SC Ventures, Standard Chartered’s venture capital division, has strategically invested in GSR, a cryptocurrency market maker, valuing the company at roughly $1 billion and increasing the bank’s shareholding.
In addition to establishing a broader collaboration focused on tokenization and institutional-grade crypto market infrastructure, the transaction makes SC Ventures GSR’s first external strategic shareholder since its founding in 2013.
SC Ventures Becomes GSR’s First Strategic Shareholder
GSR promotes itself as a crypto capital markets and liquidity partner that offers exchanges, token issuers, and institutions market-making, over-the-counter trading, and advisory services. Founded by former Goldman Sachs traders, the company has expanded to become one of the biggest market makers in the industry, offering spot, derivatives, and structured products.
GSR is looking to raise up to $150 million from other strategic backers to scale operations. With this deal, SC Ventures becomes GSR’s first external strategic investor. Multiple reports claim that the deal values GSR at more than $1 billion, placing it in “crypto unicorn” status, even though the full details are not yet public.
Focus on Tokenization and Institutional Infrastructure
Both firms say the partnership will center on building compliant, scalable infrastructure for tokenized assets and institutional digital‑asset markets. GSR plans to expand a capital‑markets services model that covers token design, pre‑issuance strategy, listing support, and post‑listing market making for tokenized products.
The deal also builds on earlier ties between the two groups. Last month, GSR led a funding round for Libeara, an SC Ventures‑backed tokenization platform that helps financial institutions issue and distribute regulated tokenized assets. Libeara says its infrastructure has already supported more than 1 billion dollars in tokenized real‑world assets, and it frames liquidity partners like GSR as key to building “institutional‑grade” on‑chain markets.
Standard Chartered has been steadily expanding its presence in digital assets through SC Ventures, with projects spanning custody, prime brokerage, and tokenization. The bank’s venture unit has also invested in another crypto market maker, Keyrock, and is working on a digital‑asset fund that could reach 250 million dollars, according to recent briefings.
SC Ventures executives say robust, regulated infrastructure will define the next phase of the digital-asset market, rather than speculative trading alone.
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