Standard Chartered is expanding its business of holding crypto for institutions. A post on X says that push now covers Ripple’s RLUSD stablecoin on the XRP Ledger.
The bank’s own October 8, 2026 announcement is more measured. It describes plans, regulatory conditions and a year-end target, so the details matter.
What Standard Chartered actually announced
On October 8, 2026, Standard Chartered Bank (Singapore) Limited said it plans to offer institutional-grade custody services in Singapore. The service would cover selected crypto assets, stablecoins and tokenized real-world assets.
The target audience is narrow. The service is for institutional investors and corporate clients that qualify as accredited investors.
The rollout comes with a condition. The service depends on the bank obtaining the necessary regulatory approvals, so the plan is not yet a finished product.
Ying Ying Tan, the bank’s global head of digital assets, said the launch is targeted for completion by the end of 2026.
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Where RLUSD fits in
The X post states that Standard Chartered is launching institutional custody for Ripple’s RLUSD stablecoin on the XRP Ledger. The XRP Ledger is the public blockchain closely associated with Ripple.
The bank’s Singapore announcement, as described in available reporting, does not specifically name RLUSD or the XRP Ledger. It refers more broadly to stablecoins and selected crypto assets.
That gap is worth keeping in mind. Stablecoins are explicitly within the scope of the planned service, so RLUSD could fit the category. Formal confirmation that it is among the supported assets has not appeared in the bank’s announcement as reported.
A custody network years in the making
Standard Chartered has been building this capability across several markets. Before Singapore, the bank already offered digital asset custody in the UAE, Luxembourg and Hong Kong.
In Luxembourg, the bank secured authorization under MiCA, the European Union’s comprehensive crypto rulebook.
The bank has also struck a strategic partnership with LMAX Group focused on digital asset custody services.
The most significant structural change came in May 2026. Standard Chartered folded Zodia Custody’s operations into its own banking division. Zodia had operated as a separate custody venture, and bringing it in-house moved digital asset safekeeping closer to the core bank.
Why Singapore, and why now
The bank says it wants to support the full lifecycle of asset management. That stretches from conventional asset servicing to newer digital custody products.
What this means for institutions and the stablecoin market
The service still requires regulatory approval, and the end-of-2026 target is a goal, not a guarantee.
The bank describes coverage of “selected” crypto assets, which implies a curated menu rather than broad support. Which tokens make the cut, including whether RLUSD and XRP Ledger assets are formally named, will shape how much this matters for specific ecosystems.
Watch for three signals in the coming months: regulatory clearance in Singapore, a published list of supported assets, and any direct statement from Standard Chartered or Ripple on RLUSD.
Disclosure: This article was edited by Kaye Quema. For more information on how we create and review content, see our Editorial Policy.