Standard Chartered Extends Crypto Trading to UAE Wealth Clients

Standard Chartered has launched a cryptocurrency trading service for affluent clients in the UAE, allowing eligible investors to buy and sell Bitcoin and Ether directly through their existing bank accounts.

Announced on October 14, the offering marks a new step in the bank’s digital asset strategy, extending its crypto trading services beyond institutional markets into wealth banking. The bank said the launch is a global first for Standard Chartered and the first offering of its kind by an international bank in the UAE.

Crypto Trading Through Existing Bank Accounts

The new service allows eligible affluent clients to access Bitcoin (BTC) and Ether (ETH) without setting up separate crypto wallets or using third-party trading platforms.

Developed through collaboration between Standard Chartered’s Wealth and Retail Banking and Corporate and Investment Banking businesses, alongside SC Ventures-backed Zodia Markets, the offering combines custody, liquidity and client access within a single banking ecosystem.

The bank will manage custody and settlement through a closed-loop model designed to reduce exposure to risks associated with third-party wallets and platforms.

Standard Chartered said the offering has received licensing approval from Dubai’s Virtual Assets Regulatory Authority (VARA). It will initially be available to Professional Investor clients in the UAE, with plans to expand to other markets over time.

A New Phase in Standard Chartered’s UAE Crypto Strategy

The launch builds on Standard Chartered’s existing digital asset operations in the UAE, including custody services and institutional spot trading.

In September, the bank introduced Bitcoin and Ether spot trading for eligible institutional clients through its DFSA-regulated Dubai International Financial Centre operation. As covered in Unlock Blockchain’s earlier report on Standard Chartered’s institutional crypto trading launch in the UAE, that service enabled institutional clients to trade deliverable Bitcoin and Ether through the bank’s existing electronic trading channels, with settlement through a custodian of their choice.

The new offering differs in its target audience and operating model. While the earlier service focused on institutional trading, the latest launch brings direct crypto transactions into the bank’s wealth offering, with custody and settlement managed within its own ecosystem.

Together, the services illustrate how Standard Chartered is extending its digital asset capabilities across different client segments, from institutional investors to affluent banking clients.

Expanding Its Digital Asset Offering

The UAE launch forms part of Standard Chartered’s broader digital asset strategy, which spans custody, trading and tokenization, supported by its banking businesses and ventures ecosystem, including Zodia Markets and Libeara.

The bank also offers eligible clients access to cryptocurrency exchange-traded funds through its cash equities platform, as well as crypto market exposure through structured products and over-the-counter derivatives.

By integrating direct Bitcoin and Ether trading into its wealth services, Standard Chartered is adding another route for eligible clients to access digital assets through an established banking relationship.

The initial rollout remains limited to Professional Investor clients in the UAE, with expansion into other markets planned over time.