Standard Chartered Launches Four Multi-Asset Funds From GIFT City in India

Standard Chartered launched four international investment funds from Gujarat International Finance Tec-City, known as GIFT City, on November 12, widening the wealth management products it offers to clients in India. The bank's new Signature CIO Funds are diversified, multi-asset portfolios built around strategies from its Chief Investment Office and were developed with Amundi Asset Management and SBI Funds International (IFSC) Limited. The launch follows approval from the International Financial Services Centres Authority to distribute capital market products from the financial center.

The bank, which has operated in GIFT City since 2020, described the move as an expansion of its existing presence rather than a fresh entry. The four funds are designed for investors with different objectives and risk appetites. Samir Subberwal, the bank's global head of wealth solutions, retail products, data and analytics, said the launch gives clients in India another route to diversify portfolios and reach international investment opportunities outside their home market.

What the Funds Hold

Each portfolio can invest across global equities, bonds, commodities, liquid alternatives and cash, giving the funds a broad spread rather than a single-country bet. The Signature CIO Funds were first introduced in 2022 and have since attracted more than $5 billion in assets under management, the bank said, and are available across 13 markets. GIFT City is the latest addition to that footprint.

For asset management and private banking teams, the launch signals that the financial center is becoming a distribution base for cross-border products aimed at affluent Indian investors and the diaspora. Wealth managers, product specialists and compliance staff with experience in multi-asset portfolio construction and overseas market access are central to running such offerings. The bank said the funds draw on its Chief Investment Office strategies, a function that decides how money is split between asset classes.

A Crowding Financial Center

GIFT City is drawing both global and domestic fund houses as regulatory changes, tax incentives and rising demand for overseas investments drive an expansion of wealth management offerings from the financial center. JioBlackRock, the joint venture between Jio Financial Services and BlackRock, received regulatory registration for its IFSC subsidiary in May 2026 and has moved ahead with its GIFT City offerings, including the Advantage World Equity Fund, an outbound fund investing in global equities.

Axis Bank had also outlined plans in December 2025 to introduce inbound and outbound funds through GIFT City. The proposed offerings included funds investing in Indian equities for wealthy clients and non-resident Indians, as well as products providing exposure to global equities and dollar-denominated structured investments. That pipeline suggests competition for distribution shelf space and for the client money that flows through it.

What to Watch Next

The key question is how quickly the new Standard Chartered funds gather assets in a market where several institutions are launching similar cross-border products. Regulators will also be watching how these funds are marketed and sold to wealthy clients, including suitability checks for investors whose goals and risk tolerance differ widely. The bank has not disclosed the size of the funds or how many investors it expects to reach.

For workers in Indian finance, the shift matters because wealth management growth at the financial center is creating demand for people who can analyze global markets, run multi-asset allocations and handle cross-border regulation. Staff at banks, fund houses and distributors will be competing for roles tied to these products. Hiring will likely track how much money each new fund attracts and whether the tax and regulatory advantages that pulled firms to GIFT City hold.