CoinMENA has entered a banking agreement with Standard Chartered to bolster its fiat payment infrastructure in the United Arab Emirates. The deal is a significant step for the regulated crypto exchange, aiming to provide users with faster funding and more efficient settlement.
The partnership will utilize Standard Chartered’s banking capabilities for fiat on-ramps, off-ramps, and safeguarded client money accounts. It also includes virtual account-based transaction management, which is designed to improve transparency for both customers and approved counterparties.
A Shift Toward Mainstream Banking
The agreement reflects a broader trend in the UAE, where crypto firms are increasingly integrating with traditional financial infrastructure. CoinMENA co-founders Dina Sam’an and Talal Tabbaa stated that the industry’s future relies on “strong banking, regulatory, and operational foundations, not just technology.”
Rola Abu Manneh, CEO of Standard Chartered UAE, Middle East and Pakistan, highlighted the UAE’s status as “one of the world’s leading regulatory environments for digital assets.” She emphasized that trusted banking infrastructure is essential as the sector matures.
Parallel Moves in the UAE Market
The CoinMENA deal is part of a wider movement to solidify payment infrastructure in the region. Fintech giant Revolut has also advanced its UAE launch plans, securing Stored Value Facilities and Retail Payment Services licenses from the Central Bank of the UAE. This follows in-principle approval granted in September 2025, and Revolut is now building local product offerings ahead of a full launch.
Global crypto exchange Kraken has also been working to establish local funding and trading services in Dubai through licensing. The UAE has developed a structured regulatory framework that creates separate pathways for virtual assets, payment tokens, retail payments, and stored value services.
This multi-faceted regulatory approach provides firms with room to launch but places a strong emphasis on compliance, client money protection, and partnerships with regulated banking entities. The recent moves by CoinMENA and Revolut underscore that robust fiat rails have become a critical component of the UAE’s growing digital finance market.
Based on reporting from crypto.news.