Standard Chartered CEO Predicts Blockchain Will Power Nearly All Global Transactions in the Future

HONG KONG — Bill Winters, the CEO of Standard Chartered, envisions a future where blockchain technology underpins almost every financial transaction worldwide, as adoption of digital assets within mainstream banking continues to accelerate.

Speaking at Hong Kong FinTech Week, Winters shared his conviction that “virtually all transactions will eventually be settled on blockchains” and that “money itself will become entirely digital.” He emphasized that this transition represents a complete restructuring of the global financial system, requiring innovation and experimentation to define how it will function.

The UK-based multinational bank, which trades on both the London and Hong Kong stock exchanges, has been expanding its footprint in the digital asset sector through initiatives such as crypto custody services, tokenized products, and blockchain trading platforms.

Winters also praised Hong Kong’s leadership in digital finance, commending the city’s efforts to foster innovation through clear regulatory frameworks and tokenization pilots. Standard Chartered has been actively participating in these pilot projects, aligning with Hong Kong’s broader ambition to become a regional hub for digital assets.

As blockchain integration continues to evolve across financial markets, Standard Chartered’s position underscores the growing alignment between traditional banking and emerging decentralized technologies — signaling a major step toward the digitization of global finance.