Standard Chartered Bank Zambia

What Standard Chartered Bank Zambia does

Standard Chartered Bank Zambia is the Zambian operating subsidiary of Standard Chartered PLC (London Stock Exchange: STAN), a multinational banking group headquartered in London and operating across 54+ markets in Asia, Africa, the Middle East, Europe, and the Americas. Headquartered at Standard House, Mwaimwena Road, Lusaka, the subsidiary is led in corporate affairs by Christine Matambo and was founded in 1906, with the broader bank tracing its origins to 1853. The Zambia subsidiary listed on the Lusaka Stock Exchange (LUSE:SCZ) provides the group's full suite of services through two main divisions: Corporate & Investment Banking, serving large corporations, development organisations, governments, banks, and investors with cross-border trade, transaction banking, global markets, and global banking services; and Wealth & Retail Banking, serving affluent individuals across Personal, Priority, and Private Banking tiers plus Small and Medium Enterprises with deposits, lending, wealth management, and international banking.

The bank's core technology stack centres on Straight2Bank, an online corporate banking portal enabling transaction banking, cash management, and trade finance for institutional clients, alongside country-specific retail online banking portals. Other product modules include Islamic Banking, Global Markets (FX, rates, credit, commodities), Transaction Banking, and Global Banking. The group has begun exploring digital asset infrastructure, notably through a letter of intent with Capital A Berhad to develop a MYR-denominated stablecoin via Bank Negara Malaysia's Digital Asset Innovation Hub. Distribution is omnichannel: direct field sales and relationship managers for corporate and private banking, physical branch networks across markets, and digital self-serve portals for retail customers.

The revenue model is relationship-based and quote-driven rather than standardised pricing, with corporate banking fees negotiated per client and wealth/retail banking services tiered by wealth segment. Revenue is generated primarily through transaction fees (corporate banking, trade finance, FX, capital markets) and subscription-style recurring fees (wealth management, private banking, deposits, lending). In October 2025, FirstRand Limited (through FNB Zambia) announced plans to acquire Standard Chartered Bank Zambia's wealth and retail banking business — including loans, deposits, wealth assets, and property — pending regulatory approval, representing a significant structural shift that will refocus the Zambian subsidiary on Corporate & Investment Banking.

Name

Standard Chartered Bank Zambia

Legal name

Standard Chartered Bank

Website

https://sc.com

Company type

Public

Founded year

1969

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

5,001–10,000 employees

Short description

Standard Chartered Bank Zambia is the Zambian subsidiary of Standard Chartered PLC, providing corporate and investment banking plus wealth and retail banking services in Lusaka; its wealth and retail business is being divested to FirstRand (FNB Zambia) as announced in October 2025.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Commercial Banking

NAICS

Commercial Banking (522110)

SIC

National Commercial Banks (6021)

akta.pro primary industry

General SME & Middle-Market Commercial Banking (FSABABAA)

akta.pro secondary industries

SME Business Lending (Term Loans, Lines of Credit, Overdrafts) (FSABABAB), SME Deposits & Business Accounts (Operating, Savings, CDs) (FSABABAC), Private Banking Advisory & Discretionary Portfolio Management (FSABADAD), Islamic Corporate Banking (FSABAGAC)

Keywords

• Retail banking services
• Corporate banking
• Wealth management
• Transaction banking
• International banking

Headquarters

HQ city

Lusaka

HQ country

Zambia

HQ region

Africa

Offices8 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. Corporate & Investment Banking: Revenue generated from supporting large corporations, development organisations, governments, banks and investors with cross-border trade and investment opportunities, including transaction banking, global markets, and global banking services.
2. Wealth & Retail Banking: Revenue from banking services across the wealth continuum from Personal to Priority and Private Banking, as well as Small and Medium Enterprises, including international banking, deposits, lending, and wealth management products.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

Standard Chartered Bank Zambia operates as the Zambian subsidiary of Standard Chartered PLC, providing personal, priority, and private banking to individuals, SME banking to smaller enterprises, and corporate and investment banking to large corporates, financial institutions, and governments. Services span deposit accounts, payments, loans, trade finance, cash management, treasury and capital markets, and wealth advisory, delivered through branches, digital platforms, and relationship managers.

Product overview

Standard Chartered offers a platform-plus-modules banking architecture. The core business is divided into two main divisions: Wealth & Retail Banking (serving Personal, Priority, and Private Banking clients plus SMEs) and Corporate & Investment Banking (supporting large corporations, governments, and investors). Key product modules include Straight2Bank (online banking portal), Islamic Banking, Global Markets, Transaction Banking, and Global Banking. Early careers programmes (Graduate, Internship, and Apprenticeship) complement the consumer and corporate offerings. The bank operates across Asia, Africa, and the Middle East, with Standard Chartered Bank Zambia being one of its African market operations.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Personal Banking Everyday retail banking for individual customers including deposits, payments, cards, consumer credit, and digital banking access via branches, online portal, and mobile apps.
• Priority Banking Mass-affluent banking tier with relationship management, preferential pricing, and bundled wealth and lifestyle services for individuals with higher investable balances.
• Private Banking High-net-worth banking with dedicated private bankers, wealth advisory, investment solutions, and cross-border wealth structuring.
• SME Banking Banking for small and medium-sized enterprises including business deposits, working capital finance, trade finance, payments, FX, and digital banking tools.
• Corporate Banking Banking for large corporates and financial institutions including lending, transaction banking, trade finance, cash management, FX, and treasury services supported by the Straight2Bank platform.
• Investment Banking Capital markets, financing, and advisory services for corporates, financial institutions, and governments including debt capital markets, structured finance, and M&A/sector advisory via the group's Global Banking and Global Markets capabilities.
• Transaction Banking Cash management, payments, trade finance, and securities services for corporate and institutional clients operating across multiple markets and currencies.
• Global Markets Treasury, FX, rates, commodities, and credit trading solutions delivered to corporate and institutional clients for hedging, investment, and financing needs.
• Islamic Banking Shariah-compliant banking and financing solutions for clients who require Islamic financial products, accessed through the group's Islamic banking capabilities.
• International Banking Cross-border banking services connecting Zambian clients to the Standard Chartered group's international network across 54+ markets for trade, payments, and capital flows.

Quantifiable outcome

• 24% of colleagues registered on Unmind wellbeing platform, with 13% active usage — a 429% increase year on year
• +4 more outcomes

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Seven partnerships are on record, tiered core, flagship and minor.

• Capital A BerhadcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 14 December 2025Capital A Berhad and Standard Chartered Bank Malaysia signed a letter of intent to jointly develop and test a MYR-denominated stablecoin through Malaysia's Bank Negara Malaysia Digital Asset Innovation Hub (DAIH). The initiative aims to explore wholesale digital asset use cases, leveraging Standard Chartered's infrastructure and Capital A's ecosystem, with potential benefits including real-time settlements and improved treasury management.
• Bupa GlobalflagshipStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 December 2025Standard Chartered announced a strategic partnership with Bupa Global, a leading International Private Medical Insurance (IPMI) provider, as part of a new health and wellness proposition for affluent clients. This first-of-its-kind collaboration includes a health and wellness proposition spanning disease prevention, diagnosis, treatment, after-care, and coaching. Available to clients in Hong Kong, Singapore, and India.
• WHOOPflagshipStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 December 2025Standard Chartered announced a strategic partnership with WHOOP, a market leader in fitness and health wearables, as part of the bank's new health and wellness proposition for affluent clients. This first-of-its-kind collaboration among leading industry players is available to clients in Hong Kong, Singapore, and India.
• FirstRand Limited (FNB Zambia)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 31 October 2025FirstRand Limited (through its subsidiary FNB Zambia) announced plans to acquire Standard Chartered Bank Zambia's wealth and retail banking business. The transaction involves assets including loans, deposits, wealth assets, and property. The deal is intended to strengthen FNB Zambia's market position and client base in Zambia.
• UnmindcoreTechnology or Integration · 1 January 2025In January 2025, Standard Chartered launched an improved global Employee Assistance Programme through Unmind, providing colleagues with preventative and reactive care and services including therapy and coaching, a 24/7 helpline, Unmind Library, and Unmind Manager for line managers. In January 2026, Unmind's AI-powered support assistant Nova was introduced. Active usage increased by 429% year on year.
• Exeter UniversityminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerStandard Chartered partnered with Exeter University to deliver the academic qualification component of its UK Markets Apprenticeship programme. Apprentices work towards a Level 4 Investment Operations Specialist apprenticeship, gaining three Chartered Institute of Securities and Investments (CISI) exams.
• Chartered Institute of Securities and Investments (CISI)minorOthersStandard Chartered's UK Markets Apprenticeship programme includes preparation for CISI exams in Securities & Investments, UK Financial Regulations, and Derivatives as part of the Level 4 Investment Operations Specialist apprenticeship.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• Standard Bank Group: Parent of Stanbic Bank Zambia and Africa's largest banking group by assets; overlaps with SC's CIB and wealth franchises across multiple markets and offers a comparable Africa-focused international banking platform.

Direct peers

• Ecobank Zambia: Pan-African banking group with full-service commercial banking in Zambia; competes across retail, SME and corporate banking and shares a continental cross-border mandate similar to Standard Chartered.
• Absa Bank Zambia: One of Zambia's largest commercial banks (formerly Barclays), offering corporate, SME and retail banking products in direct competition with Standard Chartered Bank Zambia across overlapping customer segments.
• Stanbic Bank Zambia: Subsidiary of Standard Bank Group and the largest commercial bank in Zambia; directly competes with SC Zambia across corporate, SME and retail segments using an analogous full-service banking model.
• Citibank Zambia: International bank with a Zambian franchise focused on corporate, transaction banking and treasury services; competes with SC Zambia for multinational, government and large-corporate clients in Zambia.
• FirstRand Zambia (FNB Zambia): The announced acquirer of SC Zambia's wealth & retail business, FNB is a direct competitor in retail and SME banking and a growing presence in corporate banking; the 2025 deal signals FNB's intent to consolidate share against SC locally.

Regional players

• Access Bank Zambia: Subsidiary of Access Holdings (Nigeria) with Zambian commercial banking operations in retail, SME and corporate segments; competes for emerging-market-linked corporate and retail clients in Zambia.
• Zambia Industrial Commercial Bank (ZICB): Local Zambian commercial bank with broad retail, SME and corporate offerings; competes for domestic deposit and lending share and is the local incumbent counterpart to international banks like SC Zambia.
• Bank of China Zambia: Chinese state-owned bank with Zambian operations focused on corporate and trade finance; competes for Chinese-linked corporates and bilateral trade flows against SC Zambia's cross-border franchise.
• United Bank for Africa (UBA) Zambia: Pan-African bank with a Zambian franchise serving retail, SME and corporate clients; comparable to SC Zambia through its cross-border African network and similar target customer base.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat6 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xtwitter.com/stanchart
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• Facebookfacebook.com/standardchartered
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/standardchartered
• Instagraminstagram.com/stanchart

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Subsidiaries1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Standard Chartered Bank Zambia