Standard Chartered Expands Regulated Bitcoin and Ether Trading to Professional Investors in UAE
MissedBlock Desk · · 2 min read
Updated
Standard Chartered has expanded its regulated spot Bitcoin and Ether trading services to professional investors in the United Arab Emirates (UAE), enabling clients to trade these digital assets directly within their existing bank accounts. This follows a similar service launch for institutional clients in early September.
The bank announced on Wednesday that eligible professional investors in the UAE can now access these services. Qualification requires individuals to hold at least 4 million dirhams (approximately $1.1 million USD) in net assets, excluding their primary residence. Additionally, investors must demonstrate sufficient investment knowledge and experience or be represented by a licensed entity.
Samir Subberwal, global head of wealth solutions, retail products, data and analytics at Standard Chartered, noted that digital assets are “moving into mainstream wealth conversations.” He added that clients increasingly seek “the security, trust and confidence that comes from investing through a regulated and trusted institution.”
This expansion by Standard Chartered into offering regulated cryptocurrency trading to a broader professional client base in the UAE reflects a growing trend of traditional financial institutions integrating digital assets into their services. The UAE, particularly Dubai, has been actively developing its regulatory framework for digital assets, as evidenced by recent approvals from Dubai’s Virtual Assets Regulatory Authority (VARA). Notably, Payward, the parent company of cryptocurrency exchange Kraken, received VARA approval to provide crypto services through its local entity, and in July, neobank Revolut also secured in-principle approval from VARA for crypto-related services.
The development signifies a maturing market where established financial players are responding to client demand for regulated access to digital assets, supported by regulatory bodies establishing clear frameworks for such activities.
Why This Matters
The materials describe a narrow update: Standard Chartered has made Bitcoin and Ether trading available to professional investors in the UAE, allowing them to trade these assets within their existing bank accounts. Standard Chartered’s expansion into crypto trading for professional investors in the UAE indicates a growing trend of digital assets becoming more integrated into mainstream wealth management.
Broader Context
Source materials place the factual news in this context: Standard Chartered expanded its spot crypto trading services to professional investors in the UAE region, with plans to offer access to more market participants.