Capital.com Gets UAE License for Spot Crypto Trading

Capital Vault operates independently from Capital.com’s other regulated units. It has its own governance, custody infrastructure, and risk management protocols for virtual assets. The company already runs a separate brokerage, Capital Com MENA Securities Trading, under its own CMA license, giving it multiple regulated entities in the country.

The CMA updated its federal virtual asset framework in April 2026, expanding the list of permitted activities from three to eight categories. Those now include dealing, brokerage, custody, portfolio management, transfer services, and alternative trading systems. The rules also set requirements for governance, conduct, capital adequacy, and anti-money laundering controls. The framework applies outside the UAE’s financial free zones and Dubai’s independent VARA regulator, which means Capital.com can add regulated crypto services without navigating multiple overlapping regimes.

Capital Vault has set up operations in Abu Dhabi and is building a local team for virtual assets. Its Cyprus-based affiliate already holds a MiCA license under European Union rules. The company plans to replicate that regulated spot trading model in the UAE through the new subsidiary.