Standard Chartered brings institutional crypto trading to the UAE

Eligible institutional clients can now access deliverable crypto assets through the bank’s existing electronic channels, bypassing the need for derivatives contracts. By facilitating immediate delivery of bitcoin and ether, the service bridges the gap between traditional finance and blockchain-native assets. This initiative builds upon the bank's local custody business, which launched in September 2024, and allows firms to settle trades through their preferred custodians or Standard Chartered’s own digital solution.

The Dubai expansion follows a similar rollout in the United Kingdom in July 2025. Standard Chartered remains the first global institution of its scale to provide deliverable spot trading in these assets, signaling a shift in how major banks manage digital asset portfolios for professional investors. The integration into standard foreign exchange workflows aims to reduce friction for clients already operating within the bank's ecosystem.