Dubai | Crypto

The partnership marks Dubai’s latest step toward regulating the “machine economy,” blending onchain robotics, AI and tokenized real-world assets. Decentralized physical infrastructure (DePIN) protocol peaq has signed a memorandum of understanding with Dubai’s Virtual Assets Regulatory Authority (VARA) to develop a regulatory framework for onchain robotics and tokenized machines. According to a Thursday press release, the memorandum centers on peaq’s Machine Economy Free Zone, with additional areas of collaboration including guidance for projects seeking VARA licenses, joint training initiatives in technology and compliance, and data sharing to support research and regulation. Launched in July, the Machine Economy Free Zone is a controlled environment to test how robotics and AI can function within decentralized networks. Read more

Dubai deploys oil wealth and Islamic finance to challenge Asian crypto dominance, but Hong Kong’s liquidity firepower and Beijing backing maintain supremacy. Opinion by: Joshua Chu, co-chair of the Hong Kong Web3 Association It is no secret that Dubai has been aggressively challenging its Asian counterparts for the crown of becoming the world’s next crypto capital. Beneath the gleaming air-conditioned skyscrapers, where supermodels are everywhere at crypto events and pilot blockchain programs, a complex grand strategy is unfolding. Read more

In 2025, Dubai is showing how crypto can work for real-world housing, letting residents legally pay rent with Bitcoin through regulated channels. Dubai’s clear rules now let tenants rent apartments with Bitcoin through approved channels. Risks like volatility and landlord limits are managed with AED locks and licensed platforms. Fast payments and low fees make Bitcoin real estate in Dubai increasingly appealing. Read more

Nomura’s crypto arm gains regulatory green light in Dubai to offer institutional OTC crypto options, expanding the UAE’s footprint in global digital derivatives. Laser Digital, the digital asset subsidiary of Japan’s investment bank Nomura, has become the first company licensed under Dubai’s Virtual Asset Regulatory Authority (VARA) pilot framework to offer regulated over-the-counter (OTC) crypto options. The “limited license” will allow Laser Digital to offer OTC crypto options to institutional clients under strict oversight, the company said Wednesday. OTC desks allow institutions to trade large volumes of digital assets directly with counterparties, minimizing slippage and enabling more flexible pricing. These desks are typically used by hedge funds, asset managers, trading firms and other high-volume and institutional clients. Read more

Dubai now enables crypto property deals under clear VARA rules, with major developers like Damac and Emaar accepting BTC, ETH and stablecoins. Dubai now has clear laws for buying property with crypto via VARA and the UAE Central Bank. Major developers like Damac and Emaar accept BTC, ETH and stablecoins for property sales. Crypto payments are faster, cheaper and easier for global buyers. Read more

Dubai is pioneering real estate tokenization with a regulated, blockchain-based framework that democratizes property investment, enabling global retail investors to buy fractional shares in prime properties. Opinion by: Irina Heaver, crypto lawyer The crypto markets are undergoing a hard reset. The speculative hype of 2021 is now a thing of the past. Memecoins and DeFi derivatives no longer move markets like they used to. Investors are no longer chasing vapor; they are looking for substance. They want tangible assets, real returns and real infrastructure. This is precisely where real-world assets (RWAs) come into play. Read more

Welcome to Slate Sundays, CryptoSlate’s new weekly feature showcasing in-depth interviews, expert analysis, and thought-provoking op-eds that go beyond the headlines to explore the ideas and voices shaping the future of crypto. One of the main takeaways from TOKEN2049 earlier this year was that the UAE, and Dubai in particular, is the hottest spot (quite literally) […] The post ‘Come to Dubai, habibi,’ what’s luring crypto companies to the Middle East? appeared first on CryptoSlate.

Dubai’s property market hit $18.2 billion in sales in May alongside growing tokenization momentum, new regulations and a record $3 billion real estate blockchain deal. Dubai’s real estate market surged in May, posting record sales volumes and transaction values that signal growing investor confidence and potential readiness for property tokenization. According to data shared in a press release with Cointelegraph by real estate platform Property Finder, Dubai’s real estate sector reached a total sales value of 66.8 billion dirhams (about $18.2 billion) across 18,700 transactions in May. The figures indicate a 44% year-on-year surge in transaction value and a 6% rise in sales volume. The growth was driven by both primary and secondary market activity. Primary sales saw a 314% spike in value compared to May 2024, while secondary sales rose 21% in value.   Read more

The two approvals mean that Ripple can integrate RLUSD into the global payment services it’s offering in Dubai and the UAE.

The project expands on the Dubai Land Department’s other RWA tokenization initiatives, including one involving the real estate registry. Dubai has launched the first licensed tokenized real estate project in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region, previewing appetite for real-world tokenization in one of the world’s burgeoning crypto hubs. Partners in the project include the Dubai Land Department (DLD), the Central Bank of the United Arab Emirates, and the Dubai Future Foundation, according to an announcement from the Dubai government. The tokens will be tradeable on the newly launched “Prypco Mint” platform, with Zand Digital Bank appointed as the bank for the project’s pilot phase. On May 19, Dubai’s Virtual Assets Regulatory Authority (VARA) updated its rules to include real-world asset (RWA) tokenization, allowing such tokens to be traded on secondary markets. Read more

The Dubai Land Department (DLD) has selected XRP Ledger (XRPL) to power its landmark real estate tokenization initiative. The announcement, made on May 25, introduces several new partners to the project, including the Dubai Future Foundation, real estate investment platform Prypco, and blockchain infrastructure firm Ctrl Alt. Ctrl Alt will oversee the tokenization framework, ensuring […] The post Dubai chooses XRP Ledger to power new real estate tokenization initative appeared first on CryptoSlate.

UAE-based lawyer Irina Heaver told Cointelegraph that the new rules allow issuing and listing RWAs on secondary markets. Newly updated guidelines from Dubai’s crypto regulator include provisions on real-world asset (RWA) tokenization and clarify rules for issuers.  On May 19, Dubai’s Virtual Asset Regulatory Authority (VARA) released its updated Rulebook for virtual asset service providers (VASPs) operating in the region. The regulator gave market participants until June 19 to comply with the new rules.  The regulator previously told Cointelegraph that it had enhanced supervisory mechanisms and brought consistency across activity-based rules. One of the more prominent changes includes regulatory clarity on RWA tokens.  Read more

HashKey Group, a prominent digital asset financial services firm in the Asia-Pacific region, has received a VASP license from the VARA. The post HashKey Secures VASP License from Dubai’s VARA to Expand in Middle East appeared first on Cryptonews.