Support for licensing your business for exchange and brokerage activities, digital asset custody, trading services, staking services, asset management, and tokenization of assets in DIFC/DFSA, ADGM/FSRA, Dubai VARA, SCA, and other jurisdictions.
Apply now to get expert advice
Registering a company in DIFC, ADGM, or the new RAK DAO economic zone in the UAE is just the creation of the infrastructure, not the licensing of crypto market activities. The operations of exchanges, brokers, crypto holders, and asset managers require a special license from financial regulators such as DFSA, FSRA, SCA, or VARA. Operating without a license creates legal risks and makes it impossible to open corporate bank accounts. A license confirms compliance with KYC, AML, and CFT standards and serves as the foundation for trust from clients, partners, and banks. Registering a crypto company in the UAE
Having a license is a mandatory requirement for banks when opening accounts, processing transactions, managing your financial flows, and offers the advantage of facilitating quick integration with payment providers.
A regulated status positions you as a reliable and transparent partner for investment funds, brokers, family offices, and corporations, opening access to larger deals and enhancing the quality of partnerships.
A license and established compliance system create an intangible asset that increases the market valuation of the company, simplifies fundraising, and eases the due diligence process.
Official status and a well-thought-out corporate structure minimize personal risks for the founders and executives, as it clearly delineates areas of responsibility and formalizes them at a legal level.
A regulated jurisdiction with clear tax rules allows you to structure cash flows in advance, optimize tax burdens legally, and build an effective financial reporting system.
Licensed crypto asset operations ensure legal protection for transactions, preventing account freezes at the request of banks, minimizing the risk of sanctions from regulators, and avoiding claims from counterparties.
Regulated activities imply that your project accepts client funds, stores their assets, executes transactions, or manages potential risks. Even if your service only addresses technological tasks, it may still be considered a financial service by regulators, requiring a license.
Fill out the form and get a detailed guide about the service from iWorld specialists
Apply for a crypto licensing readiness assessment
Most of our projects are localized in the UAE, one of the key international crypto hubs with regulators such as DFSA, FSRA, VARA, and SCA. Each of these regulators is responsible for specific zones and types of services, ranging from exchanges and brokers to asset custody and consulting.
We also assist with crypto business licensing in Bahrain, Hong Kong, Singapore, Panama, the Czech Republic, and Lithuania, where our clients organize exchanges, brokerage services, asset custody, and Web3 projects. Jurisdictions and regulators are chosen based on your operational model.
Launching a crypto exchange or trading platform requires mandatory licensing. In the UAE, the license can be obtained through ADGM, FSRA, or VARA. Alternative jurisdictions include Hong Kong and Bahrain. Key point: prepare to confirm minimum capital and meet information security standards.
Custodial services and crypto wallets are subject to special licensing. In the UAE, this falls under the jurisdiction of DIFC/DFSA or FSRA. Regulators impose the highest requirements on security systems and private key management protocols.
Web3 platforms, GameFi projects, and decentralized autonomous organizations are registered through RAK DAO with potential integration of VARA/SCA. It is important to clearly separate technological functions from financial operations to avoid regulatory claims.
Consulting and auditing services in the crypto industry are provided based on RAK DAO or a standard UAE business license. Alternative markets include Lithuania, the Czech Republic, and the Seychelles. Keep in mind that the degree of your involvement in clients' financial processes directly influences the regulatory requirements.
Educational projects in the cryptocurrency field are structured through RAK DAO or UAE free zones. Alternatives include Panama or Mauritius. A key condition here is the absence of access to student assets (if access exists, a financial license will be required).
Mining operations and infrastructure solutions are implemented through RAK DAO or a general UAE business license. Be sure to calculate energy consumption, tax burden, and logistics chains — these factors determine the profitability of the business.
Token issuance and NFT projects are licensed through DIFC/DFSA or FSRA in the UAE. European leaders in this field include Switzerland and Liechtenstein. It is essential to ensure the correct qualification of the token (utility vs. security) — this determines the regulatory regime and associated risks.
Decentralized physical infrastructure projects are launched through RAK DAO with VARA integration. Promising jurisdictions in Asia and Europe include Singapore and Estonia. A key requirement here is that the technical documentation fully complies with the regulator's standards.
Obtaining a crypto license in the UAE involves not only using the correct legal structure but also meeting initial requirements for capital, team, compliance, and IT controls.
We conduct a detailed review of your business model, identify the activities subject to regulation, and select the appropriate jurisdictions: DFSA, FSRA, VARA, SCA, or the federal VASP framework.
We align your target objectives regarding markets, capital, risks, and timelines with the capabilities of the jurisdictions (DIFC/DFSA, ADGM/FSRA, Dubai VARA, SCA, and others). We finalize the target license type and list of permitted services.
We register the company in the selected zone (DIFC, ADGM, RAK DAO, or another), confirm the presence of an office, and form the board of directors. We appoint the MLRO and compliance officer, ensuring the ownership structure aligns with regulatory requirements.
We prepare a comprehensive documentation package, including a business plan with financial projections, a description of the business model and IT architecture, AML/CFT and KYC policies, and procedures for risk management, cybersecurity, and data protection.
We submit the application via the chosen regulator's portal, managing all communication stages, responding promptly to queries and clarifications. If necessary, we refine the model and documentation based on DFSA, FSRA, VARA, or SCA comments.
After receiving preliminary approval, we assist in meeting additional requirements: hiring missing key personnel, implementing missing policies, fine-tuning IT systems, and reporting procedures to ensure full compliance with regulator requirements.
After final approval, you will receive the license and be added to the provider register of the selected regulator. From this point, regular compliance work begins: reporting, updating policies, maintaining capital, and undergoing audits. We provide support throughout the ongoing operations.
Taxation of cryptocurrencies in different countries in the world
03.04.2023
Cryptocurrency rules, rates and tax base. Taxation conditions for operations with cryptocurrency. How to pay income tax on cryptocurrency transactions. The most profitable jurisdictions for bitcoin trading.
Learn more
What is DMCC, and what are the steps for registering a company there? What benefits does it offer?
23.10.2025
How to open a company in the DMCC Free Zone. Learn about the benefits, registration process, taxes, and business opportunities that DMCC offers in the UAE.
Learn more
How to get a UAE business residence visa through company formation
23.06.2025
How to get a UAE business visa through company formation in 2025. Residence visa requirements, costs, validity, and step-by-step application process for entrepreneurs.
Learn moreA DAO (Decentralized Autonomous Organization) is a type of organization governed not by a board or shareholders, but by rules encoded in smart contracts and participant voting. Decisions are made collectively by token holders or participants, and execution is recorded on the blockchain, ensuring transparency and minimizing the role of a single manager.
No, not always. However, any project that accepts client funds, stores assets, executes transactions, manages risks, or provides investment advice almost always falls under regulated activity. Even a purely technological service can be reclassified by a regulator as a financial service if it performs corresponding functions.
Company registration creates a legal entity and infrastructure for conducting business but does not grant permission to engage in regulated activities with digital assets. A license is a separate authorization issued by the regulator after verifying capital, team, internal procedures, and IT controls, and it defines the services the company is authorized to provide.
Purchasing a licensed company is possible but carries legal and regulatory risks: the regulator evaluates not only the structure but also the actual owners, the new model, sources of funds, and changes in management. In most cases, the regulator has the right to review the conditions, request additional documents, or even revoke the license if the new structure does not meet requirements.
Typically, the regulator evaluates: transparent ownership structure and source of funds, the experience and reputation of directors and key controllers (MLRO, compliance), the presence of comprehensive AML/CFT and KYC procedures, and the adequacy of IT and risk controls for the proposed model. Deficiencies in any of these areas may result in a freeze or refusal of the application.
Most crypto and financial licensing jurisdictions require real economic presence: a local office, part of the team on-site, the presence of directors, and key functions in the jurisdiction.
Having a license simplifies opening accounts and passing compliance checks, as banks rely on the regulator’s prior evaluation of the business, structure, and processes. While banks maintain their own risk criteria and may request additional information, communication with a licensed provider is always easier than with an unregulated project.
Apply now to get expert advice