Digital Assets in the UAE: Regulatory Architecture, Stablecoins, and the Digital Dirham

In this paper, we discuss:

• The UAE’s emergence as a global digital-asset hub backed by clear, coordinated regulation;
• The role of VARA and federal authorities in supervising crypto, payments, and securities markets;
• The formalization of stablecoins as regulated financial infrastructure under strict reserve rules;
• The Digital Dirham’s two-tier CBDC model preserving banks’ intermediary role;
• The UAE’s participation in Project mBridge to advance cross-border digital settlement.

Download PDF: UAE Digital Assets