Capital.com plans UAE spot crypto launch after license

Capital.com plans to introduce spot cryptocurrency services in the United Arab Emirates after its affiliate, Capital Vault, received a virtual asset license from the UAE Capital Market Authority.

• Capital Vault received a UAE license covering virtual asset dealing, matching, custody, execution and settlement.
• UAE clients will eventually buy and hold actual crypto assets through the Capital.com application directly.
• Capital Vault will operate separately, with dedicated governance, custody and risk management arrangements for clients.
• The planned spot service differs from CFDs, which provide exposure without ownership of underlying cryptocurrencies.
• Capital.com has not announced the service launch date, supported cryptocurrencies, pricing or minimum account requirements.

Capital.com announced the approval on Aug. 21. The license authorizes Capital Vault to deal in virtual assets as an agent or matching principal and provide custody services for clients.

Once the service launches, eligible UAE customers will be able to buy and hold actual crypto assets through the Capital.com application. Capital Vault will handle trade execution, custody and settlement.

Capital.com did not disclose a launch date, list of supported cryptocurrencies, trading fees or minimum account requirements. The availability of every product may also depend on customer eligibility and local regulatory conditions.

Capital.com will offer ownership beyond CFD exposure
Capital.com currently provides crypto market exposure through contracts for difference in supported jurisdictions. A CFD tracks the price of an asset without transferring ownership of the underlying cryptocurrency to the trader.

The planned spot service changes that structure. Customers will acquire crypto held through Capital Vault rather than entering a derivative contract with exposure to price movements.

This distinction also changes how the product operates. Spot customers require custody and settlement arrangements, while CFD positions remain contracts between the broker and its clients.

Crypto ownership does not remove financial risk. Spot assets can lose value, and customers also depend on the custody provider's operational, security and withdrawal procedures. Capital.com has not yet published detailed customer terms for the UAE service.

The company already operates a separate UAE brokerage entity, Capital Com MENA Securities Trading. Capital.com's disclosure lists that business under CMA license number 20200000176 for its existing financial services.

Capital Vault will keep crypto operations separate
Capital Vault will operate as a separate regulated entity. Its governance, custody and risk arrangements will remain separated from Capital.com's other regulated businesses, according to the announcement.

The affiliate has opened an Abu Dhabi office and is building a local digital asset team. The company did not disclose the number of employees hired or the size of its planned UAE investment.

Capital Vault's authorization comes from the federal Capital Market Authority. It should not be confused with licenses issued inside the Abu Dhabi Global Market or by Dubai's Virtual Assets Regulatory Authority, which operate under separate regulatory structures.

Capital Vault also has a European entity. Cyprus regulator CySEC's public register lists Capital Vault Ltd as an authorized crypto asset service provider under the European Union's Markets in Crypto Assets framework.

The European authorization covers custody, crypto exchanges, order execution and transfer services. However, the Cyprus and UAE entities remain subject to their respective local rules.

UAE framework expands regulated crypto activities
The Capital Market Authority introduced an updated virtual asset framework in April 2026. It expanded the number of regulated activities from three to eight.

The framework covers dealing, brokerage, custody, portfolio management, transfer services and alternative trading systems. It also establishes requirements for business conduct, capital, governance and anti money laundering controls.

The new rules provide a federal route for companies operating outside the UAE's financial free zones and Dubai's VARA jurisdiction. Capital Vault's license gives Capital.com a path to add spot ownership alongside its established leveraged trading business.

Other companies have also broadened regulated digital asset services in the UAE. As previously reported, Binance secured exchange, clearing and custody permissions in Abu Dhabi through separately regulated entities.

In related coverage, Crypto.com received approval supporting regulated UAE payment services, while Bitpanda expanded into Dubai through a broker dealer license.

Capital.com must now complete its product and operational rollout. The next confirmed developments should include the launch date, available assets, fees, custody terms and rules governing deposits and withdrawals.