Animoca Brands clears major regulatory hurdle with new Dubai license

Policy Share Share this article Copy link X icon X (Twitter) LinkedIn Facebook Email Animoca Brands clears major regulatory hurdle with new Dubai license Animoca said the license allows it to commence operations in Dubai, offering broker-dealer services and digital asset management and investments. By Jamie Crawley | Edited by Oliver Knight Feb 16, 2026, 11:37 a.m. Make us preferred on Google Dubai. (Photo by ZQ Lee on Unsplash/Modified by CoinDesk) What to know : Digital asset venture capital company Animoca Brands has won regulatory approval in Dubai. Animoca has been granted a Virtual Asset Service Provider (VASP) license from the Emirate's regulatory authority for the digital asset industry. Dubai established its Virtual Assets Regulatory Authority in 2022 to oversee the licensing and operation of cryptocurrency and crypto-adjacent companies, and has since been central to the Emirate's growth into a digital asset hub. Digital asset venture capital company Animoca Brands has won regulatory approval in Dubai. Animoca has been granted a Virtual Asset Service Provider (VASP) license from the Emirate's regulatory authority for the digital asset industry, the firm announced via email on Monday. STORY CONTINUES BELOW Don't miss another story. Subscribe to the State of Crypto Newsletter today . See all newsletters Sign me up By signing up, you will receive emails about CoinDesk products and you agree to our terms & conditions and privacy policy . The Hong Kong-headquartered company, which won in-principle approval as a regulated fund manager in Abu Dhabi in November, said the license allows it to commence operations in Dubai, offering broker-dealer services and digital asset management and investments. Dubai established its Virtual Assets Regulatory Authority (VARA) in 2022 to oversee the licensing and operation of cryptocurrency and crypto-adjacent companies, and has since been central to the Emirate's growth into a digital asset hub . Prominent exchanges such as Binance and OKX have also won regulatory approval there. Animoca, which filed to list on the Nasdaq in the U.S. through a reverse merger late last year, manages a portfolio of over 600 blockchain investments and offers institutional services such as crypto treasury management and digital asset infrastructure. Animoca Brands Dubai More For You Accelerating Convergence Between Traditional and On-Chain Finance in 2026? By CoinDesk Jan 30, 2026 Commissioned by Societe Generale-FORGE Read full story More For You OKX snags European payments license for stablecoin and crypto card expansion By Ian Allison | Edited by Sheldon Reback 3 hours ago The Payments Institution license, gained in Malta, aligns the exchange with European Union regulatory requirements that take effect in March 2026. What to know : The payments institution (PI) license brings OKX into compliance with the Markets in Crypto-Assets (MiCA) regulation and the Second Payment Services Directive (PSD2). Crypto firms conducting payments with stablecoins, which are legally classified as electronic money tokens (EMTs), must hold a PI or electronic money institution (EMI) authorization. Read full story Latest Crypto News Ether steadies after $540 million sell wave to outperform wider crypto market 48 minutes ago Strategy says it can survive even if bitcoin drops to $8,000 and will 'equitize' debt 2 hours ago Russia's daily crypto turnover is over $650 million, Ministry of Finance says 2 hours ago Binance's CZ echoes Consensus panelists on lack of privacy blocking crypto adoption 2 hours ago OKX snags European payments license for stablecoin and crypto card expansion 3 hours ago Crypto market drowns in red as bitcoin falls to $68,000 4 hours ago Top Stories Wall Street giant Apollo deepens crypto push with Morpho token deal 14 hours ago BlackRock's digital assets head: Leverage-driven volatility threatens bitcoin’s narrative 21 hours ago Wall Street remains bullish on bitcoin while offshore traders retreat 23 hours ago Galaxy’s Steve Kurz sees ‘great convergence’ driving crypto’s long-term outlook Feb 14, 2026 Trump-linked Truth Social seeks SEC approval for two crypto ETFs Feb 13, 2026