Share this article

Crypto Lender Nexo Secures First Regulatory Victory in Dubai

Receiving a full license involves three stages: an initial provisional permit, a preparatory license, and an operating license.

Updated Mar 5, 2024, 2:39 p.m. Published Mar 5, 2024, 1:00 p.m.
headshot of Nexo co-founder and managing partner Kalin Metodiev
Nexo co-founder and managing partner Kalin Metodiev (Nexo)
  • Nexo has won initial approval to operate as a licensed entity in Dubai.
  • Nexo’s regional entity is seeking to win full approval for Lending & Borrowing, Management & Investment, and Broker-Dealer activities.

Nexo, a company offering digital asset services, has won initial approval as a licensed entity in Dubai from the region’s Virtual Assets Regulatory Authority (VARA), it announced Tuesday.

Receiving a full license involves three stages: an initial provisional permit, a preparatory license, and an operating license. Nexo’s regional entity, Nexo DTC, is seeking to win full approval for Lending & Borrowing, Management & Investment, and Broker-Dealer activities.

STORY CONTINUES BELOW
Don't miss another story.Subscribe to the State of Crypto Newsletter today. See all newsletters

Dubai is the most populous city in the UAE, and along with the nation’s capital, Abu Dabhi, it has been trying to attract financial institutions as it vies to become a global crypto hub. While VARA’s public record register does not show Nexo DTC having won an initial approval yet, the register is usually updated within a few days of such developments.

“Nexo is enthusiastic about the pursuit of new market strategies aligned with the transformative guidance of Dubai’s Virtual Asset Regulatory Authority,” said Kalin Metodiev, co-founder and managing partner at Nexo.

Previously, Nexo agreed to pay $45 million to the SEC for failing to register the offer and sale of its Earn Interest Product (EIP). But it has also sought $3 billion in damages from Bulgaria for bringing it disrepute after the nation’s investigation found no evidence against the company.

Read More: Crypto Lender Nexo Seeking $3B in Damages From Bulgaria

UPDATE (March 5, 14:40 UTC): Changes lead photo

More For You

KuCoin Hits Record Market Share as 2025 Volumes Outpace Crypto Market

16:9 Image

KuCoin captured a record share of centralised exchange volume in 2025, with more than $1.25tn traded as its volumes grew faster than the wider crypto market.

What to know:

  • KuCoin recorded over $1.25 trillion in total trading volume in 2025, equivalent to an average of roughly $114 billion per month, marking its strongest year on record.
  • This performance translated into an all-time high share of centralised exchange volume, as KuCoin’s activity expanded faster than aggregate CEX volumes, which slowed during periods of lower market volatility.
  • Spot and derivatives volumes were evenly split, each exceeding $500 billion for the year, signalling broad-based usage rather than reliance on a single product line.
  • Altcoins accounted for the majority of trading activity, reinforcing KuCoin’s role as a primary liquidity venue beyond BTC and ETH at a time when majors saw more muted turnover.
  • Even as overall crypto volumes softened mid-year, KuCoin maintained elevated baseline activity, indicating structurally higher user engagement rather than short-lived volume spikes.

More For You

Ukraine banned Polymarket and there’s no legal way for it to come back

Kyiv in Ukraine (Glib Albovsky/Unsplash/Modified by CoinDesk)

Polymarket and similar platforms are considered unlicensed gambling operators, leading to blocked access.

What to know:

  • Ukraine has no legal framework for Web3 prediction markets, and current legislation provides no recognition for such platforms.
  • Polymarket and similar platforms are considered unlicensed gambling operators, leading to blocked access.
  • Legal changes are unlikely in the near future, as Parliamentary revisions to gambling definitions are extremely improbable during wartime, leaving prediction markets in a legal deadlock.