Kraken gets preliminary UAE approval for Dubai launch
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Kraken's operator, Payward, received preliminary approval from Dubai's VARA for a broker-dealer, investment, and management license, paving the way for a full launch in the UAE with services like AED funding and institutional access.
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Kraken's operator, Payward, has received preliminary approval from Dubai's Virtual Assets Regulatory Authority (VARA) for a broker-dealer, investment, and management license. This move signifies Kraken's closer approach to launching in the United Arab Emirates.
Cryptocurrency exchange Kraken moved closer to a launch in the United Arab Emirates after its operator, Payward, received preliminary approval from Dubai’s Virtual Assets Regulatory Authority (VARA), according to the company.
Payward on Thursday announced its UAE expansion alongside receiving preliminary approval for a broker-dealer, investment and management licence from VARA.
A spokesperson for Kraken told Cointelegraph the preliminary approval was granted on Thursday, with a full launch date to be confirmed.
At launch, Kraken plans to offer UAE dirham (AED) funding, along with a full suite of services including margin and over-the-counter trading, as well as access to Kraken Prime for institutional clients, the representative added.
The move builds on Kraken’s earlier regulatory footprint in the region, including its 2022 approval to operate in the UAE under Abu Dhabi’s financial free zone framework.
Dubai’s VARA register now includes 49 active crypto firms
Dubai’s public VARA register currently includes 49 active companies spanning exchange, broker-dealer, custody and lending businesses.
The list includes major global crypto players such as Binance, Crypto.com, OKX, Deribit and HashKey, reflecting Dubai’s push to position itself as a regional hub for companies in the digital asset industry.
Source: Kraken
Kraken and parent company Payward do not yet appear on the regulator’s public register. The latest company recorded on the list was centralized crypto exchange CoinCorner, which received approval to operate virtual asset broker-dealer services on May 5.
Related: Crypto.com receives UAE license for Dubai government crypto payments
Dubai remains a major crypto hub despite recent Iran-linked tensions
Kraken’s expansion in Dubai adds to signs that the UAE continues to emerge as a major global crypto hub, even as recent Iran-linked regional tensions have unsettled some investors and disrupted major events across the Gulf.
Industry executives have increasingly pointed to regulatory clarity as a key reason crypto firms are choosing the UAE over jurisdictions with more fragmented or uncertain rules.
“Dubai wrote a rulebook for crypto before most jurisdictions even acknowledged the asset class,” Payward and Kraken co-CEO Arjun Sethi said in the announcement. “That clarity is why real liquidity and institutional capital now sit in the UAE,” he added.
À surveiller
Perspective IA — des possibilités, pas des certitudes
Kraken will announce a full launch date for its UAE operations within the next quarter.
Très probable · En quelques mois
The UAE will continue to attract more global crypto firms due to its clear regulatory framework.
Probable · Moyen terme
Questions ouvertes
- What is the exact date for Kraken's full launch in the UAE?
- What specific conditions or requirements must Payward meet for the full license?
- How will Kraken's entry impact existing crypto exchanges operating in Dubai?
- What are the potential implications of this expansion on regional crypto adoption and regulation?
