Standard Chartered has become the first Global Systemically Important Bank (G-SIB) to offer institutional clients integrated access to USDC minting and redemption through a partnership with Circle Internet Group, marking a significant step in bridging traditional banking and digital asset infrastructure.
The new service allows eligible institutional clients to mint and redeem USDC through a single onboarding process with Standard Chartered, eliminating the need to maintain a direct account with Circle. The integration is designed to simplify access to regulated stablecoin services while combining traditional banking, digital assets, and blockchain technology within a single platform.
Initially launched through Standard Chartered’s operations in the Dubai International Financial Centre (DIFC), the service supports institutional use cases including on-chain settlement, treasury management, and liquidity operations. The bank also plans to expand payment-related capabilities and roll out the offering in additional markets, subject to regulatory approvals.
By embedding USDC functionality into its institutional banking platform, Standard Chartered aims to provide clients with access to digital asset services backed by the governance, compliance, and risk management standards expected from a global financial institution.
The launch comes as demand continues to grow among financial institutions and corporations for regulated stablecoin infrastructure to support payments, treasury functions, settlement, liquidity management, and broader participation in digital asset markets.
Roberto Hoornweg, Chief Executive Officer of Corporate and Investment Banking at Standard Chartered, said digital assets are becoming an increasingly important part of the global financial system, with institutional clients seeking the same level of trust and governance available in traditional financial markets.
“With this launch, we are extending those standards into a rapidly evolving segment of the financial system,” Hoornweg said. “Ultimately, this is about enabling broader institutional participation in digital asset markets through the frameworks, controls and regulatory oversight that have long supported confidence in global financial markets.”
Circle Chief Commercial Officer Kash Razzaghi said the partnership responds to growing institutional demand for trusted and regulated access to stablecoins.
“By integrating Circle’s regulated stablecoin infrastructure into Standard Chartered’s global banking platform, we are helping institutions access new opportunities to use USDC across payments, settlement and treasury operations while maintaining the compliance, governance, and risk management standards they expect,” Razzaghi said.
The initiative forms part of Standard Chartered’s broader digital assets strategy, which spans banking, securities services, custody, digital market infrastructure, and blockchain-enabled financial solutions. The bank said the launch reflects its commitment to supporting responsible innovation in stablecoins and the wider digital asset ecosystem.
