Standard Chartered has launched spot trading in Bitcoin (BTC) and Ether (ETH) for institutional users in the UAE region, according to Cointelegraph. The bank said it is the first major global bank to offer institutional access to spot Bitcoin and Ether trading in the region. The announcement, published on September 3, 2026, adds a banking-sector development to the UAE’s cryptocurrency market, with the service focused specifically on the two largest assets identified in the launch: Bitcoin and Ether. The source did not provide further details on the trading platform, transaction volumes, fees, or the institutional clients eligible to use the service. The development is relevant to BTC and ETH market participants monitoring how traditional financial institutions are expanding access to spot crypto markets in the UAE.
