Bitpanda secures full licence approval from the Virtual Assets Regulatory Authority (VARA), unlocking new growth opportunities in the UAE

Mid East Info

27-03-2025

Bitpanda has been granted a virtual assets Broker-Dealer licence by VARA, one of MENA's most innovative regulators, to expand its operations in the UAE. This milestone marks Bitpanda's first fully licensed expansion outside Europe, reinforcing its position as a global leader in regulated digital finance with over 6 million users. When Bitpanda's platform is launched, investors will gain access to the widest selection of virtual assets available in the market, alongside products such as savings plans, and crypto indices. The UAE's progressive regulatory framework makes it a key market for Bitpanda's continued international growth.
Dubai, 27 March 2025: Bitpanda , Europe's leading virtual assets platform, has secured a Broker-Dealer licence from the Dubai Virtual Assets Regulatory Authority (VARA), obtaining approval in record time. The licence will allow Bitpanda to make its virtual assets platform available to investors in the UAE including access to over 500 virtual assets – the most extensive virtual assets offering available on the market.
The UAE has rapidly emerged as a global hub for digital assets, with VARA offering both regulatory clarity and investor protection. Bitpanda will match this ambition and set a new standard for secure, compliance and user-friendly virtual assets investing in the region.
Lukas Enzersdorfer-Konrad, Deputy CEO at Bitpanda Group, added: 'Bitpanda is built on the principle that virtual assets should be secure and accessible. With our VARA licence, we are bringing that vision to the UAE, ensuring investors and financial institutions have access to a fully compliant digital asset platform. This is just the beginning of our expansion beyond Europe. We are ready to grow in a region that embraces innovation and regulation equally.'
Bitpanda has already established a permanent office in Dubai at the DMCC Crypto Centre and has a team of regional experts in place who will now work to develop products tailored to the UAE market. Onboarding for UAE investors will begin in the coming months.
Fabian Reinisch, General Counsel at Bitpanda Group, commented: ' The UAE is one of the most forward-thinking markets for digital assets, and VARA sets a new standard for innovation and investor protection. This licence allows us to bring our trusted, regulated platform to a new audience. We obtained approval in record time and I believe that is a testament to the decade experience of our teams working in the digital asset space and our commitment to the highest regulatory standards.'
This latest licence follows a decade of proactive regulatory efforts. Bitpanda has consistently led the way in Europe, holding several licences including a MiCAR licence from the German regulator BaFin, registration with the UK's FCA, a PSD2 E-money licence, a MiFID II licence, and VASP registrations across multiple markets. Bitpanda's regulatory-first approach has made it one of the world's most trusted platforms for secure and compliant virtual asset investing.
As Bitpanda continues its international expansion, the focus remains on delivering a fully regulated, secure, and seamless investment experience. The VARA licence sets the stage for further regional growth, ensuring that both individual and institutional investors in the UAE can access a world-class digital asset platform.
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For further media information or for further comment from Bitpanda CEO Eric Demuth, please contact: [e-mail].
About Bitpanda
Bitpanda was founded in Vienna in 2014 and is the leading European cryptoasset platform. With a selection of over 2,800 digital assets, including more than 550 cryptoassets and numerous stocks*, ETFs*, precious metals and commodities, the Austrian fintech unicorn offers one of the most comprehensive ranges of digital assets available in Europe. Already trusted by over 6 million users, and dozens of institutional partners, Bitpanda holds licences in several countries, and has a proven track record of working with local regulators to keep assets safe and secure. This makes Bitpanda one of the safest and most strictly regulated trading platforms in the industry. In addition to its headquarters in Vienna, Bitpanda has offices in Amsterdam, Barcelona, Berlin and Bucharest.
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