Capital.com has officially launched its spot virtual-asset services in the UAE following the August 21 announcement of its affiliate Capital Vault's regulatory approval. According to the latest reports, the service is now live and available to eligible UAE customers through the Capital.com application. The launch represents a significant shift from Capital.com's previous crypto market exposure through contracts for difference (CFDs) in supported jurisdictions, moving to direct crypto ownership and trading capabilities. The company has not yet published a comprehensive fee schedule, with these details determining how the offering competes against established crypto exchanges in the Gulf state.
The new spot service allows customers to acquire crypto held through Capital Vault rather than entering derivative contracts with price movement exposure. This change requires dedicated custody and settlement arrangements, differing from CFD positions that remain contracts between the broker and clients. For UAE-based customers, the change means direct access to digital asset ownership through a platform they may already use for other financial trading products, potentially reducing the need to maintain separate accounts across multiple exchanges and brokerages. The service structure represents a fundamental shift from Capital.com's previous model, moving from derivative exposure to actual crypto ownership and trading capabilities.
Capital Vault operates as a separate regulated entity with dedicated governance, custody and risk management arrangements. The affiliate has opened an Abu Dhabi office and is building a local digital asset team, though the company did not disclose employee numbers or planned UAE investment size. The license comes from the federal Capital Market Authority and authorizes Capital Vault UAE to deal in virtual assets as an agent or matching principal and to provide custody on behalf of clients. These permissions allow it to execute spot transactions and hold the purchased assets. The UAE structure follows the group's approach in Europe, where Cyprus-based Capital Vault Ltd received MiCA authorisation as a crypto-asset service provider in December 2025. As per Finance Magnates review of publicly available CMA licensing disclosures, Capital Vault is among the first companies licensed under the CMA's new virtual-asset framework, with other holders including Bybit, Daman Virtual Asset Brokerage, XBase and CoinCorner.
The UAE Capital Market Authority's updated virtual asset framework provides a federal route for companies operating outside UAE financial free zones and Dubai's VARA jurisdiction. This framework establishes new requirements covering business conduct, alternative trading systems, anti-money laundering controls and prudential standards. The regulator maintains a public register of licensed virtual-asset service providers, and inclusion on that list distinguishes compliant operators from unauthorized ones in a market that has positioned itself as a regional hub for digital asset regulation. Capital Vault is among the first companies licensed under the CMA's new virtual-asset framework, though it is not the UAE's only authorized virtual-asset provider. Other major companies have similarly expanded regulated digital asset services in the UAE, with Binance securing exchange, clearing and custody permissions in Abu Dhabi and Crypto.com receiving approval for regulated UAE payment services.
Rahul Kumar, Chief Executive Officer of Capital Vault UAE, emphasized the UAE's leadership in regional virtual-asset regulation, stating that the Capital Market Authority's licensing process reflects rigorous standards. The company has established an Abu Dhabi office and is building a dedicated local team for virtual assets, with Kumar describing the UAE presence as pivotal to their business strategy. Tarik Chebib, Chief Executive Officer MENA at Capital.com, highlighted that clients across the region have been seeking regulated crypto services alongside existing markets, noting that the UAE license enables this integration. Capital Vault expects to expand its regulatory footprint and client-facing virtual asset services in the UAE, with additional virtual asset products to be announced in due course. The company has not disclosed the supported tokens, launch date, pricing, liquidity providers, key-storage model, custody insurance, external deposits or withdrawals, staking, conversions or user-to-user transfers, leaving uncertainty about whether the service will offer a full crypto-exchange experience or a more restricted broker-led buy-and-hold model.
