Standard Chartered has launched Bitcoin and Ether spot trading for institutional clients through its Dubai-regulated operation, extending a service it began offering in the UK. The trading is offered through Standard Chartered DIFC, which operates under Dubai Financial Services Authority regulation, and allows eligible institutional clients to trade deliverable Bitcoin and Ether through the bank's existing electronic trading channels.
The bank said it is the first Global Systemically Important Bank to offer institutional digital asset spot trading in the UAE and is currently the only global bank offering the service in the region. Clients can settle trades with a custodian of their choice, including Standard Chartered's own digital asset custody service, which the bank launched in the UAE in September 2024.
The trading launch builds on a broader expansion of Standard Chartered's digital asset operations in the UAE. In May 2026, the bank received initial approval from Dubai's Virtual Assets Regulatory Authority to move toward offering virtual-asset broker-dealer services, subject to completion of remaining regulatory requirements.
Standard Chartered first introduced institutional Bitcoin and Ether spot trading through its UK branch in July 2025. The bank has also expanded digital asset services through related operations, including through businesses such as Zodia Markets and Libeara, spanning custody, trading and tokenization.
