Standard Chartered Launches Bitcoin, Ethereum Trading for UAE Wealth Clients

Standard Chartered has launched Bitcoin and Ethereum trading for eligible wealthy clients in the United Arab Emirates. The new service lets professional investors buy and sell both assets through existing bank accounts, with custody and settlement handled inside the bank’s system. The October 14 announcement is the bank’s first crypto trading service for wealth clients. Dubai’s Virtual Assets Regulatory Authority (VARA) approved the offering. The bank said it plans to expand but named no markets or dates beyond the UAE.