Standard Chartered launched direct cryptocurrency trading for affluent clients in the United Arab Emirates, allowing eligible investors to buy and sell Bitcoin and Ether through their existing bank accounts. Announced on October 14, 2026, the service marks the bank’s first cryptocurrency trading offering for wealth clients globally and the first such service from an international bank in the UAE.
The bank secured licensing approval from Dubai’s Virtual Assets Regulatory Authority (VARA). It will initially offer the service to Professional Investor clients in the country, with plans to expand into other markets over time.
The new service allows eligible clients to trade Bitcoin (BTC) and Ether (ETH) without opening accounts with separate cryptocurrency exchanges or setting up external digital wallets. Standard Chartered will manage custody and settlement within its banking ecosystem.
The bank will use a closed-loop operating model that integrates trading, custody and settlement. This structure aims to reduce exposure to risks associated with third-party wallets while providing institutional-grade custody and operational safeguards.
Samir Subberwal, Standard Chartered’s Global Head of Wealth Solutions, Retail Products, Data and Analytics, said, “Growing client interest in digital assets had made them an increasingly important part of wealth management.” He added that investors were seeking secure and regulated ways to access the asset class.
Standard Chartered selected the UAE for the launch given its regulatory framework and growing role in digital asset markets. The bank also identified the country as one of its four global wealth hubs.
The latest service builds on Standard Chartered’s existing cryptocurrency investment options for wealth clients. Eligible customers could already gain exposure to digital assets through cryptocurrency exchange-traded funds, structured products and over-the-counter derivatives.
The new offering adds direct Bitcoin and Ether trading to these options, giving eligible investors access through their existing banking relationships.
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