Standard Chartered Bank was established in 1853 by Royal Charter in the United Kingdom, with the holding company Standard Chartered PLC incorporated in 1969. The bank is domiciled in the U.K. and provides banking services across 60 countries, primarily in Asia, Africa, the Middle East, and the United Kingdom. The bulk of the business is in corporate and transaction banking, financial markets, and corporate finance. The bank has strong retail franchises focusing on the affluent segment in Hong Kong, Singapore, and certain countries in Africa. The bank has also launched a ventures division to focus on financial technology, including digital banks in Hong Kong and Singapore, online payment, and digital assets.
