Cryptocurrency Custody License UAE

ISIC classification: Other financial service activities, except insurance and pension funding activities, n.e.c. (6499)

Typically requires Designated Zone status for VAT purposes

About this activity

Safeguards clients’ cryptocurrency private keys using segregated cold and hot storage, insurance arrangements, and multi-signature security controls.

Regulatory requirements

Requires external approval — Virtual Assets Regulatory Authority (VARA) (Dubai) / Securities & Commodities Authority (SCA) (other Emirates)

100% foreign ownershipYes

Facility requirementLicensed Custody Facility with Cold/Hot Wallet Security Infrastructure

Market Analysis

VARA's Custody Services category — one of the strictest tiers, since it means holding client private keys or otherwise controlling client assets. AED 100,000 application fee, AED 200,000/year supervision, and capital requirements toward the top of VARA's range given the direct custodial risk (institutional custody operators typically need well above the AED 100,000 minimum, scaled to assets under custody).

This and "Digital Asset Custody" / "Virtual Asset Custody Services" elsewhere in this dataset are the same license under different DED wording. Dubai is the only practical base.

Custody is arguably the highest-trust, highest-scrutiny category VARA licenses — expect the most intensive technology and security audit (key management architecture, insurance arrangements, disaster recovery) of any VARA category, well beyond what the AED 25,000 DED figure in this dataset implies.

100% foreign ownership applies, though institutional custody providers typically operate with regulated financial-institution backing rather than as standalone startups, given the capital and insurance requirements involved.

Available in: . A detailed per-emirate fee breakdown isn't published for this activity yet — check back soon, or get a scored recommendation for your specific business below.

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