Capital.com Expands UAE Crypto Offerings

Capital.com has announced that its clients in the United Arab Emirates will soon be able to purchase and hold virtual assets directly through the broker’s app. The new service will be delivered by a separate, fully regulated affiliate – Capital Vault UAE – that has secured a federal virtual‑asset licence from the Capital Market Authority (CMA).

Regulatory Framework and Capital Vault UAE

Under the CMA licence, Capital Vault UAE is authorised to act as an agent or matching principal in virtual‑asset transactions and to provide custody services on behalf of its customers. This authorisation enables the firm to execute spot trades and to hold the purchased tokens in client‑asset custody, subject to the CMA’s client‑asset rules.

While the launch date has not yet been announced, once the service is live, UAE users will be able to buy cryptocurrencies outright through the same Capital.com mobile application that currently offers CFDs.

Operational Structure and Client Experience

Although both CFDs and spot crypto can be accessed via the same interface, the legal and operational boundaries differ. CFD trading remains within Capital.com’s established brokerage framework, whereas spot execution, settlement and custody will be handled by Capital Vault UAE, a dedicated virtual‑asset company. Governance, custody and risk management for the crypto arm are kept separate from those of the broker’s other regulated activities.

Capital Vault UAE has opened an office in Abu Dhabi and is assembling a local team to support its virtual‑asset operations.

“The UAE is at the forefront of virtual‑asset regulation in the region, and the Capital Market Authority’s review process for virtual‑asset licensing reflects that rigour,” said Rahul Kumar, Chief Executive Officer of Capital Vault UAE.

Group Strategy and Other CMA License Holders

Capital Vault UAE follows a strategy already in place across the group. The Cyprus‑registered Capital Vault Ltd obtained MiCA authorisation as a crypto‑asset service provider in December 2025, and the UAE affiliate now holds the CMA’s permissions for dealing and custody.

Capital Vault UAE is among the first firms licensed under the CMA’s new virtual‑asset framework. However, it is not the sole provider in the UAE. A recent review of publicly available CMA licensing disclosures identified other full‑licence holders, including Bybit, Daman Virtual Asset Brokerage, XBase and CoinCorner.

Unresolved Details and Market Implications

Capital.com has not yet disclosed several key operational parameters: the list of supported tokens, launch timeline, pricing structure, liquidity providers, key‑storage model, custody insurance, external deposit or withdrawal capabilities, staking options, conversion services or user‑to‑user transfer functionality.

Because of this lack of detail, it remains uncertain whether the new offering will function as a comprehensive crypto exchange or will be limited to a broker‑led buy‑and‑hold model. Traders should therefore monitor future announcements for clarification on these aspects.