Standard Chartered has started offering Bitcoin and Ethereum spot trading to institutional clients in the United Arab Emirates. The bank has become the first global systemically important bank to provide this service in the country.
The new service is offered through Standard Chartered’s unit in the Dubai International Financial Centre. Eligible institutional clients can directly trade Bitcoin and Ether.
The bank also said it is the only global bank in the region offering digital asset spot trading to institutional clients. The service is built on Standard Chartered’s existing crypto custody infrastructure.
Standard Chartered integrates Bitcoin and Ethereum into its FX system
Standard Chartered’s new service supports BTC/USD and ETH/USD trading pairs. Transactions are carried out through the bank’s existing electronic trading channels.
As a result, institutional clients do not need to use a separate platform for crypto trading. Bitcoin and Ether have been integrated into the same FX interfaces clients already use for foreign exchange transactions.
The product is also structured as deliverable spot trading rather than a derivative. Once a transaction is completed, clients directly receive the relevant digital asset.
On the custody side, clients are given flexibility. Institutions can continue using their preferred custody provider.
Alternatively, they can use Standard Chartered’s own digital asset custody service. The bank launched this custody offering in the UAE in September 2024.
Institutional crypto infrastructure expands in the UAE
The new service is provided through Standard Chartered DIFC, which is regulated by the Dubai Financial Services Authority. According to the bank, the UAE’s regulatory framework for digital assets is helping support broader institutional participation.
Rola Abu Manneh, CEO of Standard Chartered UAE, Middle East and Pakistan, said the Bitcoin and Ether trading service expands the bank’s regulated digital asset offering.
Abu Manneh also highlighted the integration of trading, custody and governance services within the same banking infrastructure. Through this structure, Standard Chartered aims to make access to crypto markets easier for institutional clients.
The UAE has become an important hub for crypto companies and traditional financial institutions in recent years. Standard Chartered’s decision to expand spot trading services into the region further supports the development of this institutional infrastructure.
Standard Chartered continues to expand its crypto services
The UAE is not Standard Chartered’s first market for Bitcoin and Ethereum spot trading. The bank began offering institutional clients spot BTC and ETH trading through its UK branch in July 2025.
With that launch, Standard Chartered became the first global systemically important bank to offer deliverable Bitcoin and Ether spot trading. The UAE rollout now extends the existing service into the Middle East.
The bank’s digital asset strategy is not limited to Bitcoin and Ethereum trading. Standard Chartered is also developing services in crypto custody, trading and tokenization.
The company also remains active in digital asset infrastructure through ventures including Zodia Markets and Libeara. In July, Standard Chartered also launched a service with Circle that allows institutional clients to mint and redeem USDC.
