Key facts
- ARP Digital has been granted a broker-dealer license by Dubai's Virtual Assets Regulatory Authority (VARA).
- The license enables ARP Digital to offer regulated conversions between digital assets and UAE dirhams.
ARP Digital, an institutional digital asset infrastructure provider, has obtained a broker-dealer license from Dubai's Virtual Assets Regulatory Authority (VARA). This allows the firm to offer regulated conversions between digital assets and UAE dirhams, expanding its Gulf presence.
The license allows ARP Digital to expand its regulated services into the UAE market, a significant financial hub, and facilitates institutional access to digital asset conversions and local investments.
ARP Digital, an institutional digital asset infrastructure provider, has secured a broker-dealer license from Dubai's Virtual Assets Regulatory Authority (VARA). This approval allows the Bahrain-based firm to offer regulated conversions between digital assets and the UAE dirham, catering to UAE-based corporates, capital markets participants, and qualified investors. The company also provides institutions with a regulated pathway to convert digital asset capital for deployment into local UAE assets.
The license signifies ARP Digital's second regulated market in the Gulf region. Previously, the firm obtained a license from the Central Bank of Bahrain, where it has facilitated over $3.5 billion in volume for more than 450 institutional and corporate counterparties, experiencing fourfold year-over-year growth in 2025. ARP Digital's services include over-the-counter liquidity, cross-border settlement, fiat on- and off-ramps, and wealth management.
This development aligns with Dubai's ongoing efforts to expand its regulated digital asset sector. VARA, established in 2022, oversees virtual asset activities within the emirate and has issued its 50th virtual asset service provider license. Notably, Flowdesk, a crypto market maker supported by Coinbase Ventures and BlackRock, also received a full VARA broker-dealer license on the same day, enabling it to serve qualified and institutional investors in Dubai.