Shares of Standard Chartered (LON:STAN) rose on July 3, 2026, in London, with investors watching the bank’s digital-asset expansion and what it could mean for fee growth. The stock traded higher at 17:05 BST.
- Standard Chartered ended last trade at 2,122p, up 1.53%. The FTSE 100 (INDEXFTSE:UKX) was up 0.25%.
- The gain was ahead of HSBC Holdings PLC (LON:HSBA), NatWest Group PLC (LON:NWG), Lloyds Banking Group PLC (LON:LLOY) and Barclays PLC (LON:BARC) on UK share-price data that arrived late.
- Standard Chartered’s last two days were focused on fee business. The bank announced USDC access with Circle Internet Group Inc (NYSE:CRCL), digital asset prime broking with LMAX Group, and a private bank training push before July 29 half-year numbers.
Standard Chartered PLC (LON:STAN) finished Friday trading at 2,122p, gaining 32p, or 1.53%, at 17:05 BST on delayed data from Davy. The FTSE 100 (INDEXFTSE:UKX) closed up 26.16 points, or 0.25%, at 10,679.03 at 16:35 BST, Investors Chronicle numbers show.
The stock ended at its session high, sitting roughly 6.9% under its 2,278p high for the year. That’s worth noting since Standard Chartered is close to the top of its one-year range just ahead of half-year results set for July 29.
| Instrument | Latest delayed quote | Day move | Gap vs Standard Chartered |
|---|---|---|---|
| Standard Chartered PLC (LON:STAN) | 2,122p last trade | +1.53% | — |
| FTSE 100 (INDEXFTSE:UKX) | 10,679.03 | +0.25% | +1.28 pct pts |
| HSBC Holdings PLC (LON:HSBA) | 1,450.20p buy | +0.40% | +1.13 pct pts |
| NatWest Group PLC (LON:NWG) | 679.40p buy | +0.62% | +0.91 pct pts |
| Lloyds Banking Group PLC (LON:LLOY) | 114.60p buy | +0.35% | +1.18 pct pts |
| Barclays PLC (LON:BARC) | 521.40p buy | +0.04% | +1.49 pct pts |
Standard Chartered’s move outpaced other UK banks after it posted two digital-asset updates in two days. On July 1, the bank said it completed its first live digital-asset prime brokerage trades with LMAX Group in spot Bitcoin and Ether, settling T+1 at its UK branch. Then on July 2, Standard Chartered said institutional clients could use its DIFC operations for USDC minting and redemption, without a Circle account.
| Date | Standard Chartered update | Investor angle |
|---|---|---|
| July 1 | Executes digital-asset prime brokerage trades with LMAX Group | Pushes prime brokerage to include Bitcoin and Ether credit intermediation. |
| July 2 | Brings USDC mint and redemption with Circle Internet Group Inc (NYSE:CRCL) | Opens institutional access to a bank-driven stablecoin product through DIFC. |
| July 2 | Rolls out Global Private Bank program with Cambridge Institute for Sustainability Leadership | Focus on senior private banking teams in Singapore, Hong Kong, Dubai and the UK. |
| July 29 | Q2 and half-year results on the calendar | Investors watch for income growth, RoTE and capital return figures. |
Standard Chartered’s corporate and investment banking chief, Roberto Hoornweg, said digital assets are now an “increasingly important component” for financial infrastructure. Circle’s chief commercial officer, Kash Razzaghi, added that institutions are looking for “trusted ways to access stablecoins.” Standard Chartered Bank
Alison Higgins, head of prime services at Standard Chartered, said the LMAX pilot lines up with their broader plans for “custody, trading and prime brokerage”. LMAX CEO David Mercer said big credit counterparties still miss a “critical missing mechanism” in the market. Standard Chartered Bank
For shareholders, crypto trading isn’t the only thing that matters. Standard Chartered’s first quarter was lifted by strong fee businesses. Operating income hit $5.9 billion, up 9%. Non-interest income climbed 16% to $3.0 billion. Wealth Solutions was up 32%. Global Banking rose 19%. Profit before tax reached $2.5 billion, a 17% gain at constant currency. Return on tangible equity was 17.4%.
| Metric | Q1 2026 | Change cited by company |
|---|---|---|
| Operating income | $5.9 bln | up 9% |
| Net interest income | $2.9 bln | 1% higher |
| Non-interest income | $3.0 bln | up 16% |
| Wealth Solutions income | Quarter high | up 32% |
| Global Banking income | No dollar figure | increased 19% |
| Profit before tax | $2.5 bln | 17% higher at ccy |
| RoTE | 17.4% | up 260 bps |
The key for valuation now is if these institutional products can boost non-interest income, and do it without pushing risk-weighted assets too high. Standard Chartered reported first quarter risk-weighted assets at $266 billion, up $8.2 billion from the end of 2025. Its CET1 ratio stood at 13.4%.
Reuters said in May that the bank aims for over 15% RoTE in 2028, rising to around 18% by 2030. The plan includes cutting more than 7,000 corporate-function jobs by 2030. Ed Firth at Keefe, Bruyette & Woods said it’s possible results could get “more challenging further out”. Reuters
Bill Winters called the first quarter a “record first quarter performance”. Pete Burrill, who was interim group CFO, called it a “strong start to 2026”. Standard Chartered will post Q2 and half-year numbers at 0500 UKT on Wednesday, July 29, giving the next update. Standard Chartered Bank
