ARP Digital、ドバイVARAからブローカーディーラーの原則承認を取得
重要ポイント
- •ARP Digitalは4月28日にドバイのVARAからブローカーディーラーの原則承認を受けたが、顧客対応には完全なライセンス取得がなお必要。
- •同社はすでにバーレーン中央銀行のCategory 3ライセンスを保有しており、450社超の機関投資家顧客にまたがって35億ドル超の取引高を処理している。
- •ARP Digitalは、135年前に創業されたGulfのコングロマリット、Kanoo GroupのメンバーであるAbdulaziz Kanoo氏とAbdulla Kanoo氏が共同設立した。
- •規制下のAED建てデジタル資産オフランプはGulfでなお希少で、多くの機関は依然として海外の仲介業者を通じて換金している。
- •完全ライセンスを取得したARP Digitalは、GCC全域の機関投資家がデジタル資産取引をディルハムで直接決済できるようにし、カウンターパーティーリスクの低減と決済経路の短縮に寄与する可能性がある。
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 (VARA) to operate as a broker-dealer.
The approval, granted on April 28, paves the way for ARP Digital to eventually facilitate regulated conversions of digital assets and stablecoins into UAE dirhams. However, the firm must still satisfy VARA's full licensing requirements before it can begin serving clients in Dubai.
From Bahrain to Dubai
ARP Digital already holds a Category 3 license from the Central Bank of Bahrain, secured in 2024. That regulatory milestone allowed the company to build out its FLOW platform, which is designed for institutional over-the-counter liquidity, cross-border settlement, and currency conversion services.
To date, ARP Digital has processed more than $3.5 billion in transaction volume across over 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-rooted ties across Gulf commerce.
VARA's Licensing Process
VARA, established in 2022 as the world's first independent virtual assets regulator, requires applicants to demonstrate compliance across governance, custody, risk management, and anti-money laundering frameworks before they are permitted to go live. No public confirmation of a full VARA license for ARP Digital has yet emerged, consistent with how VARA typically handles such approvals.
Once fully licensed, ARP Digital would be positioned to offer regulated digital asset and stablecoin conversions into AED, creating an institutional-grade on-ramp and off-ramp between crypto markets and the UAE's national currency. This matters because regulated AED-denominated off-ramps remain comparatively scarce despite growing institutional demand in the Gulf, where many firms still route conversions through offshore intermediaries.
The Broader Gulf Crypto Landscape
Bahrain was an early mover in the region with its central bank licensing framework. Dubai subsequently established VARA, while Abu Dhabi maintains its own regulatory regime through the ADGM. The multi-jurisdiction approach has allowed the UAE to compete with hubs like Singapore and Hong Kong for digital asset businesses seeking regulatory clarity.
ARP Digital's existing institutional client base, its regulatory track record in Bahrain, and the Kanoo family's extensive regional network collectively position the firm as it pursues full licensing in Dubai. For institutions operating across the GCC, the ability to settle digital asset transactions directly into dirhams through a VARA-licensed entity could reduce counterparty risk and shorten settlement chains compared to relying on non-Gulf venues.
