Crypto Market Maker GSR Gets First External Shareholder as SC Ventures Takes Stake

Standard Chartered’s venture arm, SC Ventures, has made a strategic investment in crypto market maker GSR, becoming its first external shareholder since the firm launched in 2013. The financial terms of the deal were not disclosed.

GSR CEO Xin Song said the partnership underscores the accelerating maturation of institutional crypto markets. He added that it reflects a growing convergence between traditional capital markets expertise and banking infrastructure, with tokenisation emerging as a central theme.

The move builds on an existing relationship between the two firms. Last month, GSR invested in SC Ventures-backed tokenisation platform Libeara, which allows clients to tokenise real-world assets. The investment is part of GSR’s broader push into crypto capital markets.

Source: https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2026-05-05/stanchart-s-vc-arm-backs-crypto-firm-gsr-at-1-billion-valuation