Capital.com affiliate secures UAE license to offer spot crypto services
Capital.com to launch spot crypto trading in the UAE
Capital.com, a trading platform known for contracts for difference (CFDs), plans to offer spot crypto services in the United Arab Emirates (UAE). This follows the approval of its affiliate, Capital Vault, by the UAE’s Capital Market Authority (CMA).
The license allows Capital Vault to act as an agent or matching principal for virtual assets and provide custody services for clients. Once live, UAE users will be able to buy and hold actual cryptocurrencies—such as Bitcoin or Ethereum—through the Capital.com app, rather than just trading price movements via CFDs.
What the license covers
- Capital Vault can deal in virtual assets as an agent or matching principal.
- It can provide custody services for clients’ crypto holdings.
- The service will be available through the Capital.com app.
- Capital Vault operates as a separate regulated entity with its own governance and risk controls.
UAE’s updated crypto rules
The approval comes after the UAE’s CMA expanded its virtual-asset regulatory framework in April. The new rules increased the number of regulated activities from three to eight and introduced requirements for business conduct, anti-money laundering controls, and prudential standards.
What is confirmed
- Capital Vault has received a virtual-asset license from the UAE’s CMA.
- The license permits dealing in virtual assets and custody services.
- Capital.com plans to offer spot crypto services to UAE clients through its app.
- Capital Vault is a separate entity with its own office in Abu Dhabi.
- The UAE’s CMA updated its regulatory framework in April to include more virtual-asset activities.
What is still unclear
- The exact launch date for the spot crypto services has not been announced.
- No details were provided about which cryptocurrencies will be available for trading or custody.
Why this matters for UAE crypto users
Until now, Capital.com’s UAE clients could only trade crypto price movements through CFDs, which do not involve owning the actual asset. The new license allows them to buy and hold real cryptocurrencies, giving them direct exposure to the market. The move also reflects the UAE’s efforts to create a clearer regulatory environment for virtual assets.
