Standard Chartered Enables Direct Crypto Trading for UAE Wealth Clients

Clients no longer need separate wallets or third-party exchanges to manage their digital assets. By executing trades within its own infrastructure, the bank handles custody and settlement through a closed-loop model. This service leverages the group’s internal divisions alongside Zodia Markets, a brokerage backed by the bank’s venture arm, SC Ventures. For wealth clients, this shifts the experience from indirect exposure via structured products or ETFs to direct ownership of the underlying assets.

This rollout follows a steady expansion of the bank's digital asset footprint. Standard Chartered introduced institutional Bitcoin and Ether trading in the Dubai International Financial Centre in September 2026, building on custody services launched in the UAE a year earlier. While local competitors like RAKBANK facilitate crypto access through external brokerage partnerships, Standard Chartered maintains a distinct approach by keeping the entire transaction lifecycle in-house.