On January 7 2026, RAK BANK said it had obtained in-principle approval from the Central Bank of the UAE to develop an AED-backed stablecoin, pending completion of regulatory and operational conditions. The bank plans a 1:1 AED-pegged token with audited smart contracts and real-time reserve attestations, while other UAE institutions such as FAB Bank, Crypto.com and Al Maryah Community Bank are also advancing their own AED stablecoin initiatives.

On January 5 2026, Binance detailed immediate changes to how it delivers products and services worldwide, following the award of three new ADGM licenses in Abu Dhabi. The exchange will now route services, contracts, data control, clearing, and custody through three distinct ADGM-regulated entities, including Nest Exchange Limited and Nest Clearing and Custody Limited. Open on-exchange derivatives positions are being cleared through Nest Clearing and Custody Limited, while users’ access, balances, and trading functionality on the platform remain unchanged.

Dubai’s Virtual Asset Regulatory Authority has issued an in-principle approval to French fintech Vancelian, registered in the UAE as Automata FZE, for management and investment, lending and borrowing, advisory, and crypto broker-dealer licenses. Vancelian manages 100 million Euros, has paid 7 million Euros in interest, and offers products such as a crypto basket, Bitcoin-backed loans with a 10% average fixed annual return, and real estate co-financing projects in Bali and Dubai.

On December 8, 2025, UAE Islamic bank ruya enabled Bitcoin trading in its mobile app through a partnership with UAE‑regulated digital asset infrastructure provider Fuze. The bank positions the service as Shari'ah‑compliant and says it is the first Islamic bank in the UAE to allow customers to buy and sell Bitcoin directly. The launch comes amid rising crypto inflows into the UAE and alongside initiatives such as Mashreq Capital's BITMAC fund, which includes Bitcoin exposure.