Abu Dhabi Global Market (ADGM), the emirate’s free zone, published a consultation paper on March 21 titled “Proposals for enhancements to capital markets and virtual assets in ADGM.” The document contains draft guidelines that, among other asset classes, cover nonfungible token (NFT) trading. The paper proposes that companies with a license from the free zone’s financial regulator be allowed to facilitate NFT trading. Along with sections dedicated to traditional financial instruments, the document contains a little more than a page on virtual assets and NFTs. In this section, the free zone’s chief regulator, the Financial Services Regulatory Authority (FSRA), describes …

Last week got off to an antsy start as the clause that many interpreted as a direct route to ban proof-of-work-(PoW)-based cryptocurrencies made a sudden comeback to the draft of the European Union’s key directive on digital assets. Many in the crypto policy space got immediate flashbacks to other instances of harmful last-minute additions to must-pass legislation days and hours before the vote. It all ended well, though, as the Committee on Economic and Monetary Affairs voted against the draft that contained the hostile language. Over in the United States, monetary policy kept growing more political, as evidenced by Sarah …

Cryptocurrency exchange Binance announced on Wednesday that it had been granted a license to operate in Dubai, United Arab Emirates. The company’s presence in the Middle East has been building up lately, with a crypto service provider license in another Gulf market, Bahrain, coming in earlier this week. Under the Dubai virtual asset provider (VASP) license, Binance will be allowed to set up an office in the emirate and provide digital asset exchange services to pre-qualified investors and financial firms under the newly adopted regulatory guidelines. Dubai is one of the seven emirates constituting the federation of the UAE. It …

Major global cryptocurrency exchange FTX is expanding operations in the United Arab Emirates by receiving a virtual asset license in Dubai. The license is apparently granted under a new cryptocurrency law adopted last week in Dubai, with Dubai Virtual Asset Regulatory Authority (VARA) becoming a major crypto regulator in the Emirate’s special development and free zones. According to FTX founder and CEO Sam Bankman-Fried, FTX has received the “first and so far only” digital exchange license from Dubai. Binance has also obtained a crypto license in Dubai under the same program, according to a report by Bloomberg. The world's largest …

Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, the ruler of Dubai in the United Arab Emirates who holds several positions including prime minister, has announced a new law on virtual assets as well as the establishment of a crypto regulator. In a Wednesday announcement, Sheikh Al Maktoum said he had issued a law creating a legal framework for crypto in the Emirate of Dubai aimed at protecting investors and “designing much-warranted international standards” for industry governance. In addition, the ruler said a newly formed Dubai Virtual Asset Regulatory Authority, or VARA, would have enforcement powers in the Emirate’s special development zones …

Life gave crypto businessman Ilman Shazhaev lemons when he got stuck in Dubai in the wake of the COVID-19 lockdowns. However, like the old adage, he “made lemonades” by recognizing the opportunities in the country. In a Cointelegraph interview, Shazhaev shared that he got stranded in the Middle-Eastern country during the pandemic lockdowns. However, he soon realized that it was a blessing in disguise. “At first, it was a coincidence — I got stuck in Dubai during the lockdown. Soon enough, I realized that this is the best place to conduct international business: very lucid business regulations plus an excellent …

The United Arab Emirates is reportedly getting ready to start issuing federal licenses for virtual asset service providers (VASPs) by the end of the first quarter of 2022. The move is expected to become part of a complex regulatory framework that the Middle Eastern nation is looking to establish on its way to becoming one of the world’s most crypto-friendly jurisdictions. What could this trajectory look like for the UAE? The proposed regime The UAE’s Securities and Commodities Authority (SCA) is reportedly finalizing rules that would allow digital asset firms to set up shop in the country. While working on …

The United Arab Emirates is reportedly planning to issue a federal crypto license for virtual asset service providers (VASPs) by the end of the first quarter. The Securities and Commodities Authority (SCA) in UAE is reportedly in the final stages of finalizing the legislation that would allow digital asset firms to set base in the country, reported Bloomberg. A national crypto licensing legislation would help UAE with its goal to become a leading crypto-friendly jurisdiction. The regulators reportedly considered the Paris-based Financial Action Task Force guidelines and ongoing crypto policies in the United States, United Kingdom, and Singapore for framing …

A YouTuber started a journey in September to see whether he could survive solely on Bitcoin as a means of payment while traveling to 40 different countries. Speaking to Cointelegraph on Monday, YouTuber Paco De La India — or “Paco from India” — said though the spread of omicron had somewhat altered his original travel plans, he was still surprised at how many people had accepted Bitcoin (BTC) in countries where crypto was in a legally or regulatory grey area. Beginning his journey in the Indian city of Bengaluru, Paco sold his belongings in September 2021 and mostly relied on …

Back in 2021, a study showed that there is a high demand for cryptocurrency payment abilities among both crypto holders and non-holders. However, in the same study, 50% of participants noted that there are not enough businesses that accept crypto. This may change very soon. Almost one out of four small and mid-size businesses (SMBs) that participated in a survey by Visa said that they are planning to accept payments in cryptos like Bitcoin. In the same study, 73% of respondents stated that accepting new forms of digital payment options is a key factor that will affect business growth in …

While many countries are inclined to simply ban the use of Bitcoin (BTC) and virtual assets, regulators in the United Arab Emirates are taking a different approach. The country has been consistently enacting its vision of becoming a blockchain capital by providing frameworks to guide crypto businesses on how to operate in accordance with the laws. Jurisdictions in the country are divided between the mainland, where the regulator is the Securities and Commodities Authority (SCA), and free zones i.e. geographically-specified areas within the UAE with relaxed taxation and regulatory regimes. Such free zones include the Dubai International Financial Centre (DIFC), …

As digital asset prices had been hitting new historical highs in 2021, many jurisdictions were increasingly adopting cryptocurrencies like Bitcoin (BTC) and other crypto-based instruments. In addition to Bitcoin crossing $68,000 for the first time since inception, the year of 2021 will be remembered for Bitcoin’s historical adoption as legal tender in El Salvador. The world’s first-ever Bitcoin exchange-traded fund (ETF) was also inaugurated in 2021, alongside many other benign regulatory developments around the world. As we glance back at notable global regulatory moments in 2021, Cointelegraph has picked some of the most memorable instances of friendly crypto regulation. 1. …