Standard Chartered launched spot Bitcoin and Ethereum trading for institutional investors in the United Arab Emirates. The bank became the first global systemically important bank (G-SIB) to offer such a service in the country.
Standard Chartered gave eligible institutional clients in the UAE the ability to buy and sell BTC and ETH directly with asset delivery. Trading is available through the bank’s electronic trading channels and is integrated into its existing foreign exchange infrastructure, Reuters reported.
The new service specifically covers spot transactions. This means clients buy or sell the cryptoasset itself with subsequent delivery, instead of entering into a derivative contract whose value depends on the price of Bitcoin or Ethereum.
Key features of Standard Chartered’s service include:
- trades are executed through the bank’s electronic trading channels;
- clients can trade cryptoassets through the same interfaces they use for foreign exchange;
- transactions can be settled through a custodian selected by the client;
- Standard Chartered’s own digital asset infrastructure is available as one of the custody options.
The launch of the trading service expanded the bank’s presence in the UAE digital asset market. In September 2024, Standard Chartered launched a custody business in the country, allowing institutional clients to use the bank’s infrastructure to store digital assets. Clients can now trade cryptocurrencies in addition to holding them in custody.
The UAE wasn’t the first market where Standard Chartered provided institutional investors with direct access to spot crypto trading. In May 2025, Zodia Markets, a Standard Chartered subsidiary, provided institutional investors in the U.K. and the European Union with access to highly liquid, regulated infrastructure for cryptocurrency trading. Earlier that year, in January, the bank launched a regulated digital asset custody service in the EU.
