Standard Chartered expanded its institutional Bitcoin and Ether Spot Trading to the UAE via the DIFC branch. This gives eligible clients access through Standard Chartered’s existing electronic trading system to crypto-trades that can be delivered.
You can read more about it here:
- Standard Chartered launched spot institutional Bitcoin and Ether trading through DIFC in the UAE.
- Clients who are eligible can now trade BTC or ETH using the existing electronic trading channels of their bank, as well as its FX interfaces.
- Standard Chartered’s UAE Digital Asset Custody Service is available to clients who want to settle their trades.
- This is the first G SIB that offers institutional digital assets spot trading to the UAE.
Standard Chartered said On Sept. 3, the bank announced that it was the first Global Systemically Important Bank in the UAE to provide institutional spot digital assets trading. It is also the only global institution currently offering this capability.
Standard Chartered offers electronic trading interfaces for institutional clients who are eligible to trade Bitcoin or Ether. These interfaces have been used in the past by Standard Chartered when it comes to foreign exchange. Settlement can take place through any custodian chosen by the customer, such as the bank’s UAE digital asset custody services.
Standard Chartered’s UAE branch has introduced a new spot trading service last year, combining the trading and custody capability that it had been developing separately since 2024.
Standard Chartered introduces Bitcoin and Ether Trading to DIFC
Standard Chartered DIFC is the branch of the bank in Dubai International Financial Centre that offers trading.
The clients will be receiving deliverable Bitcoin or Ether, instead of exposure via a derivative linked to either cryptocurrency’s price. Standard Chartered started offering institutional trading in the UK through its branch on July 20, 2025. It was the first G SIB to offer deliverable Bitcoin or Ether spot trades to clients.
You can also read about the advantages of using crypto.news previously reportedThe UK service has been introduced to serve institutional customers, such as corporations, asset management firms and professional traders. All transactions are available via the existing FX Trading interfaces.
Standard Chartered operates a regulated digital assets custody service in the UAE.
Rola Abu Maneh, Standard Chartered’s chief executive for the UAE and Middle East, as well as Pakistan, stated that the regulatory framework in the UAE had encouraged institutional investment in digital assets.
“Extending our Bitcoin and Ether spot trading capability to institutional clients is a significant step in broadening our regulated digital asset proposition in the market,” Abu Manneh stated.
She explained that combining custody with execution, governance and international bank network allows institutional clients to have a better integrated path into the digital asset market.
UAE Clients can separate custody from execution
Standard Chartered won’t require its clients to store their Bitcoin or Ether in the bank.
Instead, institutions can settle transactions with a custodian that they choose. This allows them to segregate trade execution and asset storage. Standard Chartered’s proprietary digital asset custodian platform will remain one option.
After receiving a licence from DIFC’s Dubai Financial Services Authority, the bank began offering this custody service to UAE residents in September 2024. Bitcoin and Ether are the first assets supported, with Brevan Howard Digital as the initial client.
The role of the UAE Institutional Crypto Infrastructure was later extended through A collateral mirroring program OKX will be available in April of 2025.
Standard Chartered offers institutional customers the option to hold eligible collateral and trade its value on OKX. Assets remain at the bank and are not transferred to OKX directly. Corresponding collateral balances in client accounts reflect the assets.
Brevan Templeton, Franklin Templeton, and Brevan Howard provided support for the UAE program.
BlackRock BUIDL’s U.S. Treasury tokenized fund was included in the framework. Institutional and VIP investors can participate. use BUIDL as collateral Standard Chartered will hold the funds off-exchange.
OKX takes care of margining, liquidation and the ownership structure for the client’s tokenized fund.
DIFC regulates the base trading service
Christopher Parsons is the senior executive at Standard Chartered DIFC. He said that this financial centre provides a platform from which financial institutions international can provide services to regional markets.
“Extending our institutional digital asset trading capability through the Centre demonstrates the strength of that model,” Parsons cited the Standard Chartered markets business’ international network, and regulated DIFC existence.
Standard Chartered uses DIFC to run several aspects of its digital assets business for institutions. Standard Chartered’s custody platform runs from Dubai International Financial Centre, while certain collateral arrangements for digital assets revolve around the assets the bank holds in Dubai.
Through its investment and corporate bank, the digital assets operations of this bank also extends outside the UAE.
Libeara is developing tokenization technologies, while Zodia Markets provides digital asset trading platforms.
Standard Chartered continues to offer regulated digital assets in various financial centres. Hong Kong’s local banking unit was the first to distribute digital assets in Hong Kong. the HKDAP stablecoin The Hong Kong dollar-backed token will be available to eligible institutions and their partners in August.
Anchorpoint, a Standard Chartered-backed stablecoin issuing licensee in Hong Kong, issued HKDAP. Tokens are now available for controlled beta testing to institutions and professionals. The token can be used in a variety of ways, including as a payment, fiat currency conversion, and tokenized assets settlement.
Standard Chartered Bank Hong Kong intends to launch subscription and payment services for tokenized funds of money markets during the 4th quarter of 2026.
Standard Chartered expands a UK-based trading model
Standard Chartered’s institutional direct crypto trading has evolved over the past year.
The UK’s operation will go live on July 20, 2025. Bitcoin and Ether trading were already integrated into the existing institutional platforms, so that clients can access cryptocurrency through infrastructure used in traditional markets.
Standard Chartered stated at the time, that this setup would allow institutions to transact digital assets and manage their exposure in a regulated banking environment.
Since then, the bank has tested new structures that link crypto trading to traditional financial markets infrastructure. While its digital asset operations include custody, collateral service, and tokenization services, the venture businesses offer separate trading capabilities and tokenized assets.
Standard Chartered’s custody infrastructure in DIFC, which Standard Chartered operates since September 2024, now includes direct Bitcoin and Ether transactions for UAE clients.
Standard Chartered has its own custody platform that can be used by institutions using this service. They are able to settle assets into Standard Chartered, or route them through Standard Chartered’s electronic trading channel.
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Source: crypto.news
