Standard Chartered Launches Cryptocurrency Trading for Affluent Clients in the UAE

Standard Chartered has rolled out cryptocurrency trading for eligible affluent clients in the United Arab Emirates, allowing them to trade Bitcoin and Ether directly through existing bank accounts. The service is regulated by Dubai's Virtual Assets Regulatory Authority and marks a global first for the bank. Developed with SC Ventures-backed Zodia Markets, the platform handles custody and settlement via a closed-loop system.

Published October 15, 2026 Source: Analytics Insight

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Issuing authority: Virtual Assets Regulatory Authority
Jurisdiction: Dubai, United Arab Emirates
Effective date: October 14, 2026
Stage: Final rule
Official source: news.google.com

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Standard Chartered announced the launch of a cryptocurrency trading solution for affluent clients in the United Arab Emirates on October 14, 2026, marking the first such offering by an international bank in the country and a global first for the lender.

Under licensing approval from Dubai's Virtual Assets Regulatory Authority (VARA), eligible affluent clients who meet professional investor criteria can buy and sell Bitcoin (BTC) and Ether (ETH) directly through their existing Standard Chartered bank accounts. The bank stated that the service removes the need for clients to maintain third-party wallets or transfer funds to external exchanges.

The service was developed through collaboration across Standard Chartered's Wealth and Retail Banking and Corporate and Investment Banking divisions, together with Zodia Markets, a digital asset firm backed by the bank's innovation arm, SC Ventures. Trades are executed, settled, and custodied entirely within the bank's own ecosystem under a closed-loop structure.

Rola Abu Manneh, Chief Executive Officer for the UAE, Middle East and Pakistan at Standard Chartered, said the UAE was chosen because of its regulatory framework and leadership in digital assets, noting the country's strategic role as one of the lender's four global wealth hubs. The bank indicated it plans to expand the trading capability to other jurisdictions in the future.