Standard Chartered has expanded its institutional Bitcoin and Ether spot trading capability in the UAE through Standard Chartered DIFC. The move makes the bank the first Global Systemically Important Bank (G-SIB) to offer the capability in the market and adds execution to its existing digital asset custody services.
Key Overview
- Crypto trading: Standard Chartered expands institutional Bitcoin and Ether spot trading in the UAE.
- Eligible clients: Institutional clients can access deliverable BTC and ETH spot trading.
- Trading channels: The service is available through the bank’s electronic trading channels.
- Settlement: Clients can use a custodian of their choice, including Standard Chartered.
- UAE custody: The bank launched its digital asset custody solution in September 2024.
- Global expansion: Standard Chartered first introduced institutional BTC and ETH spot trading in the UK in July 2025.
Standard Chartered Expands Bitcoin and Ether Trading in UAE
Standard Chartered has announced the expansion of its institutional Bitcoin (BTC/USD) and Ether (ETH/USD) spot trading in the UAE through Standard Chartered DIFC.
The move makes Standard Chartered the first Global Systemically Important Bank (G-SIB) to offer the capability in the UAE market and the only global bank currently offering institutional digital asset spot trading in the region.
The latest expansion broadens the bank’s regulated digital asset offering in the UAE by adding execution to its existing custody offering.
Institutional Clients Gain Access to BTC and ETH
The capability enables eligible institutional clients to access deliverable Bitcoin and Ether spot trading through Standard Chartered’s electronic trading channels.
The service is integrated into the bank’s existing platforms, allowing clients to access crypto-asset trading through familiar foreign exchange interfaces.
Institutional clients can therefore buy and sell Bitcoin and Ethereum with physical delivery of the assets through the bank’s electronic trading channels.
Clients may settle trades with a custodian of their choice, including Standard Chartered’s digital asset custody solution, which was launched in September 2024.
UAE Expands Regulated Digital Asset Offering
The new trading capability builds on Standard Chartered’s broader digital asset offering in the UAE.
The bank’s custody service provides the existing infrastructure for institutional digital asset activity, while the addition of execution allows eligible clients to access spot trading through the bank’s established platforms.
Rola Abu Manneh, Chief Executive Officer, UAE, Middle East and Pakistan at Standard Chartered, said: “The UAE has developed a clear digital assets regulatory framework that supports institutional participation and innovation. Extending our Bitcoin and Ether spot trading capability to institutional clients is a significant step in broadening our regulated digital asset proposition in the market. 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.”
Trading Integrated With Existing Platforms
Standard Chartered said the service has been integrated into its existing infrastructure.
Clients can execute crypto-asset trades through foreign exchange interfaces, providing institutional investors with access through familiar electronic trading channels.
Ether spot trading allows investors to buy and sell ether, the native cryptocurrency of the Ethereum blockchain, for immediate delivery rather than through derivatives contracts.
The bank said eligible institutional clients can access deliverable Bitcoin and Ether spot trading through its electronic trading channels.
Context is everything. Stay ahead of shifting trends with today’s market updates, and uncover emerging opportunities using the Serrari Group Market Index and Marketplace. Then, take control of your own financial future by exploring our Money & Life Reset Transformation Blueprint ™ to build stronger habits, create better systems, and design a path toward lasting wealth.
Standard Chartered Expands G-SIB Digital Asset Role
Standard Chartered first introduced institutional Bitcoin and Ether spot trading through its UK branch in July 2025.
At the time, the bank became the first G-SIB to offer deliverable spot crypto-asset trading to institutional clients.
The UAE launch extends that established global capability into a market where Standard Chartered has been building its institutional-grade digital assets offering.
The expansion also strengthens the bank’s position in regulated digital asset services by bringing together trading and custody capabilities for institutional clients.
DIFC Supports Regional Expansion
The new capability is being offered through Standard Chartered DIFC.
Christopher Parsons, Senior Executive Officer, Standard Chartered DIFC, said: “DIFC provides an established platform for international financial institutions to deploy global capabilities across markets. Extending our institutional digital asset trading capability through the Centre demonstrates the strength of that model, combining Standard Chartered’s global markets expertise and network with a regulated base from which we can serve clients across the region.”
The bank said the launch demonstrates the role of DIFC as a base from which international financial institutions can deploy global capabilities across markets.
Broader Digital Asset Strategy
The latest UAE launch forms part of Standard Chartered’s broader digital assets strategy, which spans custody, trading and tokenisation capabilities through its Corporate and Investment Bank.
Its venture ecosystem also extends these capabilities through Zodia Markets and Libeara.
Together, these capabilities are designed to support institutional clients’ evolving digital asset needs through regulated infrastructure and services.
The UAE trading launch therefore adds another component to Standard Chartered’s existing digital asset infrastructure, extending its institutional spot trading capability beyond the UK.
Outlook
Standard Chartered’s expansion of institutional Bitcoin and Ether spot trading in the UAE adds regulated execution capabilities to its existing digital asset custody offering. Eligible institutional clients can access deliverable BTC and ETH through the bank’s electronic trading channels and use a custodian of their choice for settlement.
The UAE launch builds on the bank’s first institutional Bitcoin and Ether spot trading service through its UK branch in July 2025 and its UAE digital asset custody offering launched in September 2024. The move also forms part of Standard Chartered’s wider digital asset strategy covering custody, trading and tokenisation.
FAQs
1. What digital assets can institutional clients trade through Standard Chartered in the UAE?
Eligible institutional clients can trade Bitcoin and Ether through the bank’s electronic trading channels.
2. What type of crypto trading does Standard Chartered offer?
The bank offers deliverable spot trading, allowing clients to buy and sell Bitcoin and Ether for physical delivery of the assets.
3. Can clients choose their own custodian?
Yes. Clients can settle trades with a custodian of their choice, including Standard Chartered’s digital asset custody solution.
4. When did Standard Chartered first introduce institutional Bitcoin and Ether spot trading?
Standard Chartered first introduced the capability through its UK branch in July 2025.
Sources: Standard Chartered, Euronext, Global Banking and Finance
Your financial future isn’t something you wait for—it’s something you build.
The real question is: when do you begin?
Move beyond simply staying informed.
Navigate the markets with clarity—track trends through the Serrari Group Market Index, uncover opportunities in the Serrari Marketplace, and build practical knowledge with our Curated Wealth Builder Platform.
Stay connected to what truly matters.
Get daily insights on macro trends and financial movements across Kenya, Africa, and global markets—delivered through the Serrari Newsletter.
Growth opens doors.
Advance your career through professional programs including ACCA, HESI A2, ATI TEAS 7 , HESI EXIT , NCLEX – RN and NCLEX – PN, Financial Literacy!🌟—designed to move you forward with confidence.
See where money is flowing—clearly and in real time.
Track Money Market Funds, Treasury Bills, Treasury Bonds, Green Bonds, and Fixed Deposits, alongside global and African indexes, key economic indicators, and the evolving Crypto and stablecoin landscape—all within Serrari’s Market Index.
