Standard Chartered Offers Institutional Crypto Trading in UAE

Standard Chartered has launched spot Bitcoin and Ethereum trading for institutional clients in the United Arab Emirates. The service is available through the bank's entity regulated by the Dubai International Financial Centre (DIFC), making it the first global bank to offer institutional digital asset trading in the region.

This new service expands the bank's crypto business in the UAE, where it has already launched digital asset custody services in September 2024. Standard Chartered also signed an agreement with crypto exchange CoinMENA in June, allowing the platform to use the bank's infrastructure for fiat deposits and withdrawals.

The UAE has become a major hub for crypto businesses, with Dubai having a dedicated virtual asset regulator (VARA) and the DIFC operating under the DFSA regulatory framework. This combination of clear regulation and developed financial infrastructure makes it an attractive location for companies to operate.