ARP Digital wins Dubai VARA in-principle approval to expand Gulf crypto operations

ARP Digital, a digital capital infrastructure platform backed by one of the Gulf’s oldest merchant families, has received in-principle approval from Dubai’s Virtual Assets Regulatory Authority to operate as a broker-dealer. The approval, granted on April 28, opens the door for ARP Digital to eventually facilitate regulated conversions of digital assets and stablecoins into UAE dirhams.

ARP Digital still needs to satisfy VARA’s full licensing requirements before it can actually serve clients in Dubai.

From Bahrain to Dubai

ARP Digital already holds a Category 3 license from the Central Bank of Bahrain, which it secured in 2024. That license gave the firm a regulated launchpad to build out its FLOW platform, designed for institutional over-the-counter liquidity, cross-border settlement, and currency conversion services.

ARP Digital has processed over $3.5 billion in transaction volume across more than 450 institutional and corporate clients. The company also reported 4x year-on-year volume growth in 2025.

Co-founders Abdulaziz Kanoo and Abdulla Kanoo are members of the Kanoo Group, a conglomerate established 135 years ago with deep roots across Gulf commerce.

VARA’s licensing funnel

VARA requires applicants to demonstrate compliance across governance, custody, risk management, and anti-money laundering frameworks before they can go live. As of now, no public confirmation of a full VARA license for ARP Digital has emerged, which is consistent with how VARA handles these approvals.

Once fully licensed, ARP Digital would be able to offer regulated digital asset and stablecoin conversions into AED, providing an institutional-grade on-ramp and off-ramp between crypto and the UAE’s national currency.

What this means for the Gulf’s crypto landscape

Bahrain was an early mover with its central bank licensing framework. Dubai followed with VARA. Abu Dhabi has its own regime through the ADGM.

ARP Digital’s existing institutional client base, its Bahrain regulatory track record, and the Kanoo family’s regional network position it as it pursues full licensing in Dubai.

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