Standard Chartered has been granted a Markets in Crypto-Assets (MiCA) authorisation and an Electronic Money Institution (EMI) licence in Luxembourg.
The move forms part of the next phase of Standard Chartered's Financing & Securities Services digital asset custody strategy in Europe.
The authorisations build on the establishment of Standard Chartered's Luxembourg entity in 2025. Luxembourg is now positioned as the hub for the bank's European digital asset custody operations, with services to be rolled out in phases in line with regulatory permissions, including passporting under MiCA where applicable. Passporting would allow the entity to extend services to other EU member states without requiring separate national authorisations in each jurisdiction.
MiCA is the EU's regulatory framework for crypto-asset issuance and service provision, designed to create a harmonised set of rules across member states. An EMI licence separately permits the issuance of electronic money and the provision of related payment services, which supports the operational infrastructure needed for digital asset custody activities involving client funds.
Regulatory engagement in Luxembourg
According to the official press release, Standard Chartered said the authorisations reflect the bank's collaboration with the Commission de Surveillance du Secteur Financier (CSSF), Luxembourg's financial regulator, over the course of the licensing process. The bank's global head of financing and securities services said that securing the licences represents a step in the bank's digital asset activities in Europe, adding that the authorisations reflect a commitment to operating within regulatory frameworks while supporting clients navigating the digital asset ecosystem.
The chief executive officer of Standard Chartered Luxembourg said the licences enable the entity to progressively expand services to clients across Europe, and pointed to Luxembourg as a strategic choice supported by engagement with the CSSF throughout the process.
Part of a broader international rollout
The Luxembourg authorisations follow the earlier launch of digital asset custody services by Standard Chartered in Asia and the Middle East. The bank said the European authorisations support growing client demand for regulated access to digital assets, an asset class it described as still evolving from a regulatory and infrastructure standpoint.
The development adds to a wider pattern among international banks seeking MiCA authorisation since the regulation became applicable, as institutions look to offer crypto-asset custody and related services within a harmonised EU regulatory perimeter rather than through fragmented national regimes.
