United Arab Emirates: FinTech

The concept of dual licensing has emerged as a transformative development in the UAE’s business ecosystem, giving companies the strategic flexibility to operate across both free zones and the mainland under a more integrated structure.

BLK Partners is a multi-jurisdictional law firm operating across Saudi Arabia, UAE, Lebanon, and Egypt, providing comprehensive legal services under registered trademarks in each region. The firm's structure includes independent legal entities in different countries, all operating under the BLK Partners brand with distinct registration numbers and licenses.

On 31 March 2026, the Virtual Assets Regulatory Authority (“VARA”) published Part V of the Exchange Services Rulebook, formally codifying the regulatory framework for Exchange Traded Derivative (“ETD”) Services.

Roman Storm was convicted only for operating an unlicensed money transmitting business, with the jury split on money laundering and sanctions charges.

Rory Copeland, senior associate in our financial services regulatory team, is joined by partners Jodi Norman (Dubai) and Agnes Tsang (Hong Kong), and counsel Philippe Noeltner (Luxembourg)...

The UAE's Securities and Commodities Authority (SCA) and the Dubai Virtual Assets Regulatory Authority (VARA) signed a strategic partnership in August to align regulatory frameworks for virtual assets across the country.

In the UAE, the common law legal principle of without prejudice is usually not applied in onshore courts. This legal concept, which is found in many legal systems, ensures that statements made during settlement discussions...

The SEC's April 2025 Guidance signals a shift from ambiguity to structure, requiring digital asset issuers to treat token-related disclosures with the same rigour as traditional securities offerings.

Google's MiCA-aligned crypto ad policy favors large, licensed platforms and hardware wallet providers, marginalizing smaller startups...