Standard Chartered unveils institutional crypto trading in UAE

Standard Chartered launches institutional Bitcoin and Ether spot trading in the UAE, enabling eligible clients to trade and settle via existing platforms and custody services.

Standard Chartered has introduced institutional spot trading for Bitcoin and Ether in the United Arab Emirates via its Dubai International Financial Centre branch. Eligible institutional clients can now trade BTC/USD and ETH/USD using the bank’s established electronic trading platforms and foreign exchange interfaces. Clients are able to settle trades with a custodian of their choice, including Standard Chartered’s own digital asset custody service in the UAE. This offering is regulated by the Dubai Financial Services Authority and currently stands as the only institutional digital asset spot trading service from a global bank in the region. The launch builds on Standard Chartered’s digital asset custody business, established in the UAE since 2024, and extends a spot trading model first introduced in the UK. Following the announcement, the bank’s stock price rose by 2.38%.