Jurisdiction reference

United Arab Emirates

Regulator: VARA / ADGM FSRA / DIFC. License/registration context: Licensing. 623 VASP/entity records are tracked by Plexo Institute in United Arab Emirates. Official registry source: official registry source. Data last updated: 2026-07-10.

Licensed issuers must maintain full fiat-currency reserves (100% or 50% plus UAE government bonds for subsidiary issuers), conduct monthly external audits, publish White Papers, and redeem at par on demand. Only Dirham-denominated and Foreign Currency Payment Tokens are permitted; algorithmic and privacy tokens are banned entirely. Oversight is split: the Virtual Assets Regulatory Authority (VARA) in Dubai, the ADGM Financial Services Regulatory Authority in Abu Dhabi, and the Central Bank for payments and monetary issues. Stablecoins are allowed but subject to strict licensing, reserve, and transparency rules.

Regulatory Status

Jurisdiction code
AE
Regime
Licensing
Regulator
VARA / ADGM FSRA / DIFC
Travel Rule
Enforced
Tracked entities
623
Currency
AED

Stablecoin Thesis And Contrast

The jurisdiction profile should distinguish law, bill, guidance, consultation, enforcement, and market practice before it becomes indexable. The durable search angle is not a generic country page; it is the contrast between how United Arab Emirates treats payment tokens, crypto assets, reserve backing, issuer licensing, and supervisory authority.

The CBUAE is the federal regulatory authority responsible for licensing and supervising Payment Token Service Providers (issuers, custodians, conversion providers). Oversees safety, soundness, consumer protection, and AML/CFT compliance for digital payment services in the UAE. VARA is a public corporation established under Dubai law to regulate and supervise virtual asset services in the Emirate of Dubai. Affiliated with the Dubai World Trade Centre (DWTC) Authority, VARA serves as the competent authority for licensing and overseeing virtual asset service providers, platforms, and related activities. The Financial Services Regulatory Authority (FSRA) is the independent regulator of Abu Dhabi Global Market (ADGM). It oversees and enforces financial services regulations in ADGM, including rules for digital assets and stablecoins. The FSRA sets standards for market integrity, consumer protection, and international compliance within the ADGM financial free zone.

Relationship Graph

Jurisdiction FAQ

Who regulates United Arab Emirates?

The current Plexo Institute record lists VARA / ADGM FSRA / DIFC as the regulator for United Arab Emirates.

How many VASPs are tracked in United Arab Emirates?

623 VASP/entity records are tracked by Plexo Institute in United Arab Emirates.

What is the Travel Rule status in United Arab Emirates?

The current Plexo Institute record lists the Travel Rule status for United Arab Emirates as Enforced.

Source Evidence

Source confidence: official source evidence. Indexing decision: runtime hardening required before indexing.