VARA VASP Licence in Dubai: Cost, Categories & Process (2026)
How to get a VARA VASP licence in Dubai — the activity categories, reported fees and capital requirements, the 4-7 month application process, and what to prepare. Updated 2026.
Regulation
Government policy, laws and regulation shaping digital assets and the future of money.
UAE VARA-Licensed VASPs — 2026 Tracker
A running tracker of Dubai’s 50 VARA-licensed virtual asset service providers — Binance, OKX, Crypto.com, Kraken, Bybit and more — with licence type and status. Verified, updated 2026.
BitMEX Shutdown: The 11-Year Fall of the Perpetual Pioneer
BitMEX shutdown: the exchange that invented the perpetual swap closes on 23 September 2026. Why the market shrugged — and what its 11-year legacy leaves behind.
The UAE’s Central Bank Announces Plans for a New Digital Dirham
To officially launch the implementation of the CBUAE Central Bank Digital Currency (CBDC) Strategy, one of the nine initiatives of the CBUAE’s Financial Infrastructure Transformation (FIT) Programme, the Central Bank of the UAE (CBUAE) staged a signing ceremony in collaboration with G42 Cloud and R3.For its CBDC deployment, the CBUAE has contracted with G42 Cloud … Read more
Dubai VARA Tokenisation Push Drives Emirate Past 50 Licensed VASPs
Dubai VARA tokenisation demand pushes the regulator past 50 licensed VASPs, as stablecoins and RWAs move the emirate from crypto trading to financial infrastructure.
Network School and the Ghost of 1965’s Mistake
Network School Malaysia was ordered to cease operations in Forest City, Johor. A repeat of the 1965 Singapore mistake — or a more complicated story?
Dirham Stablecoin DDSC Cleared for VARA-Regulated Exchanges
The UAE’s dirham stablecoin DDSC has been cleared by the Central Bank to list on VARA-regulated exchanges, expanding regulated dirham settlement.
Crypto License New Zealand: No Such License Exists
New Zealand regulates crypto through existing financial law rather than a bespoke licence. Searching for a crypto license New Zealand guide will return dozens of firms offering to sell you one. Here is the fact none of them lead with: no such licence exists. New Zealand has no bespoke virtual asset licensing regime, and understanding … Read more
VARA’s Token Issuance Rules: How Dubai Classifies Every Crypto Token in 2026
VARA’s 2026 guidance sorts token issuance into three pathways — licensed (stablecoins/asset-backed), distribution-gated, and exempt. Here’s how Dubai classifies your token and what each path requires.
CLARITY Act Stalls in the Senate as Passing Odds Hover Near 40%
The CLARITY Act crypto market-structure bill stalls in the Senate near 40% odds as a $1.4B Trump crypto-income disclosure fuels an ethics fight in 2026.