SecureVisa Group Licensing in the UAE End-to-End Journey
Dubai and Abu Dhabi are actively developing a unified national framework for regulating virtual assets, aimed at streamlining oversight and boosting market confidence. At the federal level, the Securities and Commodities Authority (SCA) is responsible for licensing and supervising virtual asset activities across the UAE, outside the financial free zones. SCA’s recent agreement with Dubai’s Virtual Assets Regulatory Authority (VARA) has formalized cooperation between the two, enabling firms to navigate a coherent regime with clear roles for licensing, supervision, and ongoing compliance.
What SCA Regulates (Scope at a Glance)
Ecosystem
SCA’s virtual asset framework classifies virtual assets as investment instruments within the UAE and clearly sets out the activities for which providers must obtain a license. These activities include operating trading platforms, offering custody (safekeeping) services, providing advisory or consulting services, managing portfolios, and acting as brokers or dealers. Additionally, trading of virtual assets must occur on platforms that are either licensed by the SCA or by another competent authority, with all assets being admitted to the official list.
Where Your Business Model Fits
Every business model interacts uniquely with SCA’s framework—brokers, custody providers, tokenization platforms, market operators, and portfolio managers each face distinct licensing categories, capital requirements, and compliance obligations. SecureVisa Group expertly maps your exact services to the right SCA license, clarifies what regulatory approvals and costs you’ll face, and guides you through how to structure your operations for swift approval and long-term growth in the UAE financial system, making your licensing journey clear, efficient, and regulator-ready.
Onshore Brokerage & Intermediation
→ Execute client orders and arrange trades in securities/commodities and tokenized instruments.
→ meet market-conduct, AML/CFT, and tech governance standards.
→ 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.
We're here to Help You!
If your business is involved in trading, custody, brokerage, or tokenization activities on the UAE mainland, you are legally required to obtain an SCA (Securities and Commodities Authority) license to operate with full legitimacy and competitive advantage. This rule applies to broker-dealers, market platforms, custody providers (including digital asset wallets), tokenized securities projects, and any business providing these services to UAE mainland clients; SCA licensing ensures compliance with strict capital, governance, and investor-protection obligations and is essential for accessing institutional banking and investor relationships in the UAE.
Why SecureVisa Group & Why Now!
The UAE is rapidly advancing its regulatory landscape—SCA and VARA have unified to build a world-leading virtual asset framework that elevates both opportunity and regulatory expectations. In this fast-moving environment, mistakes can be costly, making it essential to get licensing and compliance right the first time. SecureVisa Group combines deep regulatory expertise with proven, production-ready compliance technology, guiding your business through exact license mapping, robust AML/CFT controls, custody systems, and submission of audit-ready evidence. With our support, you're positioned as a trusted, regulator-approved operator whose credibility drives growth in the UAE’s competitive market. The window for SCA readiness is now, and SecureVisa Group provides the clarity and confidence to seize it—ensuring your license is done correctly and on time.
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. Secure Visa Group 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.