United Arab Emirates lender RAKBANK, which holds about AED 88.3 billion ($24 billion) in assets, has introduced cryptocurrency trading for its retail customers, making it the first conventional bank in the country to offer the service. The Ras Al Khaimah–based bank said the new feature is embedded in its mobile application and was developed in partnership with Vienna-headquartered digital-asset platform Bitpanda. Clients will be able to buy and sell bitcoin and a selection of other tokens directly from their regular bank accounts. RAKBANK’s launch adds to a growing number of Middle Eastern financial institutions embracing digital assets as regional regulators craft rules aimed at attracting crypto business while maintaining compliance with anti-money-laundering standards.