- Standard Chartered launched direct BTC and ETH trading for eligible wealthy clients in the UAE.
- Clients can trade through existing bank accounts without separate wallets or third-party platforms.
- The service operates under VARA licensing approval and uses a closed-loop custody and settlement model.
Standard Chartered has launched a cryptocurrency trading service for affluent clients in the United Arab Emirates (UAE), allowing eligible investors to buy and sell Bitcoin and Ether directly through their existing bank accounts. Announced on October 14, 2026, the service marks the bank’s first offering of this kind globally and the first cryptocurrency trading service launched by an international bank in the UAE, according to the bank.
The service will initially be available to Professional Investor clients in the UAE. Standard Chartered said it has received the required licensing approval from Dubai’s Virtual Assets Regulatory Authority (VARA), which regulates virtual asset activities in the emirate.
Under the new offering, clients can access BTC and ETH without opening separate crypto wallets or using third-party trading platforms. Standard Chartered will manage custody and settlement within its own system through what it describes as a “closed-loop model.” The arrangement is intended to reduce clients’ exposure to risks associated with external wallets while keeping trading connected to their existing banking relationship.
The service combines the bank’s Wealth and Retail Banking and Corporate and Investment Banking businesses with Zodia Markets, a digital asset firm backed by SC Ventures. The setup brings trading access, liquidity and custody together within a single service.
Standard Chartered Bank Expands Its Digital Asset Offering
The launch adds direct cryptocurrency trading to Standard Chartered’s existing wealth products. The bank already provides access to cryptocurrency exchange-traded funds (ETFs) through its cash equities platform. As well as offers eligible clients exposure to crypto markets through structured products and over-the-counter derivatives.
Samir Subberwal, Standard Chartered’s global head of Wealth Solutions, Retail Products, Data and Analytics, said the launch brings digital assets into the bank’s core wealth offering. He noted that clients are increasingly looking for both market access and the security associated with investing through a regulated financial institution.
The UAE was selected as the first market because of its regulatory environment and growing role in digital assets, the bank said. The country is also one of Standard Chartered’s four global wealth hubs.
Standard Chartered plans to expand the service to other markets over time. Although it has not announced specific countries or launch dates. The bank also did not disclose minimum investment requirements, trading fees or transaction limits.
The initial offering is limited to Bitcoin and Ether. The announcement does not confirm support for XRP or other cryptocurrencies.
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