Standard Chartered Launches Institutional Bitcoin Trading in Dubai

Standard Chartered has launched institutional Bitcoin and Ether spot trading through its Dubai International Financial Centre branch, making it the first Global Systemically Important Bank to offer this service in the UAE. The launch on September 3 extends a capability the bank first rolled out in the UK in July 2025.

The trades are executed by the DIFC entity regulated by the Dubai Financial Services Authority, and clients can access Bitcoin and Ether through the same electronic FX interfaces they already use for traditional currencies.

Eligible institutional clients can settle through a custodian of their choice, including Standard Chartered's own digital asset custody platform that launched in September 2024. The bank said it is the first G-SIB to offer institutional digital asset spot trading in the UAE.

Rola Abu Manneh, CEO for the UAE, Middle East and Pakistan at Standard Chartered, said: 'By combining execution with secure custody, governance and the connectivity of a global bank, we are providing clients with a more integrated way to participate in digital asset markets.'