Standard Chartered becomes first globally systemically important bank to offer institutional BTC and ETH spot trading in the UAE.
Macro & Markets ·
Standard Chartered has launched spot trading for Bitcoin and Ethereum available to institutional clients in the UAE, marking the first instance of a globally systemically important bank offering such a service in the region. The offering enables deliverable trading of both assets. This service builds on a similar program the bank introduced in the UK in July 2025.
The expansion into the UAE reflects growing appetite among traditional financial institutions to provide direct crypto market access to institutional investors. By offering spot trading rather than derivatives, the bank enables clients to take direct custody of the underlying assets, a feature that can appeal to institutions seeking operational simplicity and regulatory clarity.
The move signals willingness from a major global bank to deepen its crypto infrastructure in a key regional market. Open questions include whether other systemically important banks will follow with similar offerings, and how the service gains uptake among UAE-based institutional investors.