- Circle received a Financial Services Permission license to operate in the Abu Dhabi International Financial Center.
- Saeeda Jaffar was appointed as managing director for Circle Middle East and Africa.
- Several major crypto firms, including Tether, Ripple, and Binance, recently gained regulatory approvals in Abu Dhabi.
- The UAE has introduced regulations for decentralized finance (DeFi) and is expanding its crypto regulatory framework.
Circle Internet Group, the issuer of the stablecoin USDC, secured regulatory approval to operate as a financial service provider in the Abu Dhabi International Financial Center (ADGM). The company obtained a Financial Services Permission license from the Financial Services Regulatory Authority, allowing it to act as a Money Services Provider in the jurisdiction.
Alongside this milestone, Circle appointed Saeeda Jaffar as managing director for Circle Middle East and Africa. Jaffar also holds senior leadership roles at VISA and will focus on developing Circle’s strategy and partnerships in the region. Circle’s CEO, Jeremy Allaire, highlighted the importance of the regulatory framework for transparency, risk management, and consumer protection in scaling trusted stablecoins.
Recently, the ADGM has issued licenses to numerous cryptocurrency firms. Tether’s USDt, the largest stablecoin by market cap and a competitor to USDC, achieved a regulatory milestone in Abu Dhabi. Ripple’s dollar-pegged stablecoin also secured approval in late November. Additionally, Binance received three licenses to operate its exchange, clearing house, and broker-dealer services. This follows regulatory approval in the UAE for the crypto exchange Bybit earlier in October.
The United Arab Emirates government has been actively enhancing cryptocurrency regulations. The Central Bank introduced Federal Decree Law No. 6 of 2025, which brings decentralized finance (DeFi) platforms and related service providers under a licensing and regulatory regime when they facilitate payments, trading, lending, custody, or investments. DeFi projects are no longer exempt from regulation by virtue of being coded software.
In October 2024, the UAE exempted cryptocurrency transfers and conversions from value-added tax. Meanwhile, Dubai’s digital asset regulator increased enforcement, issuing fines and cease-and-desist orders to unlicensed crypto firms. The Ras Al Khaimah Digital Assets Oasis free economic zone is also working on legal frameworks for decentralized autonomous organizations.
✅ Follow BITNEWSBOT on Telegram, Facebook, LinkedIn, X.com, and Google News for instant updates.
Previous Articles:
- Malicious VS Code Extensions Steal Developer Data, Removed by Microsoft
- Bernstein Predicts Bitcoin Rally to $150K, Breaking 4-Year Cycle
- Zcash Proposes Dynamic Fee Market to Tackle Rising Transaction Costs
- JPMorgan’s Dimon Embraces Blockchain, Shifts Crypto View
- San Jose Widow Loses $1M in Crypto Romance Scam Warned by ChatGPT
