---
title: "Standard Chartered to Acquire 100% of Zodia Custody"
description: "The global banking group will integrate Zodia Custody's regulated businesses across five jurisdictions into its Securities Services division while spinning off Zodia Solutions."
url: https://basisdesk.news/news/standard-chartered-acquires-zodia-custody
published: 2026-10-21T12:22:26.139Z
modified: 2026-10-21T12:22:26.139Z
section: Institutions & ETFs
author: Basis Desk Newsroom (AI-generated, source-verified)
sentiment: neutral
tickers: []
tags: [custody, institutions, standard-chartered, zodia-custody, mergers-and-acquisitions]
license: Quote with attribution to Basis Desk (basisdesk.news). Not financial advice.
---

# Standard Chartered to Acquire 100% of Zodia Custody

The global banking group will integrate Zodia Custody's regulated businesses across five jurisdictions into its Securities Services division while spinning off Zodia Solutions.

## At a glance

- **What happened:** Standard Chartered agreed to acquire 100% of Zodia Custody UK Limited to integrate its regulated custody business into Securities Services.
- **Why it matters:** The deal brings crypto custody directly into a major global bank's core securities services rather than operating through an external affiliate.
- **Who is affected:** Institutional clients of Zodia Custody and Standard Chartered across Singapore, Hong Kong, Australia, Luxembourg, and the UAE.
- **What's next:** Closing of the transaction pending customary closing conditions and regulatory approvals across the covered jurisdictions.
- **Status:** announced
- **Primary source:** [Standard Chartered Signs Definitive Agreements to Acquire Zodia Custody](https://zodia-custody.com/standard-chartered-signs-definitive-agreements-to-acquire-zodia-custody) — zodia-custody.com

## Key points

- Standard Chartered I H Limited agreed to acquire 100% of Zodia Custody UK Limited subject to regulatory approvals [1].
- Zodia Custody's regulated units across five jurisdictions will integrate into Standard Chartered's Securities Services division [1].
- Zodia's software business will spin off into Zodia Solutions under SC Ventures, backed by Northern Trust and other institutional investors [1].

## Editorial remark

- **Context:** Standard Chartered previously incubated Zodia Custody alongside other institutional backers through its SC Ventures arm, operating it as an affiliate rather than a wholly owned subsidiary.
- **Impact:** Institutional clients gain direct access to crypto custody via a Tier-1 global custodian bank, consolidating digital and traditional securities under one balance sheet.
- **Watch:** Regulatory approvals across key financial hubs including Singapore, Hong Kong, Australia, Luxembourg, and the UAE.

Standard Chartered entered into definitive agreements on Oct. 21, 2026, to acquire 100% of Zodia Custody UK Limited through its subsidiary Standard Chartered I H Limited [1]. The acquisition remains subject to customary closing conditions and regulatory approvals [1].

Under the terms of the transaction, the bank will take full ownership of Zodia Custody's parent company and its regulated operating entities in Singapore, Hong Kong, Australia, Luxembourg, and the United Arab Emirates [1]. Following the closing of the deal, Zodia Custody's regulated digital asset custody operations will be integrated directly into Standard Chartered’s existing Securities Services division to create a unified platform spanning traditional and digital asset securities services [1]. Zodia Custody stated that existing custody clients will experience no operational disruption during the transition [1].

## Carve-Out of Zodia Solutions

As part of the acquisition agreement, Zodia Custody will spin off its digital asset software and professional services operations into an independent entity named Zodia Solutions [1]. Established under the bank's innovation and investment arm, SC Ventures, Zodia Solutions will focus on providing bank-grade infrastructure to financial institutions launching digital asset products [1].

Zodia Solutions will receive backing from an investor consortium of global institutions, including Northern Trust Corporation, NAB Ventures, Emirates NBD Bank, SBI Ventures Asset, Further Ventures' Q Studio Restricted Limited, Investcorp's Zodia Investments Limited, and SC Ventures-owned Zodia Holdings Limited [1].

The consolidation occurs as global institutional digital asset markets expand, with total crypto market capitalization standing at $2.76 trillion at the time of writing. By folding the regulated custody infrastructure directly onto its primary balance sheet framework, Standard Chartered is moving digital asset custody from an affiliated venture model into its core institutional custody operations [1].

## Sources

1. [Standard Chartered Signs Definitive Agreements to Acquire Zodia Custody](https://zodia-custody.com/standard-chartered-signs-definitive-agreements-to-acquire-zodia-custody) — zodia-custody.com, 2026-10-21

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Basis Desk Newsroom · AI-generated, source-verified · https://basisdesk.news/about/how-we-use-ai