UAE Crypto Compliance Insights
Practical articles on VARA, ADGM, DIFC and CMA licensing, AML/CFT and regulatory updates from the VAF Global compliance team.
SCA Is Now the CMA: What the 2026 Change Means for Crypto Firms
On 1 January 2026 the UAE's Securities and Commodities Authority became the Capital Market Authority. What changed for crypto and securities firms.
Read articleCrypto Proprietary Trading in Dubai: VARA NOC and the USD 250m Threshold
Trading crypto with your own money in Dubai or DMCC? How VARA treats proprietary trading, when registration is mandatory and when you need a full licence.
Read articleVARA Licence Checklist: Compliance Documents to Prepare Before You Apply
The compliance documents and decisions to have ready before submitting a VARA licence application, from risk assessments to Travel Rule procedures.
Read articleThe Travel Rule in the UAE: A Practical Guide for VASPs
What the Travel Rule requires, how it applies to UAE virtual asset service providers and how to build a workable Travel Rule process.
Read articleKYT Explained: Crypto Transaction Monitoring for UAE Businesses
Know Your Transaction (KYT) explained: what it is, why UAE regulators expect it and how to screen wallets and transactions for risk.
Read articleWhat Does an MLRO Do? Outsourcing the MLRO Role in the UAE
The role of the Money Laundering Reporting Officer in UAE firms, what regulators expect, and when outsourcing the MLRO makes sense.
Read articlegoAML Registration in the UAE: What VASPs and DNFBPs Need to Know
What goAML is, who must register in the UAE, and how suspicious transaction reporting works for VASPs and DNFBPs.
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