BitGo has taken another major step forward in its global expansion - with BitGo MENA officially securing a Broker-Dealer license from the Dubai Virtual Assets Regulatory Authority (VARA).
This marks a pivotal moment in BitGo’s expansion across the Middle East and enabling regulated institutional trading and intermediation services across the region, unlocking new opportunities for investors and strengthening Dubai’s reputation as a hub for digital asset innovation.
Expanding Institutional Access Across MENA
Under this license, BitGo MENA will now provide a fully regulated trading offering that combines an integrated OTC desk and electronic trading platform for spot trading supporting a wide range of digital assets and stablecoins. Clients will also gain aggregated access to deep liquidity from dozens of top-tier market makers and exchanges, enabling competitive pricing, superior execution, and institutional-grade security. These capabilities, now operating under VARA’s regulatory umbrella, empowers institutions in MENA to trade digital assets with confidence, scale, and compliance.
“Receiving our broker-dealer license from VARA is a milestone for BitGo MENA and a testament to both our commitment to compliance and the strength of Dubai’s progressive regulatory environment,” said Ben Choy, General Manager of BitGo MENA. “This approval allows us to serve institutional clients with greater scale, confidence, and integrity, while also underscoring the accelerating momentum within Dubai’s digital asset ecosystem. VARA’s clear and forward-thinking framework sets a global standard for responsible innovation, and we are proud to contribute to building a secure, transparent, and leading digital asset ecosystem in the region.”
Why This Matters
Dubai’s VARA framework is rapidly gaining global attention for its clarity, oversight, and forward-looking approach to digital assets. Under its guidance, BitGo’s trading services will operate under high compliance standards, protecting investors and promoting market integrity.
For institutions in MENA, this license means:
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Regulated digital asset trading with AED and USD support
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Seamless integration with VARA-regulated custody
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Local support and infrastructure tailored to regional markets
“This milestone empowers us to offer institutional-grade trading services, seamlessly integrated with our VARA-regulated, and insured custody infrastructure, ensuring clients the ability to trade with security and confidence” said Nick Coombs, Managing Director of MENA Sales. “Our clients will benefit from competitive pricing and execution, alongside access to deep liquidity, with trading support for both AED and USD. This offering is designed to provide a transformative solution for MENA clients, providing a secure, efficient, and locally optimized platform that we believe will set a new standard for institutional trading in the region.”
What’s Next
With the license in hand, we are now activating our institutional trading service in Dubai and across the region. Institutions in MENA will soon be able to onboard, trade, and operate under BitGo’s full suite of regulated infrastructure.
Get in touch today to learn how BitGo’s regulated trading in MENA can support your strategy.
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About BitGo
BitGo is the digital asset infrastructure company, delivering custody, wallets, staking, trading, financing, and settlement services from regulated cold storage. Since our founding in 2013, we have been focused on accelerating the transition of the financial system to a digital asset economy. With a global presence and multiple regulated entities, BitGo serves thousands of institutions, including many of the industry's top brands, exchanges, and platforms, and millions of retail investors worldwide. For more information, visit www.bitgo.com.
©2025 BitGo, Inc. (collectively with its parent, affiliates, and subsidiaries, “BitGo”). All rights reserved. BitGo Bank & Trust, National Association (“BitGo Bank & Trust”) is a national trust bank chartered and regulated by the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency (OCC). BitGo Bank & Trust is a wholly-owned subsidiary of BitGo Holdings, Inc., a Delaware corporation headquartered in Palo Alto, California. Other BitGo entities include BitGo, Inc. and BitGo Prime LLC, each of which is a separately operated affiliate of BitGo Bank & Trust.
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