Dubai’s financial regulator and Securitize agreed to jointly develop regulated tokenized asset markets and digital financial infrastructure in the emirate.
Dubai’s Virtual Assets Regulatory Authority (VARA) and Securitize, a tokenized asset infrastructure provider, signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU). The partnership aims to develop the tokenization ecosystem and strengthen engagement between market participants and the regulator.
The MoU provides for joint work on tokenization initiatives in Dubai, including projects launched or supported by VARA, as well as initiatives by other participants in the local virtual asset market. The parties plan to share expertise and jointly develop infrastructure for regulated tokenized financial products.
Under Dubai’s existing regulatory framework, the partnership will focus on:
- attracting specialists;
- educating market participants;
- data-driven research; and
- developing new tokenized financial instruments.
Licensed companies will be able to draw on Securitize’s international expertise while meeting investor protection and market integrity requirements.
Securitize CEO Carlos Domingo said cooperation between regulators and businesses was becoming increasingly important as tokenization evolved from an experimental technology into part of the financial infrastructure. He said the partnership with VARA was intended to support the migration of capital markets infrastructure to blockchain networks.
VARA CEO Matthew White said institutional adoption of new technologies depended on technological solutions, appropriate regulation, and market infrastructure. He said the partnership with Securitize was expected to support the development of a regulated tokenized asset market in Dubai.
VARA was established in March 2022. The regulator oversees virtual asset activities across all commercial zones in the emirate, including special development zones and free zones. The Dubai International Financial Centre (DIFC) is an exception and operates under a separate regulatory regime.
As of August 2026, Securitize had about $5 billion in assets under management. The company actively works with BlackRock, BNY, Neuberger, VanEck, and many others to create tokenized funds.
