Wire · operational-macro
Coinbase-backed Flowdesk secures full broker-dealer license in Dubai
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Fusion42 · 12 August 2026 · Fusion42 review
Flowdesk, supported by Coinbase Ventures and BlackRock, has obtained a full broker-dealer license from Dubai's Virtual Assets Regulatory Authority (VARA), enabling it to offer regulated services to institutional investors in Dubai. This license complements Flowdesk's regulatory presence in France under the EU's MiCA framework, reflecting a strategic expansion of regulated crypto market-making across key global financial hubs.
This Wire brief sits within Fusion42's coverage of Fintech, and 2 sources have reported it.
◆ ◆ The Wire takeaway
The regulatory gate just opened in Dubai for institutional crypto market makers like Flowdesk. You now have a clear route to tap into the GCC wealth markets with a local broker-dealer licence as compliance shifts from risk to market access.
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2 sources · 11 Aug 2026
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