Kategorie: Crypto Markets

• The initiative is part of a broader push by the bank to integrate digital assets into its core financial infrastructure.
• According to the bank, the spot trading capability is fully embedded within its existing trading infrastructure.
• In September 2024, the bank introduced a regulated crypto custody service in the United Arab Emirates.

Standard Chartered has launched a new spot cryptocurrency trading service for institutional and corporate clients, expanding its digital assets footprint as traditional financial institutions deepen their engagement with crypto markets.

The UK-based multinational bank on Tuesday announced that the new service supports spot trading in Bitcoin (BTC) and Ether (ETH) through its London-based branch.

The initiative is part of a broader push by the bank to integrate digital assets into its core financial infrastructure.

Institutional-grade access via FX platforms

According to the bank, the spot trading capability is fully embedded within its existing trading infrastructure, allowing institutional investors to trade crypto assets through foreign exchange (FX) interfaces they already use.

Clients can settle trades with a custodian of their choice, including Standard Chartered’s proprietary custody solution.

The integration is aimed at reducing onboarding friction for traditional finance participants by mirroring the experience of established FX markets.

“Digital assets are a foundational element of the evolution in financial services, ” said Bill Winters, Standard Chartered Group Chief Executive, in the statement.

“They’re integral to enabling new pathways for innovation, greater inclusion and growth across the industry.”

“As client demand accelerates further, we want to offer clients a route to transact, trade, and manage digital asset risk safely and efficiently within regulatory requirements,” the CEO further added.

Crypto custody and broader digital asset strategy

The launch builds on Standard Chartered’s prior moves in digital assets.

In September 2024, the bank introduced a regulated crypto custody service in the United Arab Emirates, supporting both Bitcoin and Ether custody.

The service is designed to cater to institutions and complies with regional regulatory frameworks.

The bank also has exposure to the sector through strategic investments in Zodia Custody and Zodia Markets, both of which offer crypto infrastructure services targeted at institutional clients.

Additionally, Standard Chartered backs Libeara, a platform for tokenisation of real-world financial assets.

Through its corporate and investment banking division, Standard Chartered now offers an integrated suite of digital asset services, covering trading, custody, and tokenisation, aligning with broader industry trends where banks seek to offer end-to-end crypto infrastructure to clients.

The post Standard Chartered launches spot crypto trading for institutional clients appeared first on CoinJournal.

• NEAR Protocol targets $3 amid strong bullish momentum and trendline support.
• Key resistance lies at $2.75–$2.80, and a breakout could fuel further gains.
• For now, staying above $1.99 is crucial for NEAR to avoid downside toward $1.44.

NEAR Protocol (NEAR) is gaining renewed attention in the crypto market as bullish momentum builds following a prolonged slump.

The cryptocurrency has already seen a strong bounce in July, supported by solid fundamentals, technical strength, and growing market interest.

After months of declining prices and cautious sentiment, NEAR is now showing promising technical signals that could set the stage for a meaningful recovery in the coming weeks.

Recent price action suggests that NEAR may be poised to reclaim higher levels, with analysts eyeing the $3 mark as a key upside target.

Price action turns bullish as NEAR breaks key levels

Over the past 24 hours, NEAR has climbed steadily, registering a 4% gain, reclaiming levels above $2.60.

This rally comes amid a broader bullish wave across altcoins, led by Bitcoin’s surge to an all-time high above $123,000.

Importantly, NEAR has managed to break above its previous resistance around $2.62, a zone that has now flipped into support.

This level had capped several upside attempts in recent weeks, so reclaiming it reinforces the current bullish narrative.

The short-term trend remains positive, with the price forming higher lows and holding above an ascending trendline on the hourly chart.

The trendline has remained intact despite minor pullbacks, indicating strong buyer interest on dips.

Supply zone near $2.80 could act as a test

As price pushes toward the $2.75–$2.80 range, traders are now watching how NEAR behaves near this important supply zone. This area marks the first significant resistance where sellers may step in to stall the rally.

A clean breakout above $2.80 would likely trigger fresh momentum and pave the way for a move toward $3.21, with some analysts even projecting a further push to $3.86.

However, if the zone rejects price, a retest of the $2.55 support level could follow.

So far, the volume profile suggests strength behind the current move, with a sharp increase in buying activity on the breakout above $2.62.

As long as NEAR remains above $2.55, the bullish outlook is expected to remain valid.

Long-term downtrend may be reversing

While the short-term outlook appears promising, NEAR is still down more than 87% from its all-time high of $20.44, reached in January 2022.

Nonetheless, signs of a long-term recovery are starting to emerge.

According to analysts like those from CoinLore, maintaining a price floor above $1.99 is crucial for NEAR to continue climbing.

If this level holds, the next key resistance levels to watch will be $2.74, $3.21, and $3.86, respectively.

On the downside, any failure to hold the $1.99 level could expose NEAR to further losses, with $1.44 acting as the next major support.

However, current momentum and trend structure suggest that such a decline is unlikely unless broader market sentiment turns negative.

Near Protocol fundamentals support the technical rebound

Beyond the charts, NEAR’s technical fundamentals are also contributing to the renewed optimism.

Built as a scalable Layer 1 network, NEAR leverages advanced technologies such as Nightshade sharding and the Doomslug consensus mechanism to offer speed and efficiency for decentralised applications.

Recent network upgrades and a growing developer community are helping to strengthen the foundation of the NEAR ecosystem.

These improvements are beginning to attract new projects, signalling that confidence in the protocol is gradually returning.

Market forecasts also reflect a moderate long-term recovery, with average price targets for 2026 at around $3.44.

This suggests that while expectations are realistic, they also imply meaningful upside from current levels.

The post NEAR Protocol (NEAR) price forecast: target at $3 amid strong bullish recovery appeared first on CoinJournal.

• As Bitcoin climbed to yet another all-time high above $123,000 on Monday.
• Bernstein expects regulatory clarity in the US to be a major catalyst going forward.
• “Our conviction in blockchain and digital assets has never been higher,” the analysts wrote.

As Bitcoin climbed to yet another all-time high above $123,000 on Monday, analysts at brokerage and research firm Bernstein reiterated their bullish outlook for the cryptocurrency, forecasting a prolonged market upcycle that could take Bitcoin to $200,000 by the end of 2025 or early 2026.

In a note to clients released Monday, the analysts—led by Gautam Chhugani—characterised the current bull market as “long and exhausting,” driven not by retail speculation but by deep institutional involvement, a clearer regulatory landscape, and foundational shifts in how digital assets are integrated into the global financial system.

“Our conviction in blockchain and digital assets has never been higher,” the analysts wrote, underscoring their confidence in a structurally different and more sustainable rally compared to past cycles.

Institutional flows replacing retail speculation

The analysts highlighted that this cycle stands apart from previous ones due to the dominance of institutional adoption, a point underscored by the rapid rise of spot bitcoin ETFs, which now hold over $150 billion in assets under management.

According to Bernstein, BlackRock’s IBIT ETF alone accounts for $84 billion of that total.

They also pointed to growing corporate treasury allocations — such as Strategy’s ongoing Bitcoin accumulation — as further evidence of a structural allocation trend that could support continued price appreciation toward the firm’s $200,000 target.

Bitcoin will continue to emerge as the world’s hard-money reserve asset, Bernstein wrote.

Regulation expected to accelerate US adoption

Bernstein expects regulatory clarity in the US to be a major catalyst going forward.

The firm said two pending legislative efforts — the CLARITY Act and the GENIUS Act — could help define jurisdictional boundaries between the SEC and the Commodity Futures Trading Commission, while also establishing guardrails for stablecoins.

Such progress, the analysts argue, would position US platforms like Coinbase, Robinhood, and Circle as leading regulated entities in the crypto ecosystem, enabling wider participation from institutional investors.

Further, Bernstein said regulatory clarity would help reshore crypto trading activity, currently fragmented across offshore venues, and allow for the establishment of a US-based derivatives market for crypto futures and options.

Tokenisation and stablecoins seen as structural growth drivers

Beyond bitcoin, Bernstein expects broader blockchain adoption to be fueled by the tokenization of real-world assets — including money markets, equities, deposits, and credit.

This evolution would enable onchain capital markets offering instant, 24/7 settlement and programmable financial instruments, they said.

The analysts added that stablecoins, already approaching a $250 billion market, are playing a growing role in cross-border B2B and remittance payments.

Over time, they expect stablecoins to expand into mainstream retail and commercial payment systems, supported by improving compliance frameworks and distribution infrastructure.

Wallet adoption, currently estimated at around 50 million globally, could increase sharply as banks and businesses integrate blockchain-based systems, Bernstein said.

The post Bernstein predicts Bitcoin to reach $200,000 by early 2026 appeared first on CoinJournal.