Standard Chartered has launched institutional spot trading for Bitcoin and Ether in the UAE, expanding its regulated digital asset offering through its Dubai International Financial Centre branch.
The service is available to eligible institutional clients trading deliverable BTC/USD and ETH/USD pairs through the bank’s existing foreign exchange channels. Clients can settle trades with a custodian of their choice, including Standard Chartered’s own digital asset custody service.
The bank launched that custody service in the UAE in September 2024, with Brevan Howard Digital as its first client, according to the announcement.
“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,” said Rola Abu Manneh, Standard Chartered’s CEO for the UAE, Middle East and Pakistan.
The UAE launch follows Standard Chartered’s introduction of institutional Bitcoin and Ether spot trading through its UK branch in July 2025. It forms part of the bank’s broader digital assets strategy, which also includes tokenisation and ventures such as Zodia Markets and Libeara.
Source: Fintech News UAE
