Standard Chartered’s investment arm is set to unveil a $250 million cryptocurrency fund in 2026, highlighting the increasing interest from institutional investors in digital assets.
SC Ventures, part of Standard Chartered, intends to gather capital for this fund, which will concentrate on digital assets within the financial services sector, as reported by Bloomberg on Monday, citing Gautam Jain, an operating partner.
The fund, launching in 2026, will be supported by investors from the Middle East, with a global investment focus, according to Jain’s comments to Bloomberg.
SC Ventures’ initiative comes amid a trend of corporate treasury firms developing long-term accumulation strategies, raising expectations for increased institutional investment in the crypto market over the coming years.
Cointelegraph reached out to SC Ventures for insights on the specific cryptocurrencies to be included in the fund but did not receive an immediate reply.
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SC Ventures to initiate $100 million Africa investment fund
In addition to the $250 million digital asset fund, SC Ventures is also planning a $100 million fund for investments in Africa, and is contemplating a venture debt fund, as per Jain’s statements.
He did not clarify if these funds would include or prioritize cryptocurrencies and financial technology.
This development follows Standard Chartered’s expression of concerns regarding the declining market net asset value (mNAV) of digital asset treasury (DAT) firms, which assess the ratio of a company’s enterprise value to its cryptocurrency assets.
Standard Chartered indicated that many prominent treasury firms have recently fallen below the critical mNAV level of one, making it increasingly difficult for companies to issue new shares and increase cryptocurrency holdings, as reported by Cointelegraph on Monday.
“The recent downturn in DAT mNAVs is likely to foster differentiation and market consolidation,” stated Standard Chartered. “Differentiation will benefit the largest, least expensive funders and those with staking yield,” providing an optimistic outlook for major firms like Strategy and Bitmine, poised to raise capital via low-cost debt issuance.
Related: SEC chair promises notice before enforcement for crypto businesses: FT
The $250 million fund signifies a growing corporate interest in cryptocurrencies beyond just Bitcoin (BTC).
On Monday, Nasdaq-listed Helius Medical Technologies announced a $500 million corporate treasury reserve, with the Solana (SOL) token designated as the primary reserve asset.
The firm committed to “significantly scale” its Solana holdings in the upcoming 12 to 24 months, indicating a rise in institutional investment in altcoins.
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