CoinMENA and Standard Chartered Expand Digital Asset Collaboration in UAE

CoinMENA formalized a banking agreement with Standard Chartered to strengthen the fiat payment infrastructure for its users in the United Arab Emirates. The deal covers fiat on-ramp and off-ramp support, dedicated client money accounts, and transaction management based on virtual accounts.

The Bahrain-headquartered crypto exchange said the arrangement improves transparency and liquidity when dealing with international counterparties. Standard Chartered will handle the underlying settlement, reducing the number of intermediaries in each fiat transfer.

The move follows a broader push by the British bank into digital assets. Standard Chartered has been building out its crypto custody and settlement services through its Zodia unit and has worked with other exchanges in the Middle East. The UAE has become a focal point for regulated crypto activity, with both Abu Dhabi and Dubai issuing frameworks for virtual asset service providers.

For CoinMENA users, the agreement means faster deposits and withdrawals in dirhams without relying on third-party payment processors that can introduce delays or counterparty risk. The exchange operates under the Central Bank of Bahrain's crypto asset regulations and a Dubai VASP license, and the new banking link strengthens its compliance infrastructure.

The deal does not expand CoinMENA's product range. It improves the plumbing. Traders moving money through the platform now face fewer settlement steps, which lowers the chance of a failed transfer during volatile periods.