Standard Chartered’s venture arm eyes $250M crypto fund
Standard Chartered’s venture capital arm, SC Ventures, is reportedly preparing to launch a $250 million digital asset investment fund in 2026. According to a report by Bloomberg, the fund will focus on digital assets within the financial services industry. SC Ventures Operating Partner Gautam Jain confirmed that the fund will be backed by Middle Eastern investors and will target global opportunities across the sector.
The initiative reflects the rising appetite among corporate and institutional investors to gain structured exposure to digital assets. In recent years, several corporate treasury firms have adopted long-term accumulation strategies, suggesting broader institutional inflows may accelerate in the coming years.
SC Ventures has not yet disclosed which specific cryptocurrencies or blockchain-based assets will form part of the fund. Requests for comment on the fund’s crypto allocations were not immediately answered.
Additional funds planned by SC Ventures
Beyond the digital asset initiative, SC Ventures is also preparing to roll out a $100 million Africa-focused investment fund. Jain noted that the firm is considering its first venture debt fund as well, though it remains unclear whether these additional vehicles will have a crypto or fintech emphasis.
The new funds are part of SC Ventures’ strategy to diversify its portfolio into emerging markets and digital infrastructure. This will help position Standard Chartered as an active player in both fintech innovation and frontier investment landscapes.
Market context: Pressure on digital asset treasuries
The announcement comes against a backdrop of market pressure on digital asset treasuries (DATs). Standard Chartered recently raised concerns about the declining market net asset value (mNAV) of DAT firms—a key metric comparing enterprise value to cryptocurrency holdings.
Several prominent treasury firms have slipped below the critical 1.0 mNAV threshold, indicating difficulties in issuing new shares and sustaining crypto accumulation.
“The recent collapse in DAT mNAVs will likely drive differentiation and market consolidation,” Standard Chartered said in a recent note. The bank added that stronger firms with access to low-cost capital and staking yields would be better positioned, naming industry leaders such as Strategy and Bitmine as examples.
Growing institutional moves beyond Bitcoin
The $250 million SC Ventures fund adds to a series of institutional announcements expanding exposure to cryptocurrencies beyond Bitcoin. On the same day, Nasdaq-listed Helius Medical Technologies revealed plans to establish a $500 million corporate treasury reserve using Solana (SOL) as its primary reserve asset, with a commitment to scale holdings significantly over the next 12 to 24 months.
In August, the Hong Kong branch of Standard Chartered partnered with Web3 company Animoca Brands to develop a stablecoin backed by the Hong Kong dollar. This collaboration has led to the formation of Anchorpoint Financial Limited, a joint venture designed to operate within Hong Kong’s evolving regulatory landscape.
A strategic alliance takes shape
Anchorpoint Financial formally submitted its application for a stablecoin licence to the Hong Kong Monetary Authority on 1 August. This move coincided with the launch of Hong Kong’s new stablecoin framework, following a six-month transition period.
The introduction of the new regulations brought unforeseen challenges. The rules proved to be more stringent than many market participants had anticipated, resulting in a noticeable market reaction. Shares of some Hong Kong-based companies associated with stablecoin concepts fell by up to 20 per cent in early August. Industry analysts viewed this as a necessary correction, helping to distinguish serious operators from speculative ventures.
