April 10, 2025, Dubai, UAE
— Standard Chartered Bank and global leading digital currency exchange and on-chain technology company OKX jointly announced the launch of an innovative global staking asset mirror project. This project allows institutional clients to use digital currencies and tokenized currency market funds as over-the-counter trading staking assets, while a major global systemically important bank (G-SIB) is responsible for the custody of the staking assets, significantly enhancing the safety of institutional clients’ funds and capital efficiency.
Margaret Harwood-Jones, Head of Global Financing and Securities Services at Standard Chartered Bank, stated:
“In the face of the ever-changing landscape of digital assets, we understand that robust and secure custody solutions are crucial. Our collaboration with OKX, enabling users to utilize digital currencies and tokenized currency market funds as staking assets, marks a critical step in boosting confidence and improving efficiency for our institutional clients. By leveraging Standard Chartered’s established custody infrastructure, we will ensure the highest standards of security and compliance, thereby enhancing market trust in the digital asset ecosystem.”
The collateral mirror project has been launched as a pilot under the regulatory framework of the Dubai Virtual Assets Regulatory Authority (VARA). The project can significantly reduce counterparty risk, which is a key pain point in the current digital asset market, providing users with more effective protection. Standard Chartered Bank, as an independent custodian within the Dubai International Financial Centre (DIFC), is regulated by the Dubai Financial Services Authority (DFSA) and is responsible for the secure storage of staking assets. OKX manages the staking assets and executes transactions through its VARA licensed entity. Franklin Templeton will be one of the first money market funds launched in this joint project between OKX and Standard Chartered Bank.
Hong Fang, President of OKX, remarked:
“As the digital asset ecosystem gradually merges with the traditional financial system, we are committed to driving industry growth with the highest capital efficiency while ensuring the security of user assets. This collaboration combines the advantages of Standard Chartered as a top global custodian with OKX’s market leadership in digital currency trading, setting an industry benchmark for existing and potential institutional clients and creating a trustworthy environment for their large-scale deployment of trading capital.”
Franklin Templeton is a recognized leader in the tokenization and real-world assets (RWA) space, continuously innovating through blockchain technology to provide cutting-edge solutions for its users and clients. Through this collaboration, OKX users will be able to directly use on-chain assets developed by the Franklin Digital Assets team and seamlessly integrate them into their own financial and operational systems.
Roger Baysto, Head of Franklin Templeton Digital Assets, stated:
“Our platform leverages blockchain technology to support the ongoing dynamic development of the financial ecosystem. Whether through direct investment in blockchain assets or the innovation of solutions by our internal team, we adhere to true on-chain operations—on-chain asset minting facilitates genuine ownership and ensures asset transfers and settlements occur at blockchain-level speeds, completely freeing us from the constraints of traditional infrastructure.”
Brevan Howard, a leading global alternative investment management firm, has a subsidiary focused on digital currencies and digital assets, Brevan Howard Digital, which is one of the first institutions to join this innovative project, highlighting the importance of collaboration between internationally leading cross-border banks and the world’s top exchanges in providing such services.
Ryan Taylor, Group Compliance Officer and CEO of Brevan Howard Digital, commented:
“This project is the latest testament to the industry’s continuous innovation and institutionalization process. As a significant investor in the digital asset space, we are thrilled to collaborate with leading players in the industry to drive the growth and development of the global digital currency ecosystem.”
About OKX
OKX is a leading global digital currency trading platform, trusted by over 60 million users worldwide, renowned for its fast trading experience and reliable digital currency applications. As a top partner of Premier League champions Manchester City Football Club, McLaren Formula 1, and Olympic athlete Scott James, OKX is committed to providing fans with extraordinary experiences through new interactive ways. OKX is also a top partner of the Tribeca Film Festival, actively promoting more creators to enter the Web3 space. OKX consistently adheres to the core principles of transparency and security, regularly publishing proof of reserves. For more information, please download the OKX app or visit the official website: okx.com.
About Brevan Howard Digital
Brevan Howard Digital (BH Digital) is the digital currency and digital assets division of the Brevan Howard Group, dedicated to helping institutional investors seize diverse investment opportunities arising from the structural changes and innovations brought about by blockchain technology. BH Digital employs a multi-manager, multi-strategy investment model, providing investors with free allocation, seeking alpha returns, and diversified layouts in the digital asset ecosystem across public and private markets. Currently, BH Digital consists of over 60 professionals across 8 global offices, managing over $2 billion in assets. For more information, please visit www.brevanhoward.com/brevanhoward-digital/.
About Standard Chartered
Standard Chartered is a leading international banking group with a business network spanning 53 of the world’s most dynamic markets. Our goal is to drive business growth and prosperity through Standard Chartered’s unique diversity, fully reflected in our cultural heritage and corporate values, encapsulated in our brand promise—“Here for good.”
About Franklin Templeton
Franklin Resources, Inc. (NYSE: BEN) is a global investment management organization operating under the Franklin Templeton name, with businesses in over 150 countries worldwide. The company is dedicated to helping clients achieve higher investment returns through professional investment management, wealth management, and technology solutions. Franklin Templeton fosters professional investment managers to provide a wide range of specialized services in fixed income, equity, alternative investments, and multi-asset strategies globally. The company is headquartered in California and has offices in major financial markets around the world. With over 75 years of investment experience, the company has more than 1,500 investment professionals. As of February 28, 2025, Franklin Templeton manages assets totaling $15.8 trillion. For details, please visit franklintempleton.com or follow us on LinkedIn, X, and Facebook.
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