Exchange Ranking
Top Exchanges
24h Volume Ranking
Popularity Ranking
Exchange BTC Balance
Proof of Reserves
Decentralized Exchanges
Funding Rate
Funding Heatmap
Liquidation Data
Max Pain
Long/Short Ratio
Whale L/S Ratio
Binance/Okex/Huobi L/S
Bitfinex Margin L/S
ETF Tracker
Solana ETF
XRP ETF
Hong Kong ETF
Bitcoin Treasuries
Crypto Reversal
Ethereum Reserves
HyperLiquid Wallet Analysis
Hyperliquid Whale Watch
Large Transactions
On-chain Movement
Bitcoin ROI
Stablecoin Market Cap
Options Analysis
News
Articles
Economic Calendar
Features
Wallet
Contract Calculator
Security
Collections
Watchlist
Following
BTC 
ETH Standard Chartered Bank’s UAE Branch Launches Cryptocurrency Direct Trading Service
Standard Chartered Bank announced on Wednesday that its high-net-worth clients in the United Arab Emirates will now be able to trade Bitcoin and Ethereum directly from their bank accounts. This initiative aims to eliminate the need for wealthy clients to rely on independent wallets or third-party platforms for transactions.
A Global First, Compliant Framework
This service is currently available only to customers classified as “professional investors”, and has received approval from the Dubai Virtual Assets Regulatory Authority (VARA). Standard Chartered Bank stated that this is the first such service offered globally, and it represents the first cryptocurrency trading product provided by an international bank in the UAE.
Transactions are processed within the bank’s own ecosystem. Standard Chartered Bank handles all aspects of custody and settlement through a so-called “closed-loop model”. According to the bank, this reduces the risk associated with using third-party wallets.
Cross-departmental Collaboration and Strategic Significance
This product was developed jointly by Standard Chartered Bank’s Wealth & Retail Banking Department and Corporate & Investment Banking Department. It is also partnered with Zodia Markets, a digital asset trading company supported by Standard Chartered Bank’s venture capital department, SC Ventures.
Samir Subberwal, Head of Global Wealth Solutions, Retail Products, Data & Analytics at Standard Chartered Bank, said, “As customers’ interest in digital assets continues to grow, this launch marks an important milestone for Standard Chartered Bank. We have now incorporated digital assets into our core wealth services offering.” He believes that customers now prioritize not only access to these assets, but also the safety and reliability of purchasing them through regulated channels.
Rola Abu Manneh, CEO of Standard Chartered Bank in the UAE, Middle East, and Pakistan, stated that the UAE, with its favorable regulatory environment and as one of the bank’s four global wealth hubs, made it an ideal location for implementing this initiative.
The expansion of services from institutions to individuals
Previously, Standard Chartered Bank’s cryptocurrency trading services were primarily targeted at institutional clients. In July 2025, the bank became one of the first global systemically important banks to offer spot trading of Bitcoin and Ethereum to institutional clients, through its branches in the UK. Last month, the bank introduced this service in the UAE through its branch located in the Dubai International Financial Center (DIFC), which is regulated by another regulator, the Dubai Financial Services Authority (DFSA).
Additionally, Standard Chartered Bank’s cryptocurrency custody service was launched in the UAE in September 2024, and within a few months, it also became available in the European Union through a Luxembourg-based entity.
Previously, wealth clients could access the cryptocurrency market through various channels at this bank. These included trading funds related to cryptocurrency exchanges on cash stock platforms, structured products, and over-the-counter derivatives that were linked to cryptocurrency prices. The new service allows customers to directly own coins held by the bank, rather than products whose value is tied to the price of these coins.
There is optimism regarding the future of the cryptocurrency market.
Standard Chartered has always been very supportive of cryptocurrencies. Its analysts often recommend that Bitcoin reach new highs. In June this year, Geoff Kendrick, head of Standard Chartered’s global digital assets research department, announced that the “crypto winter” was over. At that time, Bitcoin fell to nearly $59,000, representing a 53% decline from its peak of $126,000 in October 2025. The bank still believes that Bitcoin’s target price by the end of the year is $100,000.
