The crypto law alphabet soup of the UAE

Navigating the UAE’s crypto ecosystem means decoding a maze of acronyms — SCA, VARA, DMCC, ADGM and more.

Opinion by: Irina Heaver, crypto lawyer

Any crypto entrepreneur trying to navigate the United Arab Emirates’ crypto ecosystem inevitably encounters the myriad acronyms used in the country’s legal landscape. From the SCA and VARA to the DMCC, ADGM and DFSA, what do these mysterious combinations of letters stand for, and how does one navigate this complex maze?

Moreover, is this abundance of acronyms and jargon an efficient feature of a system that promotes itself as the number one global crypto hub? Does this complexity strengthen the ecosystem, or is it a fundamental flaw in this self-proclaimed global crypto hub?

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