Standard Chartered launches bitcoin trading for wealthy UAE clients
Standard Chartered has launched a bitcoin trading service for affluent clients in the United Arab Emirates, the bank said on Wednesday, describing it as the first such offering by an international bank in the country. The move follows the bank's debut of bitcoin trading for institutional clients in the UAE last month.
The service allows clients to buy bitcoin directly through their bank accounts, without third-party apps or wallets. Standard Chartered said it will manage end-to-end custody and settlement through a closed-loop model, which it said reduces exposure to third-party wallet risks.
"As client interest in digital assets continues to grow, this launch represents a significant milestone for Standard Chartered as we bring digital assets into our core wealth offering," said Samir Subberwal, the bank's global head of wealth solutions, retail products, data and analytics. "With digital assets moving into mainstream wealth conversations, clients are increasingly looking not only for access, but also for the security, trust and confidence that comes from investing through a regulated and trusted institution."
Rola Abu Manneh, Standard Chartered's chief executive officer for the UAE, the Middle East and Pakistan, said: "We are proud to be the first international bank in the UAE to launch a cryptocurrency trading offering."
Standard Chartered has been expanding its crypto-related services globally. It became one of the first global banks to enter the spot crypto trading space when it set up a trading desk for bitcoin and other cryptocurrencies in London in 2025. Earlier this month, it said it planned to offer crypto custody services for institutional clients in Singapore, and it already provides such services in the UAE, Luxembourg and Hong Kong. Banks worldwide are increasingly integrating bitcoin-related products, with some US and European lenders offering custody for institutions and others providing trading through their flagship apps.
