Virtual Assets Broker & Dealer Services licence in the UAE
Virtual Assets Broker & Dealer Services licensing in the UAE — the authority catalogue rows we hold for this line, the approvals attached to them, and where the activity can be filed.
- IFZA (Dubai)
- 6920015
Regulator approval required
What the authority says
Includes facilities that provide services for arranging the purchase and sale of digital assets between two facilities by receiving or accepting orders for virtual assets, accepting currency or other virtual assets for such orders, facilitating matching of virtual asset transactions between buyers and sellers, and entering into virtual asset transactions as a merchant on behalf of an entity and for its own account; creating a market in Virtual Assets using Client Assets; and providing services.
IFZA activity catalogue · synced 4 September 2026
Where you can licence this
| Authority | Status | Code | Licence type | Approval | Facility |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| IFZA (Dubai) | Listed | Code6920015 | Licence typeCommercial | ApprovalRequired before the licence issues | FacilityNot restricted in the catalogue |
| Ajman Free Zone | Not listed under this name | Code— | Licence type— | Approval— | Facility— |
| Dubai mainland (DET) | Not verifiedWe hold no DET activity catalogue | Code— | Licence type— | Approval— | Facility— |
Catalogue evidence, not legal advice. Authorities change activity lists without notice — confirm before you file.
Routes that list this activity
- IFZA (Dubai)Dubai address, available with Dubai Setup IndexFrom, no visaAED 12,900
Updated
Open guide
A route listing the activity is a starting point. The authority confirms eligibility when you apply.
Facility and premises restrictions
- IFZA (Dubai) 6920015 note
- Cannot be combined with any other activity.
Third-party approvals
This activity sits with a regulator that controls who may hold the licence. Treat everything below as a starting point and speak to the regulator before you commit money or dates.
Virtual Assets Regulatory Authority (VARA)
Before licenceIFZA (Dubai)Read the authority’s process note
In line with the current regulations set by the Virtual Asset Regulatory Authority, please be informed that all applicants are required to fill an official survey before submitting the license application on the system. The survey can be found through this link: https://msurvey.government.ae/survey/Virtual%20Assets%20Regulatory%20Authority/h8P On the same note, we have been given directives to the effect that any license will not be issued without initial VARA approval for the requested activity, a process that is currently estimated to take a minimum of 4 weeks. Kindly take this into consideration when calculating timelines for VARA approval and license application processes. Thank you for your understanding and cooperation.
Free zone or mainland
- IFZA lists this activity; Ajman Free Zone does not carry it under the same name, so confirm the Ajman catalogue before switching lanes.
- We hold no Dubai DET record for this activity, so treat mainland as unverified here rather than unavailable.
- Virtual Assets Regulatory Authority (VARA) clearance is required before the licence issues, which breaks any advertised same-week timeline.
- IFZA (Dubai) notes: Cannot be combined with any other activity.
Also catalogued elsewhere
The same activity name appears in other authority catalogues we track. This is a name match, not a legal equivalence, and Dubai Setup Index does not file in these zones.
- DMCC6599-88 · Service
Related activities
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FAQ
Can I add more activities to a Virtual Assets Broker & Dealer Services licence later?
Usually yes, as a licence amendment, subject to the authority's rules and any extra approval attached to the new line.
Does this activity need third-party approval?
Yes. Virtual Assets Regulatory Authority (VARA) must clear the activity before the licence issues, so build that step into your timeline.
Licence Virtual Assets Broker & Dealer Services with Dubai Setup Index
Explore the available free-zone options, then confirm the activity code, approvals and timeline.