Standard Chartered Zodia Custody Acquisition Advances with Signed Agreements

Standard Chartered announced on October 21, 2026, that its subsidiary Standard Chartered I H Limited signed definitive agreements to acquire 100 percent of Zodia Custody Limited, the UK parent of several regulated digital asset custody entities. The transaction follows a non-binding offer accepted by shareholders and noteholders in May 2026. Completion remains subject to regulatory approvals and standard closing conditions.

Standard Chartered Zodia Custody Acquisition Details and Structure

The custody operations currently active in Singapore, Hong Kong, Australia, the United Arab Emirates and Luxembourg will transfer into Standard Chartered’s Securities Services business unit. This unit already serves institutional clients with financing and custody solutions. The move brings previously separate regulated entities under direct bank ownership and oversight.

Zodia Custody’s institutional digital asset infrastructure, software and professional services platform will move into a separate company named Zodia Solutions. That entity will operate under SC Ventures, the bank’s venture arm, with continued backing from existing investors including Northern Trust, NAB Ventures, SBI Ventures and Emirates NBD. Standard Chartered will remain a customer of the new platform after the separation.

Financial terms of the transaction were not disclosed. Earlier timelines that targeted signing by the end of June and completion by the end of August 2026 were not met; no revised schedule has been published. The transaction builds on Standard Chartered’s existing in-house capabilities, including a Luxembourg MiCA license obtained around 2025, which created operational overlap with the joint-venture structure.

Background, Statements and Expected Timeline

Zodia Custody was established in 2020 as a joint venture led by SC Ventures, which held approximately 70 percent before the current deal. Minority stakes were held by Northern Trust, Emirates NBD, NAB and SBI. The platform provided regulated custody services to institutional clients across multiple jurisdictions. Parallel development of internal custody solutions at the bank created duplication that the acquisition now resolves.

Standard Chartered representatives cited expected revenue and cost synergies, faster growth in global digital asset custody and reinforcement of the bank’s role bridging traditional finance and decentralized finance. Zodia executives stated that client services would continue without interruption and that the transfer of custody activities into a banking environment aligns with rising institutional demand. SC Ventures noted that the separation allows continued focus on its venture-building approach while the custody business integrates into core banking operations.

Regulatory reviews in the relevant jurisdictions are the next required step. Once approvals are obtained and closing conditions are satisfied, the Zodia Custody brand and regulated custody entities will be absorbed into Standard Chartered, while Zodia Solutions will function independently under SC Ventures and continue serving institutional clients including the bank itself. No immediate changes to client access or service levels have been indicated.