Standard Chartered’s SC Ventures to Launch $250 Million Digital Asset Fund in 2026
Standard Chartered’s venture capital arm, SC Ventures, is preparing to raise $250 million to launch a digital asset investment fund by 2026. This initiative highlights increasing institutional interest in digital assets within the financial services sector.
According to Bloomberg, SC Ventures operating partner Gautam Jain confirmed that the fund will primarily target global digital asset opportunities and will be backed by investors from the Middle East. Jain emphasized the firm’s strategic focus on expanding digital asset exposure through this fund.
A spokesperson from SC Ventures told Cointelegraph, “Digital assets continue to be a high conviction theme for SC Ventures, evidenced through its digital asset-native ventures: Libeara, Zodia Markets, Zodia Custody and our existing digital asset investments.” The representative added that the firm is actively evaluating opportunities both through direct investments and joint ventures, particularly in dynamic regions such as the Middle East and Africa.
Additional Funds Targeting Africa and Venture Debt
In addition to the $250 million digital asset fund, SC Ventures plans to establish a $100 million investment fund focused on African markets. The firm is also considering launching its first venture debt fund, although details regarding their specific focus on cryptocurrencies or financial technology remain unspecified.
Market Context: Pressure on Digital Asset Treasury Firms
The announcement comes amid Standard Chartered’s recent warnings about the declining market net asset value (mNAV) of digital asset treasury (DAT) firms. mNAV measures the ratio of a company’s enterprise value relative to its cryptocurrency holdings. Several prominent treasury firms have fallen below the critical mNAV threshold of one, which complicates their ability to issue new shares and accumulate more crypto assets.
Standard Chartered noted that this decline in mNAV is likely to drive market consolidation, favoring larger, cost-efficient funders and those generating staking yields. This environment may benefit established firms capable of raising capital through low-cost debt issuance.
Institutional Appetite for Digital Assets Expands
The $250 million fund reflects a broader trend of growing corporate interest in digital assets beyond Bitcoin. For example, Nasdaq-listed Helius Medical Technologies recently announced a $500 million corporate treasury reserve with Solana (SOL) as its primary reserve asset, planning significant scaling of its Solana holdings over the next one to two years.
These developments underscore increasing institutional capital flows into altcoins and digital assets, signaling maturation and diversification within the crypto investment landscape.
FinOracleAI — Market View
Standard Chartered’s announcement to launch a $250 million digital asset fund backed by Middle Eastern investors signals growing institutional confidence in the digital asset sector, particularly within financial services. The firm’s multi-pronged approach—including additional funds targeting Africa and venture debt—diversifies exposure and mitigates risk. However, prevailing pressures on digital asset treasury firms’ valuations pose risks of market consolidation and capital access challenges, especially for smaller players. Market participants should monitor the fund’s capital raising progress and evolving mNAV trends among treasury firms to gauge institutional momentum and market health.
Impact: positive
