License Overview

ARP Digital, a Bahrain‑based provider of institutional digital‑asset infrastructure, announced that it has been granted a broker‑dealer licence by the Virtual Assets Regulatory Authority (VARA) in Dubai. The approval authorises the firm to conduct regulated conversions between crypto assets, including stablecoins, and the UAE dirham.

Scope of Services

The licence extends to UAE‑registered corporations, participants in capital markets and qualified investors. ARP Digital will facilitate the exchange of stablecoins for dirhams and give institutions a compliant pathway to move digital‑asset capital into local UAE investments. Its broader institutional offering includes over‑the‑counter liquidity, cross‑border settlement, fiat on‑ and off‑ramps, and wealth‑management solutions.

Expansion in the Gulf Region

This development marks ARP Digital’s second regulated foothold in the Gulf after securing a licence from the Central Bank of Bahrain. In Bahrain, the company reports having processed more than $3.5 billion in transaction volume for over 450 institutional and corporate counterparties, and it claims a four‑fold year‑over‑year growth projected for 2025.

Dubai’s Growing Regulatory Landscape

Dubai continues to broaden its regulated digital‑asset ecosystem. In July, VARA issued its 50th virtual‑asset service provider licence. Established in 2022, VARA supervises the provision, use and exchange of virtual assets within and out of Dubai, aiming to create a transparent environment for market participants.

Parallel Approvals

On the same day as ARP Digital’s announcement, Flowdesk – a crypto market‑making firm backed by Coinbase Ventures and BlackRock – received a full VARA broker‑dealer licence, allowing it to serve qualified and institutional investors operating in or from the emirate.

These licences underscore Dubai’s commitment to fostering a regulated infrastructure for digital‑asset activities, offering brokers and institutional traders clearer compliance pathways while expanding market depth in the region.