Standard Chartered launches Bitcoin, Ether spot trading for UAE institutions

Standard Chartered has rolled out deliverable spot trading in Bitcoin and Ethereum for institutional clients in the UAE, making it the first global systemically important bank to provide the service in the Gulf market, Reuters reported Thursday. Eligible clients can buy and sell Bitcoin and Ether for immediate delivery through the bank’s electronic trading channels. The service is connected to Standard Chartered’s existing platforms and can be accessed through its foreign exchange interfaces. The move adds crypto execution to the bank’s existing UAE digital asset custody offering, which launched in September 2024. Institutional clients can settle trades through a custodian of their choice, including Standard Chartered’s custody platform. The bank previously launched institutional spot trading in Bitcoin and Ether through its UK branch in July 2025, when it became the first G-SIB to offer deliverable spot trading in the two cryptocurrencies. Disclosure: This article was edited by Vivian Nguyen. For more information on how we create and review content, see our Editorial Policy.