UPDATE: Kraken secures full Dubai VASP license for dirham trading rollout
CIE News ·
Payward received full VASP approval from Dubai's VARA on October 14, 2026, enabling direct dirham deposits, withdrawals, and spot and margin trading pairs.
On October 14, 2026, Kraken parent company Payward Inc. secured full Virtual Asset Service Provider market approval from Dubai's Virtual Assets Regulatory Authority. As previously reported, Payward received full VARA approval to operate in the region, and this final licensing stage authorizes direct UAE Dirham deposits and withdrawals alongside AED-denominated spot and margin trading.
Kraken Co-CEO Arjun Sethi stated that Dubai created a crypto rulebook before most jurisdictions acknowledged the asset class, adding that clients in the UAE will access the platform's existing order book and multi-asset coverage. The VASP approval permits regulated digital asset services across retail, professional, and institutional market participants.
According to coincodex.com, the operational rollout will also introduce on-chain staking and tokenized equities through Payward's xStocks service. Customer onboarding is scheduled to open in the coming weeks.