Tagged: vara

July 18, 2026 @ 6:18 am By Omar Faridi  |  

Digital bank Revolut has obtained in-principle approval to deliver virtual asset services across the UAE. The Virtual Assets Regulatory Authority (VARA) in Dubai granted the preliminary license, positioning the company to introduce broker-dealer activities, asset management and investment services, as well as exchange functionalities in… Read More

May 22, 2026 @ 7:56 am By Omar Faridi  |  

Payward, the parent company of the cryptocurrency exchange and digital investment platform Kraken, has received preliminary approval for a comprehensive broker-dealer, investment, and management license from Dubai’s Virtual Assets Regulatory Authority (VARA). This milestone marks a significant step in digital assets platform Kraken’s strategy to… Read More

April 10, 2026 @ 12:56 pm By Omar Faridi  |  

Ruben Bombardi, the VARA General Counsel and Head of Regulatory Enablement, noted that the Virtual Assets Regulatory Authority (VARA) published its Guidance on the Virtual Asset Issuance Rulebook, setting out in practical terms how virtual assets are “created, disclosed, and brought to market” in Dubai…. Read More

February 14, 2026 @ 11:11 am By Omar Faridi  |  

Blockchain security firm CertiK has recently shared critical analyses on the shifting landscapes of cryptocurrency regulation, highlighting both hurdles in the United States and progressive advancements in Dubai. These updates underscore the firm’s expertise in navigating security and compliance amid global crypto developments, offering key… Read More

June 6, 2025 @ 4:49 pm By Omar Faridi  |  

Ctrl Alt, a tokenization infrastructure platform, has officially secured its license from Dubai’s Virtual Assets Regulatory Authority (VARA) to operate as a Virtual Assets Service Provider (VASP). Notably, Ctrl Alt claims it is the first VASP authorized to conduct issuer-related services. This milestone marks a… Read More

March 15, 2025 @ 3:55 pm By Omar Faridi  |  

Crypto.com announced it has been issued a limited license by Dubai’s Virtual Assets Regulatory Authority (VARA) to offer derivatives in the UAE. This issuance now reportedly extends the provisions of Crypto.com’s existing VASP license to operate in the region. With this limited license, Crypto.com’s regional… Read More

January 13, 2025 @ 11:56 am By Omar Faridi  |  

HashKey Group, an end-to-end digital asset financial services group in Asia, announced that HashKey MENA FZE, a member of the HashKey Group, has received an In-Principle Approval (IPA) from the Dubai Virtual Assets Regulatory Authority (VARA) for its Virtual Asset Service Provider (VASP) license application…. Read More

April 19, 2024 @ 7:17 pm By Omar Faridi  |  

Binance is pleased to announce that Binance FZE, their Dubai subsidiary, has received a Virtual Asset Service Provider (VASP) license from Dubai’s Virtual Assets Regulatory Authority (VARA). Following the initial issuance of the Minimum Viable Product (MVP) license in July 2023, this marks “a significant… Read More

April 9, 2024 @ 10:22 pm By Omar Faridi  |  

Crypto.com, which claims to be “trusted” by more than 80 million customers worldwide and the industry leader in regulatory compliance, security and privacy, announced that its Dubai entity, CRO DAX Middle East FZE, has “received full operational approval from Dubai’s Virtual Assets Regulatory Authority (VARA)… Read More

April 2, 2024 @ 10:01 pm By Omar Faridi  |  

Digital asset exchange Fasset’s app is now officially available to users in the UAE. The app offers access to broker-dealer services for “both early investors and experienced real-world asset investors seeking to diversify their investment portfolio with digital assets.” Fasset’s platform allows secure and seamless… Read More

March 9, 2024 @ 1:23 pm By Omar Faridi  |  

Nexo, a digital assets institution, announced that its Dubai entity, Nexo Services FZE, has been awarded an Initial Approval [IA] by Dubai’s Virtual Assets Regulatory Authority (VARA) for Virtual Asset Lending & Borrowing, Management & Investment, and Broker-Dealer activities. This IA positions Nexo as one… Read More

November 14, 2023 @ 8:36 pm By Omar Faridi  |  

Crypto.com announced that its Dubai entity, CRO DAX Middle East FZE, has been granted a Virtual Assets Service Provider (VASP) License “for specified virtual asset service activities by Dubai’s Virtual Assets Regulatory Authority (VARA).” Crypto.com’s VASP License is “subject to the Company fully satisfying select… Read More

August 23, 2023 @ 10:29 pm By Omar Faridi  |  

Komainu, a regulated digital asset custody service provider built by institutions for institutions, announced that it has been granted the operating license by the Virtual Asset Regulatory Authority (VARA) in Dubai after securing its MVP license last November. Achieving this final step in VARA’s licensing… Read More

July 31, 2023 @ 4:16 pm By Omar Faridi  |  

Binance, which is being sued by US regulators for a wide range of issues, is pleased to announce that their Dubai subsidiary, Binance FZE, has reportedly become the first exchange “to receive the Operational Minimum Viable Product (MVP) license from Dubai’s Virtual Asset Regulatory Authority… Read More

July 13, 2023 @ 11:38 pm By Omar Faridi  |  

VARA is issuing a market alert regarding ongoing supervisory controls, and enforcement actions initiated against BitOasis. VARA in Dubai (United Arab Emirates) confirmed that it is issuing this market alert regarding ongoing supervisory controls, and enforcement actions initiated against digital currency trading platform BitOasis. Investors… Read More

May 3, 2023 @ 5:06 pm By Omar Faridi  |  

Following the Investor and Marketplace Alert dated 12 April 2023 in relation to opnx.com (OPNX) conducting unregulated activity, Dubai’s Virtual Assets Regulatory Authority (VARA) has issued “a formal Letter of Reprimand to OPNX and its founders” for the following: Carrying out VA Exchange Services on… Read More

September 10, 2022 @ 3:22 pm By Omar Faridi  |  

As Dubai seeks to support crypto and blockchain innovation, Blockchain.com has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with the Dubai Virtual Assets Regulatory Authority (VARA). That means that soon both retail and institutional clients will be able “to access the financial system of the future… Read More

August 1, 2022 @ 7:19 pm By Omar Faridi  |  

Komainu, a regulated digital asset custody provider built by institutions for institutions, today announced provisional regulatory approval from the Government of Dubai’s Virtual Assets Regulatory Authority [VARA] to “commence operational readiness even as the application goes through the warranted due diligence in accordance with VARA… Read More

July 31, 2022 @ 8:38 pm By Omar Faridi  |  

FTX Exchange FZE announced that it has received approval “to enter Dubai’s ‘Minimum Viable Product’ (MVP) program for Virtual Assets under the world’s only specialist regime for this sector operated by the Virtual Asset Regulatory Authority (VARA).” As a subsidiary of FTX Europe, FTX Exchange… Read More

July 24, 2022 @ 8:40 pm By Omar Faridi  |  

Huobi Group, which claims to be one of the world’s leading financial services providers specializing in cryptocurrencies and related products, recently announced that it has been granted MVP provisional approval by the Dubai Virtual Assets Regulatory Authority (VARA) on July 15, 2022, while it “undertakes… Read More