- Standard Chartered launched institutional deliverable Bitcoin and Ether spot trading in the UAE on September 3.
- The service operates through Standard Chartered DIFC and is regulated by the Dubai Financial Services Authority.
- Clients can settle trades through their chosen custodian, including the bank’s digital asset custody solution.
Standard Chartered UAE has extended deliverable Bitcoin and Ether spot trading to institutional clients in the country, adding a new trading function to its existing digital asset services in the region. The launch was announced for September 3 and runs through the bank’s arm in the Dubai International Financial Center. According to the bank, the service allows clients to take possession of the underlying Bitcoin and Ether at settlement while using existing electronic and FX trading channels. The move also builds on the bank’s custody and stablecoin activity in the UAE, where it already offers digital asset custody and direct USDC minting and redemption through its DIFC platform.
Standard Chartered UAE launches institutional crypto trading
Standard Chartered said the new offering makes it the first Global Systemically Important Bank to provide deliverable Bitcoin and Ether spot trading to institutional clients in the United Arab Emirates. The bank added that its DIFC operation is currently the only global bank in the region offering institutional digital asset spot trading.
The service is offered through Standard Chartered DIFC, the bank’s arm in the Dubai International Financial Center. That entity is regulated by the Dubai Financial Services Authority, placing the trading business inside an established local regulatory framework while serving institutional participants in the market.
How Standard Chartered UAE structured the service
The trades are deliverable, which means institutional clients receive the underlying Bitcoin and Ether when the transaction settles. Clients are also able to choose their preferred custodian for settlement, including Standard Chartered’s own digital asset custody solution, which went live in September 2024.
Standard Chartered said the trading service operates through its electronic channels and is integrated into its existing platforms. This gives clients access to Bitcoin and Ether through the same foreign exchange interfaces they already use, rather than requiring a separate trading setup.
Broader digital asset services in the UAE
The launch adds spot trade execution to the bank’s existing digital asset custody service in the UAE. Standard Chartered said the combined setup brings together execution, custody, governance and its wider global network for institutional clients seeking access to digital asset markets.
Beyond trading and custody, the bank’s broader digital asset strategy includes tokenization through its Corporate and Investment Bank and activity connected to its ventures ecosystem, including Zodia Markets and Libeara. The bank also allows institutional clients to mint and redeem USDC directly through its DIFC platform in a service built with Circle.
Bank executives outline the regional approach
Rola Abu Manneh, Chief Executive Officer for the 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. She added that combining execution with custody, governance and the bank’s global connectivity creates a more integrated route into digital asset markets.
Christopher Parsons, Senior Executive Officer at Standard Chartered DIFC, said DIFC offers an established platform for international financial institutions to deploy global capabilities across markets. He said the arrangement links the bank’s global markets network with a regulated base for serving clients across the region.
Conclusion
Standard Chartered UAE has expanded its digital asset offering by introducing deliverable Bitcoin and Ether spot trading for institutional clients through its DFSA-regulated DIFC arm. The service lets clients trade through existing electronic and FX channels, take delivery of the underlying assets at settlement and choose their preferred custodian, including the bank’s own custody platform. The move follows Standard Chartered’s July 2025 launch of institutional Bitcoin and Ether spot trading through its UK branch and adds to its wider regional strategy covering custody, trading, tokenization and USDC services in the UAE.
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