SCA Licensing

in the UAE — The SVG

End-to-End Journey

Dubai and Abu Dhabi are building a national framework for virtual assets. At the federal level, the Securities & Commodities Authority (SCA) regulates virtual asset activities across the UAE (outside the financial free zones). SCA has also formalized how it coordinates with Dubai’s VARA for licensing and supervision—so firms can navigate one coherent regime with clear roles.

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What SCA Regulates (Scope at a Glance)
Ecosystem

SCA’s virtual asset framework treats VAs as investment instruments used in the State and sets out the licensed activities for providers—covering platform operation, custody (safekeeping), advisory/consulting, portfolio management, brokers and dealers. Trading of virtual assets in the UAE must occur on an SCA-licensed (or competent-authority) platform with assets admitted to the official list.

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SVG's Comprehensive A–Z Guide to SCA Licensing

From first consultation to ongoing supervision, SVG delivers a step-by-step pathway to secure your SCA license in the UAE. We map your activities to the right license category, build regulator-ready documentation, integrate AML/CFT and cybersecurity controls, and manage the entire filing and approval process. With SVG, you don’t just get licensed—you gain a compliance ecosystem trusted by regulators, banks, and investors.

SCA rules place platform-grade responsibilities on operators and require providers to meet obligations set in the Regulations/Rulebook—evidence of live readiness de-risks approval.

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Strategy & Regulator Mapping

Map your real activities (exchange/brokerage, custody, token issuance, portfolio management, advisory, platform operation) to the correct SCA license.

Determine if any activity sits with VARA (Dubai) and how SCA recognition/registration will apply.

Choose the right onshore entity structure and target markets (UAE mainland reach).Outcome: A costed, regulator-aligned plan that avoids mis-scoping—the #1 cause of delays.Why this matters: SCA publicly confirms it regulates and licenses VA activities and provides forms/support for applicants; the SCA–VARA cooperation further clarifies pathways.

Readiness: Documentation & Evidence

SVG builds a regulator-ready pack aligned to SCA’s rulebooks and guidance:

🔹 Governance & Fit-and-Proper: UBO/shareholding, Board & SMF roles, policies for conflicts and accountability.
🔹 AML/CFT Program: KYC/KYB, sanctions screening, KYT (transaction monitoring), SAR/STR workflow, Travel-Rule approach.
🔹 Custody & Security: Wallet model (HSM/MPC), hot/cold segregation, key management, BCP/DR, incident response; penetration-testing plan.
🔹 Market Conduct: Surveillance for wash-trading, spoofing, insider abuse; fair listings and disclosures.
🔹 Issuance (if applicable): Tokenomics, supply/vesting, drop mechanics, risk factors; prospectus/whitepaper standards for tokenized instruments.
🔹 Marketing Compliance: No misleading claims; age-appropriate targeting; complaints handling.
🔹 Outcome: A submission set that anticipates SCA queries and shortens the review cycle.

Why this matters: SCA’s guidelines enumerate VA activities and expect robust disclosures, controls, and operator responsibilities comparable to traditional markets.

Application Filing & Liaison

SVG prepares and files your SCA license application with all evidence.

- We manage RFI rounds and technical clarifications directly with SCA.

- For tokenized instruments/STOs, we coordinate disclosures and listing/registration steps.

- Why this matters: SCA has formal intake for VA license applications and provides applicants with official forms and clarifications.

Conditions & Operational Proof

SCA may require actions before final approval. SVG closes the loop:

- Deposit paid-up capital and evidence it.Harden cyber and operational controls found during review.

- Finalize vendor stack (KYC/KYB, KYT, custody tech, Travel-Rule).

- Run tabletop drills (fraud/breach/major incident) and staff training; document outcomes.

- Outcome: A condition-closure dossier with test reports, contracts, and Board attestations.

Final Approval & Go-Live

SCA issues your license certificate; you onboard banking and institutional partners with credibility.

If you’re Dubai-focused, your status appears in the public register (VARA-licensed, SCA-registered), reinforcing trust with investors and banks.

Ongoing Supervision: Reporting, Reviews & Updates

SVG keeps you compliant after the license:

- Regulatory returns & notifications (scheduled and event-driven).

- STR/SAR submissions and audit-ready evidence packs.

- Dashboards & KPIs: onboarding SLAs, alert MTTR, false-positive ratios.

- Policy & control updates as rules evolve; recurring training.

Why this matters: SCA’s framework expects continuous disclosures, risk management, and operator obligations akin to traditional markets—supervision is not one-and-done.

Where Your Model Fits

Every business model interacts with the SCA framework differently. Whether you operate as a broker, custody provider, tokenization platform, or market operator, each activity requires a distinct license with its own capital, governance, and compliance obligations. SVG maps your exact services against SCA’s categories, so you know precisely what license you need, what it will cost, and how to structure your operations for approval and growth.

Onshore Brokerage & Intermediation

→ Execute client orders and arrange trades in securities/commodities and tokenized instruments.
→ meet market-conduct, AML/CFT, and tech governance standards.

Tokenized Instruments & Market Services

→ Issue/list security or asset-backed tokens with SCA approvals and disclosures comparable to securities offerings.

Custody / Arranging / Operating Markets

→ Safekeeping, arranging transactions, or running a trading venue—full segregation, surveillance, and operator obligations apply.

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If your business touches trading, custody, brokerage, or tokenization in the UAE mainland, you need an SCA license to operate legally and competitively.

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Why SVG & Why Now!

The UAE’s regulatory landscape is moving fast—SCA and VARA have aligned to create one of the world’s most advanced virtual asset frameworks. That means opportunity is huge, but so is the risk of missteps. SVG is the only partner that combines deep regulatory insight with production-ready compliance technology, ensuring you get licensed once, correctly, and on time. From mapping your model across SCA categories to delivering AML/CFT controls, custody frameworks, and audit-ready evidence packs, SVG positions you as a trusted, regulator-approved operator. In a market where credibility equals growth, the time to get SCA-ready is now—and SVG makes it happen.

Multi-Regulator Mastery

→ We align SCA, VARA—and your onshore/free-zone footprint—so you apply once, correctly. The SCA–VARA cooperation makes this mapping essential.

Advisory + Technology

→ Policies alone don’t pass; production-grade controls do. SVG delivers both: the documentation SCA expects and the compliance stack (KYC/KYB/KYT, Travel Rule, market surveillance, evidence packs) that proves you’re ready in the real world.

Faster Timelines, Fewer RFIs

→ Regulator-ready submissions and condition-closure playbooks cut weeks off reviews.

Investor & Banking Confidence

→ Appear on the public register and show audit-grade reporting from day one.

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Client Success Stories

Hear What Our Clients Are Saying

Our clients choose SecureVisa Group for our dedication and expertise across the UAE ecosystem. Find out how their success became ours with our comprehensive services.

"SecureVisa Group transformed our VARA licensing process. What typically takes 18 months, they accomplished in 8 months with zero rejections. Their compliance technology integration saved us months of post-approval setup."

Amanda Estrelia
CEO, CryptoTech MENA
Dubai

VARA Licensed

"The expertise across all UAE regulators is unmatched. They guided us through SCA approval for our remittance platform and their cybersecurity framework exceeded CBUAE requirements. Highly recommended."

Nathan Drizz
Founder, BlockPay Solutions
Abu Dhabi

SCA Licensed

"Their ecosystem approach is revolutionary. Not just licensing - they provided the complete compliance technology stack and ongoing regulatory support. Our DFSA approval was seamless."

Dan Ruiz
CTO, TokenVault
California

DIFC Licensed

"SecureVisa Group's deep understanding of ADGM regulations and their proactive compliance monitoring helped us scale rapidly. Their expertise is evident in every interaction."

Elena Rodriguez
Chief Compliance Officer
FinTech Innovations

ADGM Licensed

“SecureVisa Group simplified our crypto licensing in record time. From endless delays to full approval in just 6 months — with expert guidance at every step.”

Amanda Estrelia
COO, ChainLinkX
Sharjah