Capital.com plans to offer spot virtual asset trading in the United Arab Emirates following its affiliate Capital Vault Virtual Services LLC's approval for a virtual asset licence from the UAE's Financial Conduct Authority on August 20.
Capital Vault received the CMA virtual asset licence under the Emirates' regulatory framework for digital asset service providers. The licence permits virtual asset investment services, which includes spot trading of cryptocurrencies and tokenized assets. Capital.com has not announced a specific launch date for the platform.
Capital.com operates as a multi-asset broker and investment platform serving retail and institutional clients across 190 countries, according to the company's disclosures. The group's move into UAE crypto services follows the Emirates' push to establish itself as a crypto-friendly jurisdiction. The FCA, the local regulator, has been issuing virtual asset licences to operators meeting its compliance and operational standards since 2022.
The licence approval marks Capital.com's formal entry into spot crypto trading in a Gulf market where regulatory clarity has attracted platforms including crypto exchanges and investment services firms. Other regulated virtual asset service providers in the UAE include exchanges and custodians operating under similar FCA oversight.
Capital Vault Virtual Services LLC now holds a full virtual asset licence permitting it to conduct virtual asset investment services on behalf of Capital.com. The structure allows Capital.com to operate its intended spot trading services under the subsidiary's regulatory standing rather than pursuing a separate direct licence application.
The company's announcement names no timeline for service launch or operational details on which assets will trade first. Capital.com operates regulated entities in multiple jurisdictions including the UK, where it holds an FCA investment licence for conventional markets.
Capital.com's entry into UAE spot trading positions it among a growing roster of global brokers and investment platforms seeking regulated crypto services licences in jurisdictions with established frameworks. The number of FCA virtual asset licence holders has expanded as the regulator continued approving applications from compliant operators. The announcement to watch is whether Capital.com publishes a specific launch date for spot trading services within 90 days of the licence grant.
