approved four spot Bitcoin ETFs for proactive recommendation across its network of more than 15,000 wealth advisers.
Standard Chartered trims medium-term Ether forecast
Despite its growing interest in crypto services, Standard Chartered has reduced its medium-term outlook for Ethereum, pointing to broader weakness across digital asset markets.
In a report shared on Monday, the bank lowered its end-2026 Ether price forecast to $7,500, down from a previous estimate of $12,000. It also cut its end-2028 target to $22,000 from $25,000.
Geoff Kendrick, Standard Chartered’s global head of digital assets research, said softer-than-expected performance in Bitcoin has weighed on the wider crypto market. He noted that Bitcoin’s continued dominance has dampened the outlook for other digital assets against the U.S. dollar.
Even so, the bank remains optimistic over the longer term. Standard Chartered raised its end-2030 Ether price target to $40,000, up from its previous projection of $30,000.
On-chain data shows mixed investor behavior
Blockchain data points to diverging behavior among crypto investors. According to Nansen, large investors — commonly referred to as whales — accumulated approximately $16.5 million worth of Ether across 324 wallets over the past week, doubling the pace of purchases compared with the prior period.
At the same time, so-called “smart money” traders, who are tracked for strong historical returns, sold roughly $7.13 million in spot Ether during the same timeframe.
Ether has faced sustained pressure in recent months, falling around 17% over the past three months and 5.4% over the past year. At the time of writing, ETH was trading near $3,105, based on Nansen data.
