About This Service
VARA Crypto Licensing & Compliance Support in Dubai
Advisory and application support for Dubai's Virtual Assets Regulatory Authority (VARA) — the world's first dedicated virtual-asset regulator. I help virtual-asset businesses (exchanges, broker-dealers, custody, lending-and-borrowing, advisory and management) map their model to the correct VARA activity category, because the rulebook treats an Exchange Services provider very differently from a VA Custody or Broker-Dealer applicant. Getting that mapping right at the outset is what keeps the rest of the application coherent.
From there I assemble the policy and compliance documentation VARA expects against its Compliance and Risk Management Rulebook, Technology and Information Rulebook, and Market Conduct Rulebook: AML/CFT program, sanctions and travel-rule controls, risk appetite and governance framework, business plan, financials, and the technology and cyber controls. I coordinate this alongside the required UAE company structure (DMCC, DIFC, IFZA or mainland depending on the activity), and I assess the ADGM (Abu Dhabi) FSRA virtual-asset framework as an alternative where it genuinely fits your investors and target market better. Engagements start at AED 12,000; VARA's own application and supervision fees are set by the regulator and quoted separately in AED once the category is fixed.
This is the licensing and compliance workstream — built for founders who need a credible, rulebook-referenced submission rather than a recycled template. Licensing is VARA's decision under its rulebooks, so I never promise a licence or a timeline; I give an honest feasibility read first. The smart-contract engineering behind your product is my separate Solidity build service, and the token economics, SPV and RWA structuring is my Token Launch & RWA service — this gig is specifically the regulatory pathway.
What's included
- Activity mapping — Match your model to the correct VARA category (exchange, broker-dealer, custody, lending, advisory or management) so the whole file stays consistent
- Compliance pack — AML/CFT, sanctions and travel-rule, risk, governance and market-conduct policies aligned to VARA's rulebooks
- Structure + application — UAE company structure (DMCC, DIFC, IFZA or mainland) set up alongside the VARA submission itself
- ADGM alternative — Abu Dhabi FSRA framework assessed in parallel where it fits your investors and market better
- Rulebook-referenced — Every policy traced to the named VARA rulebook section rather than generic boilerplate
- Query handling — I draft responses to VARA's clarification requests through the review so momentum is not lost
How it works
- 1Model + category
Assess your virtual-asset model, revenue flows and target market, then fix the correct VARA activity category and the right UAE jurisdiction
- 2Structure + policies
Set the company structure and draft the full compliance documentation pack against the relevant VARA rulebooks
- 3Submit + respond
Lodge the application and manage VARA's clarification queries, drafting responses until the file is complete
- 4Operational readiness
Hand over the compliance manuals and a checklist so you can actually run to the policies you have been licensed against
Why work with me
| With me | Typical agency | |
|---|---|---|
| Rulebook-aligned docs | Traced to named VARA sections | Generic templates |
| VARA + ADGM considered | Both regimes assessed | VARA only |
| Structure + licence | Company + submission together | Licence only |
| Honest feasibility read | Upfront before you pay fees | Sells regardless |