Standard Chartered has launched institutional Bitcoin and Ether spot trading in the UAE, becoming the first global systemically important bank to offer it in the region.

The service runs through Standard Chartered DIFC, regulated by the Dubai Financial Services Authority, and lets eligible institutional clients trade deliverable BTC and ETH directly through the bank's existing electronic and FX channels.

Clients can settle with a custodian of their choice, including Standard Chartered's own digital asset custody service, which the bank launched back in September 2024.

It extends a push that began in July 2025, when Standard Chartered became the first major global bank to offer deliverable spot crypto to institutions through its UK branch. The UAE rollout makes it the only global bank currently offering the service in the region.

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