- Standard Chartered has launched deliverable spot Bitcoin and Ethereum trading for institutional clients in the UAE.
- The bank is the first global systemically important bank to provide the service in the Gulf market.
- Clients can trade BTC and ETH through Standard Chartered’s existing electronic and foreign exchange platforms.
Standard Chartered has expanded its institutional crypto business into the UAE, launching deliverable spot trading for Bitcoin and Ethereum.
Eligible institutional clients can now buy and sell BTC and ETH for immediate delivery through the bank’s electronic trading channels, according to Reuters.
The service is integrated with Standard Chartered’s existing infrastructure, allowing clients to access crypto trading through interfaces already used for foreign exchange.
Standard Chartered Expands Its UAE Crypto Business
The launch builds on Standard Chartered’s existing digital asset custody operation in the UAE, which began in September 2024.
Institutional investors can settle their crypto trades through a custodian of their choice. That includes Standard Chartered’s own digital asset custody platform.
Combining trading and custody gives institutional clients another way to access Bitcoin and Ethereum through traditional banking infrastructure rather than relying entirely on crypto-native exchanges.
UAE Becomes Standard Chartered’s Next Crypto Market
Standard Chartered previously introduced institutional spot Bitcoin and Ethereum trading through its UK branch in July 2025.
That launch made it the first global systemically important bank, or G-SIB, to offer deliverable spot trading in the two cryptocurrencies.
The UAE expansion now brings the same type of institutional access into one of the Gulf region’s largest financial markets.
Institutional Crypto Access Continues to Expand
Standard Chartered’s move adds another major traditional financial institution to the growing infrastructure surrounding Bitcoin and Ethereum.
For institutional investors in the UAE, the service means crypto trades can now be executed through the same banking channels already used for traditional markets.
The expansion also strengthens Standard Chartered’s broader digital asset offering by combining spot execution with its existing custody services.
