Decentralised finance (DeFi) is evolving beyond a purely speculative, crypto-native activity into a more mature ecosystem that increasingly seeks sustainable yield and real-world impact...

The United Arab Emirates ("UAE") is a land of expats, with more than 80% of its population comprising foreigners.

The crypto market reacted positively to Donald Trump's election win, with Bitcoin rising to $75,000 due to anticipated pro-crypto policies

The VASP Bill was introduced on 12 July 2024 to regulate VASPs in the Seychelles.

The GENIUS Act introduces the first comprehensive federal framework for fiat-backed stablecoins in the U.S.

The SEC has clarified that certain Proof-of-Stake activities are not securities, focusing on the ‘administrative vs. managerial' distinction of the Howey test.

For projects attending Token2049 in Dubai, understanding and complying with the Dubai Virtual Assets Regulatory Authority's ("VARA") Marketing Regulations and Guidance ("Marketing Regulations") is essential.

The Abu Dhabi Global Market's Financial Services Regulatory Authority ("ADGM" and "FSRA" respectively) has issued guidance on listing applications and eligibility dated 10 April 2025 ("Guidance")...

The General Commercial Gaming Regulatory Authority (GCGRA) has been introduced to oversee and regulate the UAE's gaming (gambling) industry.

New communiqués by the Capital Markets Board, Turkey have been published to introduced strict rules for CASPs to enhance market stability, security, and transparency, aligning with global standards.

After the Guidelines for the Regulation of Virtual Assets and Virtual Asset Service Providers (which we wrote about here), the Securities and Commodities Authority ("SCA") has published...

Google's MiCA-aligned crypto ad policy favors large, licensed platforms and hardware wallet providers, marginalizing smaller startups...

The UAE's second National Risk Assessment, published in April 2025, identifies virtual assets as a high-risk sector alongside banking, real estate, and precious metals.

The United Arab Emirates ("UAE") has established itself as a progressive jurisdiction for financial innovation, particularly in the realm of virtual assets and cryptocurrencies.

The Qatar Central Bank has introduced the Distributed Ledger Technology Guideline, effective 22 July 2024, to provide a regulatory framework for DLT applications in the financial sector.

Regulation of digital assets in the United States ("US") has always been piecemeal, with regulation through enforcement efforts by federal agencies extending existing financial laws to digital assets in an ad hoc manner.

Roman Storm was convicted only for operating an unlicensed money transmitting business, with the jury split on money laundering and sanctions charges.

The regulation applies strictly to tokenised securities and derivatives, excluding most virtual assets and real-world assets (RWAs) unless structured as securities.

Singapore has introduced new AML/CFT regulations for Market Operators, while the UAE continues to enforce a broader framework covering financial institutions, DNFBPs, and VASPs.

In September 2025, the SEC and CFTC issued a coordinated joint staff statement clarifying that certain spot crypto asset products may be listed on SEC-registered national securities exchanges...