Standard Chartered has become the first Global Systemically Important Bank to offer institutional Bitcoin and Ether spot trading in the United Arab Emirates. The service runs through the bank's DIFC arm and pairs deliverable spot execution with its existing digital asset custody offering in the region.
Standard Chartered extended its deliverable Bitcoin and Ether spot trading to institutional clients in the United Arab Emirates on September 3, becoming the first Global Systemically Important Bank to offer the service in the country. The offering runs through Standard Chartered DIFC, the bank's arm in the Dubai International Financial Center, which said it is the only global bank currently providing institutional digital asset spot trading in the region.
Built on the UK launch
The move adds trade execution to a custody service the bank already runs in the UAE. The trades are deliverable, so clients take possession of the underlying Bitcoin and Ether at settlement, and they can settle through a custodian of their choice, including Standard Chartered's own digital asset custody solution that went live in September 2024.
Trades run through the bank's electronic channels and sit inside its existing platforms, letting clients access the two assets through the same FX interfaces they already use. Standard Chartered DIFC is regulated by the Dubai Financial Services Authority.
Standard Chartered first introduced institutional Bitcoin and Ether spot trading through its UK branch in July 2025, the first G-SIB to offer deliverable spot crypto trading to institutional clients. The UAE launch extends that model to a second jurisdiction.
Executives point to regional framework
According to CryptoPotato: "The UAE has developed a clear digital assets regulatory framework that supports institutional participation", said Rola Abu Manneh, Chief Executive Officer for the UAE, Middle East and Pakistan at Standard Chartered. She said pairing execution with custody, governance, and the bank's global connectivity gives clients a more integrated way to participate in digital asset markets.
Christopher Parsons, Senior Executive Officer at Standard Chartered DIFC, said DIFC provides an established platform for international financial institutions to deploy global capabilities across markets. He said the arrangement combines the bank's global markets network with a regulated base for serving clients across the region.
Source: CryptoPotato
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