Standard Chartered Rolls Out In-Bank Crypto Trading for UAE's Million-Dirham Club 🏦

Standard Chartered has expanded cryptocurrency trading to wealthy clients in the United Arab Emirates who qualify as professional investors, allowing eligible individuals to buy and sell Bitcoin ($BTC) and Ether ($ETH) directly through their existing Standard Chartered bank accounts. The London-headquartered multinational bank announced the service Wednesday. To qualify, individuals must hold at least 4 million dirhams (about $1.1 million) in net assets, excluding their primary residence, and demonstrate sufficient investment knowledge and experience, or be represented by a licensed entity.

Digital assets are "moving into mainstream wealth conversations," and clients are increasingly seeking the "security, trust and confidence that comes from investing through a regulated and trusted institution," said Samir Subberwal, global head of wealth solutions, retail products, data and analytics at Standard Chartered. The rollout follows the bank's launch of UAE crypto trading services for institutional clients in early September.

The new offering is delivered through a collaboration between Standard Chartered's Wealth and Retail Banking (WRB) and Corporate and Investment Banking (CIB) divisions, along with SC Ventures-backed Zodia Markets, and operates under regulation by Dubai's Virtual Assets Regulatory Authority (VARA). The service combines institutional-grade custody, liquidity, and client access in a single end-to-end digital asset workflow.

Standard Chartered is not alone in broadening its regional digital asset footprint. On Monday, Payward, the parent company of cryptocurrency exchange Kraken, received VARA approval to provide crypto services via its UAE-based entity. In July, neobank Revolut secured in-principle approval from Dubai's VARA to offer crypto-related services in the region.