Standard Chartered has launched direct Bitcoin and Ether trading for eligible wealthy clients in the United Arab Emirates (UAE). The service lets Professional Investor clients buy and sell both cryptocurrencies through their existing bank accounts.
Dubai’s Virtual Assets Regulatory Authority (VARA) approved the service. Standard Chartered will manage transactions, custody and settlement within its banking system, removing the need for separate exchange accounts or personal wallets.
Samir Subberwal, Standard Chartered’s Global Head of Wealth Solutions, Retail Products, Data & Analytics, stated,
“With digital assets moving into mainstream wealth conversations, clients are increasingly looking not only for access, but also for the security, trust and confidence that comes from investing through a regulated and trusted institution.”
The bank developed the service through its Wealth and Retail Banking and Corporate and Investment Banking divisions. SC Ventures-backed Zodia Markets also contributed its digital asset expertise.
Standard Chartered described the launch as its first cryptocurrency trading service for affluent wealth clients worldwide. The bank also called it the first offering of its kind from an international bank in the UAE.
How the New Service Works
The new offering adds direct cryptocurrency trading to Standard Chartered’s existing investment products. Eligible clients already have access to cryptocurrency exchange-traded funds through its cash equities platform. The bank also offers structured products and over-the-counter derivatives linked to cryptocurrency prices.
Standard Chartered launched institutional spot trading for Bitcoin and Ether through its UK branch in July 2025. In September 2026, it introduced institutional spot trading through its Dubai International Financial Centre (DIFC) branch.
Institutional clients can execute trades through the bank’s electronic trading channels and foreign exchange interfaces. They can also choose their preferred custodian for settlement. By contrast, the new wealth service keeps custody and settlement within Standard Chartered’s banking system.
The bank entered the UAE digital asset custody market in September 2024. The Dubai Financial Services Authority authorised its custody operations within the DIFC. Brevan Howard Digital became the platform’s first announced customer.
Rola Abu Manneh, Standard Chartered’s Chief Executive Officer for the UAE, Middle East and Pakistan, cited the country’s regulatory environment as a reason for the launch. She also described the UAE as one of the bank’s four global wealth hubs.
Standard Chartered plans to expand the wealth trading service to other markets. However, the bank has not announced when the expansion will begin or which countries it will target. It has also not disclosed trading fees, minimum investment requirements, or transaction limits.
Standard Chartered Expands Its Crypto Services
In a separate development, Standard Chartered launched custody services for Ripple’s dollar-backed RLUSD stablecoin through its DIFC branch on October 12, 2026. The service allows eligible institutional clients to hold the stablecoin.
The bank has also announced plans for institutional custody services in Singapore. The proposed offering would cover selected cryptocurrencies, stablecoins and tokenised real-world assets. Standard Chartered has not announced a launch date or confirmed which assets will qualify.
