Standard Chartered will acquire Zodia Custody’s regulated custody business and create a separate Zodia Solutions platform under SC Ventures.
Summary
- Standard Chartered will integrate Zodia Custody’s regulated unit into its Financing and Securities Services business.
- Zodia Solutions will become a separate SC Ventures platform serving banks and other financial institutions.
- crypto.news earlier reported that the move fits a wider bank race for crypto custody control.
Standard Chartered said Zodia Custody shareholders and noteholders accepted its non-binding offer. The deal still needs regulatory approvals and normal closing steps.
The bank will place Zodia Custody’s regulated custody activities inside its existing digital asset custody business under Financing and Securities Services. It said the move will combine its custody operations and create a fuller offer for digital asset custody clients worldwide.
Margaret Harwood-Jones, global head of Financing and Securities Services at Standard Chartered, said the acquisition will support the growth of the bank’s global digital asset custody portfolio. She also said it strengthens Standard Chartered’s role as a “trusted bridge between TradFi and DeFi.”
What happens to Zodia Solutions?
Zodia Custody will separate its institutional digital asset infrastructure platform and transfer related assets to Zodia Solutions. The new company will sit under SC Ventures and serve financial institutions, including Standard Chartered.
Zodia Solutions will focus on bank-grade technology for firms that want to launch or expand digital asset services. Standard Chartered said the platform will be backed by several bank investors, including current Zodia Custody investors.
Zodia Custody CEO Julian Sawyer said “digital asset custody is increasingly being delivered within banking environments.” He also said institutions are seeking specialist partners to build crypto services at scale.
Why does the deal matter for crypto custody?
The deal confirms a plan that crypto.news reported in April. That report said Standard Chartered was preparing to fold Zodia Custody into its corporate and investment bank while keeping Zodia as a white-label software platform.
The same report noted that Zodia and Standard Chartered had been running parallel custody operations. Bringing them together could reduce overlap and give institutional clients a clearer custody structure inside the bank.
crypto.news also reported that Standard Chartered launched a Luxembourg entity in 2025 to offer crypto custody services across the European Union under MiCA. That move added to its earlier UAE custody work.
How are major banks moving into custody?
The Zodia deal comes as large financial firms add digital asset services. crypto.news reported that Morgan Stanley is pursuing an OCC national trust bank charter for direct crypto custody and staking.
Other crypto firms are also seeking trust bank charters. crypto.news reported that Zerohash applied for a U.S. national trust bank charter, with Morgan Stanley and PAYO Digital Bank also listed among February applicants.
Zodia also remains linked to tokenization. crypto.news reported in July 2025 that Zodia Custody joined Ondo’s Global Markets Alliance, a group focused on tokenized capital markets.
