CoinMENA strengthens is crypto fiat rails with Standard Chartered in UAE
CoinMENA FZE has entered a strategic banking relationship with Standard Chartered, strengthening the exchange’s fiat payment infrastructure and reflecting the growing convergence between regulated crypto platforms and traditional financial institutions in the UAE.
CoinMENA FZE, a crypto broker, licensed by Dubai’s Virtual Assets Regulatory Authority, will use Standard Chartered’s banking capabilities to support customer money account services and fiat payment flows. The arrangement is designed to make on- and off-ramping between fiat currencies and digital assets faster, more transparent, and more efficient for customers across the platform’s regulated ecosystem.
As per the agreement, the two parties will combine safeguarded client money accounts, high-speed settlement rails, and virtual account-based transaction management. CoinMENA said the integration will also support liquidity settlement with approved global counterparties and improve fiat connectivity as demand grows for reliable fiat-to-crypto access in the region.
This is not CoinMENA’s first move to strengthen its fiat and banking infrastructure. In 2025, CoinMENA FZE partnered with UAE digital bank Zand to allow clients to transfer funds between Zand bank accounts and CoinMENA wallets, supporting more seamless fiat-to-crypto integration, including stablecoins.
Prior to that, CoinMENA also partnered with Zodia Markets, a UK headquartered digital asset trading business backed by Standard Chartered, to enhance liquidity, reduce slippage on high-volume trades, and support fiat versus digital asset transactions across G10 and GCC currencies. The company has also worked with Network International to offer fiat-to-crypto onramps through card deposits, and with botim pay as a compliant funding method for CoinMENA accounts.
“The UAE has established itself as one of the world’s leading regulatory environments for digital assets, creating opportunities for regulated firms and established financial institutions to work together,” said Rola Abu Manneh, Chief Executive Officer, UAE, Middle East and Pakistan, Standard Chartered. “As the sector continues to mature, trusted banking infrastructure will remain essential to supporting its long-term development. We look forward to supporting CoinMENA’s growth in the UAE.”
CoinMENA Group Co-Founders Dina Sam’an and Talal Tabbaa said the agreement reflects a broader market shift. “As digital assets mature globally, the institutions shaping finance must bridge innovation with trust at scale,” they said in a joint statement.
The CoinMENA founders emphasized the fact that crypto is entering mainstream financial sector rather than operating alongside it. They noted, “We believe the industry’s future depends on strong banking, regulatory, and operational foundations, not just technology. Partnering with Standard Chartered reinforces that vision and supports our continued investment in institutional-grade infrastructure for customers in MENA.”
