The global bank rolled out deliverable spot trading for BTC/USD and ETH/USD pairs through its DIFC branch, becoming the first systemically important bank to do so in the region. Eligible clients use familiar electronic FX channels with settlement via the bank's own custody solution, launched in the UAE in September 2024.
This builds on prior expansions like UK spot
trading in July 2025 and fits the UAE's rise as a regulated crypto hub
attracting traditional finance. Observers see it as a boost for institutional
adoption, with Bitcoin historian Pete Rizzo noting Middle Eastern oil money may
soon flow into BTC.