Standard Chartered has launched spot buying and selling for Bitcoin (BTC) and Ethereum (ETH) via its institutional crypto platform, increasing its presence in digital property simply as U.S. regulatory and investor consideration turns sharply towards stablecoins.
The launch follows a sequence of high-level conferences throughout Washington, New York, and Boston, the place Geoffrey Kendrick, the financial institution’s Head of Digital Property Analysis, spent the week of July 7 to July 11 partaking with crypto-native companies, Bitcoin miners, funds, and policymakers.
In accordance with Kendrick, practically 90% of the discussions centered on stablecoins, regardless of Bitcoin hitting new document highs.
Regulatory tailwinds
Curiosity in stablecoins has surged because the GENIUS Act, a U.S. invoice that goals to determine clear guidelines for fiat-backed digital property, nears passage.
Kendrick stated the laws might grow to be legislation as early as this week, setting the stage for fast enlargement of the U.S. stablecoin market and unlocking broader adoption throughout monetary establishments and public-sector entities.
Kendrick famous that shoppers now project a stablecoin market size of $750 billion by the tip of 2026, up from roughly $250 billion as of July 15.
With regulatory readability, stablecoin issuance is predicted to broaden considerably, not solely via main monetary gamers however probably additionally regional banks and native governments exploring tokenized money devices.
Past adoption, discussions additionally touched on macroeconomic implications: potential shifts within the U.S. Treasury curve, long-term results on greenback liquidity, U.S. fee system reform, and stablecoin-driven monetary stability dangers in rising markets.
Stablecoin infrastructure
Customary Chartered’s report means that the broader stablecoin sector could also be evolving quicker than beforehand anticipated.
Kendrick highlighted that the Digital Asset Market Readability Act, a separate legislative effort, might go by late September or early October, probably accelerating the tokenization of real-world property (RWAs) and the combination of DeFi rails.
On-chain knowledge exhibits constant development in stablecoin balances throughout all pockets sizes, together with centralized exchanges, DeFi platforms, and mid-sized retail wallets, indicating broadening use instances and rising international demand.
Kendrick’s findings and Customary Chartered’s buying and selling desk launch replicate a pivotal shift in institutional crypto technique. Whereas Bitcoin’s role as a store of value remains intact, the infrastructure and coverage agenda now seem firmly targeted on stablecoins because the spine of programmable cash.