Bitpanda has secured a Broker-Dealer licence from the Dubai Virtual Assets Regulatory Authority, marking its first fully licensed expansion outside Europe. 

The approval enables Bitpanda to offer its digital asset platform to investors in the UAE, giving access to more than 500 virtual assets alongside crypto indices and savings plans.

Dubai has positioned itself as a leading digital asset hub, with VARA providing regulatory clarity and investor protection. 

Bitpanda hopes to match this ambition, setting a new benchmark for secure and compliant virtual asset investing in the region.

The company has established a permanent office at the DMCC Crypto Centre and assembled a regional team to tailor its offerings to the UAE market. Onboarding for investors will begin in the coming months.

In January, Bitpanda received a MiCA license from Germany’s financial regulator, enabling it to operate under a unified framework across all 27 EU member states. The license established a single regulatory regime for Europe’s crypto industry, addressing previous fragmentation.

Security and regulatory experience

Deputy CEO Lukas Enzersdorfer-Konrad emphasized Bitpanda’s commitment to security and accessibility, stating, “With our VARA licence, we are ensuring investors and financial institutions in the UAE have access to a fully compliant digital asset platform.”

General Counsel Fabian Reinisch highlighted VARA’s progressive framework, adding that the fast approval underscores Bitpanda’s decade of regulatory experience and adherence to the highest compliance standards.

Bitpanda holds multiple regulatory approvals across Europe, including a MiCAR licence from BaFin, UK FCA registration, a PSD2 E-money licence, and a MiFID II licence. Its regulatory-first approach has positioned it among the most trusted platforms in the industry.