General information only. CryptoRegHub provides summaries for informational purposes and does not constitute legal or compliance advice. Always verify with official sources and consult qualified legal counsel before making compliance decisions.
CryptoRegHub provides plain-English summaries of crypto regulations for informational purposes only. This does not constitute legal, compliance, or financial advice. Regulations change frequently — always verify information with official sources and consult qualified legal counsel before making any compliance decisions.
On 1 January 2026, two federal decree-laws restructured the UAE's capital markets architecture. Federal Decree-Law No. 32 of 2025 created the Capital Market Authority (CMA) as a federal public authority with broad executive and regulatory powers. Federal Decree-Law No. 33 of 2025 replaced and codified the licensing regime for financial activities, explicitly bringing virtual assets within the federal capital markets perimeter. On 13 February 2026, the CMA issued Decision No. 4/R.M/2026 (the New Federal VASP Law), which replaces all previous SCA virtual asset rules and establishes a comprehensive federal rulebook covering three modules and eight distinct licensed activity categories. A key feature is the federal token admission gateway: no virtual asset can be traded in the UAE unless it is on the CMA's approved list, registered with the CMA, and operated by a CMA-licensed platform — giving the CMA de facto veto power even over VARA-licensed platforms. The CMA also has extraterritorial reach, applying to anyone targeting UAE clients even from outside the country.
Applies to any person conducting virtual asset activities in the UAE or targeting UAE clients, including from outside the country or from financial free zones. Eight licensed activity categories: (1) VA exchange; (2) VA brokerage; (3) VA custody; (4) VA lending and borrowing; (5) VA payment and remittance; (6) VA portfolio management; (7) VA advisory; (8) VA token issuance. Existing VARA, ADGM and DIFC licensees must map their activities to the new CMA categories.
Key requirements under CMA Decision No. 4/R.M/2026: (1) CMA licence required for each of the 8 activity categories. (2) Federal token admission: all VAs traded in UAE must be on CMA approved list. (3) Capital requirements: new minimum capital levels per activity category. (4) Extraterritorial coverage: applies to anyone targeting UAE clients from any location. (5) Acquisition threshold approvals: prior CMA written approval required for acquiring 10%, 30%, or 50% control in a licensed entity. (6) Hard prohibitions on specific asset classes (details in CMA rulebook). (7) Unified VASP register: CMA and VARA now maintain a shared register. (8) Compliance deadline: began running from date of Decision — firms must act immediately.
Always refer to official sources to confirm current requirements. CryptoRegHub summaries are for general guidance only.
Large fines, licence revocation, or criminal referral risk
This summary is for general informational purposes only and does not constitute legal advice. Always verify with official sources and consult qualified legal counsel.