Standard Chartered Bank has launched Bitcoin and Ethereum trading services for wealth clients in the

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渣打银行面向阿联酋高净值客户推出比特币与以太坊交易服务

据 Crypto.news 报道，渣打银行于2026年10月14日宣布，已正式向阿联酋的高净值客户开放比特币（BTC）和以太坊（ETH）的交易服务。该业务已获得迪拜虚拟资产监管局（VARA）的批准，初期仅对“专业投资者”客户开放，这也是该国首家由国际银行提供的此类服务。

在获得 VARA 批准后，渣打银行推出了面向专业投资者的直接比特币和以太坊交易服务。该服务与 Zodia Markets 合作开发，允许符合条件的客户通过现有的银行账户进行加密资产的买卖，无需使用外部钱包或交易所。

符合条件的客户可以通过其与渣打银行现有的银行关系进行交易，银行在其自身生态系统内负责托管和结算。渣打银行全球财富解决方案、零售产品、数据与分析主管 Samir Subberwal 表示，数字资产需求已成为其财富管理业务的一部分。

Subberwal 指出：“随着数字资产逐渐进入主流财富管理讨论范畴，客户不仅寻求获取渠道，更看重通过受监管且值得信赖的机构投资所带来的安全性、信任感和信心。”

关键事实

渣打银行获得 VARA 批准，为阿联酋的专业投资者提供直接的 BTC 和 ETH 交易服务，托管和结算由银行管理。
Zodia Markets is a digital asset company supported by Standard Chartered Bank’s venture capital department, SC Ventures. The bank has played a key role in the development of this service, working alongside the bank’s wealth and retail banking departments, as well as corporate and investment banking departments.
In July 2025, Standard Chartered Bank launched institutional spot crypto asset trading through its branch in the UK. Later, in September 2026, it introduced institutional spot Bitcoin and Ethereum trading through its branch in the Dubai International Financial Center (DIFC).
According to AMBCrypto, on October 12, 2026, Standard Chartered Bank announced the offering of RLUSD custody services through its DIFC branch. On the same day (October 8th), the bank proposed to provide custody services for crypto assets and tokenized real-world assets (RWA) in Singapore.
AMBCrypto reports that RLUSD has a market value of $2.47 billion, making it the ninth-largest stablecoin. The total market value of all stablecoins is currently $306.225 billion.

The difference between wealth management services and institutional business lies in the way these services are handled. New wealth products allow for trading, custody, and settlement operations within a “closed-loop environment” as described by Standard Chartered Bank. Customers do not need to open accounts or set up personal digital wallets at separate exchanges. The bank states that this design approach aims to reduce risks associated with third-party wallets, while providing institutional-level custody and operational guarantees.
This arrangement differs from the institutional services offered by Standard Chartered Bank in September 2026 through its DIFC branch. In that service, eligible customers could choose their preferred custodian for settlement purposes, including Standard Chartered Bank’s own digital asset custody platform. Standard Chartered Bank’s first institutional spot crypto service was launched in July 2025 through its British branch, utilizing a robust foreign exchange trading system to facilitate transactions involving Bitcoin and Ethereum for corporations, asset managers, and professional investors.
In September 2024, after obtaining authorization from the Dubai Financial Services Authority (DFSA) within the DIFC, Standard Chartered Bank entered the UAE digital asset custody market. Brevan Howard Digital became the first client of this service.

RLUSD Custody and Collateral Mirroring Program

One of the key aspects of Standard Chartered Bank’s expansion into the digital asset sector is its stablecoin business. According to reports by The Block, Standard Chartered Bank has launched institutional custody services for RLUSD, a stablecoin supported by Ripple dollars, on the XRP Ledger through its DIFC branch regulated by the DFSA. AMBCrypto also reported this development on October 12th, noting that the bank is working with the trading infrastructure of LMAX Group to enable institutional clients to mirror RLUSD stored in Standard Chartered Bank’s custody, without the need to transfer the underlying tokens.

Different media outlets focus on different aspects of this announcement, but the underlying message remains consistent. AMBCrypto reported on this development in relation to RLUSD hosting services and the LMAX integration framework, citing statements from the head of Standard Chartered’s global digital assets, securities, and trading services regarding customer needs. PANews, on the other hand, described this arrangement as a “collateral mirror” mechanism, allowing customers to use hosted RLUSD as a qualified collateral for certain LMAX products. However, this collateral service still requires final documentation, testing, regulatory approvals, and internal approvals. No release date has been announced yet.

Why is this important?

This announcement brings the balance sheet infrastructure of a major international bank into a market that serves as a hub for digital assets, enabling retail-level access to cryptocurrencies. For high-net-worth clients, this means that BTC and ETH positions can now be held within traditional banking relationships, rather than separate exchange accounts. This changes the characteristics of both hosting and counterparty risk.

This move also continues Standard Chartered’s efforts over the past two years: starting with institutional hosting in 2024, moving to institutional spot trading in 2025 and 2026, and finally reaching out to wealth management products today. For the UAE, this represents a test of whether regulated banks can capture customer demand for native cryptocurrency platforms.

Things to watch out for

Standard Chartered Bank has indicated that it plans to launch this wealth management product in other markets in the future. However, no timeline has been provided, nor have any specific countries been mentioned. The bank has also not announced the release date for its proposed Singapore-based custody service. Additionally, the RLUSD collateral arrangement, which involves collaboration with Ripple and LMAX Group, still requires final documentation, testing, as well as regulatory and internal approvals.

Frequently Asked Questions

Who can use Standard Chartered Bank’s new crypto trading services in the UAE?

This service is initially targeted at “professional investors” in the UAE, with definitions determined by the bank and regulatory body VARA. Standard Chartered Bank has not disclosed the minimum investment amount or eligibility criteria yet.

Does Standard Chartered Bank hold Bitcoin and Ethereum for its customers?

Yes. This service operates on a closed-loop model, with Standard Chartered Bank managing transactions, custody, and settlement. Therefore, customers do not need to use separate digital wallets or external exchanges.

What other digital asset services does Standard Chartered Bank offer?

In September 2026, Standard Chartered Bank launched institutional spot trading of Bitcoin and Ethereum through its DIFC branch. On October 12, 2026, it introduced the RLUSD stablecoin custody service. Additionally, on October 8, 2026, it proposed offering custody services for selected crypto assets in Singapore.

Will these new crypto wealth management services be extended to regions outside the UAE?

Standard Chartered Bank has indicated that it plans to launch this product in other markets, but no timeline has been provided, nor have any specific countries been mentioned.