Standard Chartered rolls out direct crypto trading for wealthy UAE clients
CIE News ·
Standard Chartered launched direct Bitcoin and Ether trading for professional clients in the UAE via bank accounts, CoinDesk reported. The closed-loop service is licensed by Dubai's VARA and runs through Zodia Markets.
Standard Chartered introduced a cryptocurrency trading service for wealthy clients in the United Arab Emirates, according to CoinDesk. Eligible professional investors can trade Bitcoin (BTC) and Ether (ETH) directly through their existing bank accounts. The bank stated the launch represents the first direct cryptocurrency trading service it has offered to affluent clients in any jurisdiction, as well as a first for an international bank in the UAE.
The lender manages custody and settlement within its own ecosystem using a closed-loop structure, meaning participants do not require separate cryptocurrency wallets or external platforms. The service brings together Standard Chartered's corporate and investment banking division with its wealth and retail banking unit, operating via Zodia Markets, an entity backed by the bank's SC Ventures arm.
Standard Chartered confirmed it secured licensing approval from Dubai's Virtual Assets Regulatory Authority. The bank previously introduced institutional BTC and ETH spot trading in the UK in July 2025 and broadened that service to the UAE on September 3, 2026. The institution also provides access to crypto exchange-traded funds, structured products, and over-the-counter derivatives, and reported intentions to expand direct trading to other regions without publishing a timeline.