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Gate Group has officially launched Gate Technology FZE, trading as Gate Dubai, marking the start of operations for its new virtual asset exchange in the United Arab Emirates, strengthening its regulatory footprint across the Middle East and North Africa (MENA).
Dubai’s favourable business climate and crypto-friendly policies have driven Gate’s regional expansion. Gate Dubai has secured a Virtual Asset Service Provider (VASP) licence from Dubai’s Virtual Assets Regulatory Authority (VARA), allowing the platform to provide virtual asset exchange services to institutional, qualified, and retail investors. The exchange is now fully live and operational.
The launch represents a significant milestone in Gate Group’s global compliance strategy as the company expands its regulated footprint across key international markets.
Drawing on Gate Group’s established infrastructure, the platform aims to deliver deep liquidity, efficient order matching, and strong technical stability within a fully compliant regulatory framework.
The exchange has also enabled local fiat-to-crypto and crypto-to-fiat transactions, designed to improve convenience for regional users and support more efficient asset allocation and trading across different investor segments.
Gate Group said it will continue to explore regionally tailored service models while maintaining alignment with VARA’s regulatory requirements.
Gate Dubai is operating as an independent, fully localised platform, supported by the development of a local team and customer support infrastructure aligned with regional market expectations. In order to assist the long-term growth of the cryptocurrency business in Dubai and the larger Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region, the company stated that it intends to enhance involvement with the local digital asset ecosystem through industry alliances, educational initiatives, and knowledge-sharing efforts.
Dubai has rapidly emerged as a global crypto hub, combining financial openness with a clear regulatory framework for virtual assets. In May last year, during the Dubai Fintech Summit, the Dubai Department of Finance (DOF) and Crypto.com officially signed an agreement to enable crypto payments for government services. Crypto.com was first licensed in Dubai in 2023 to offer regulated virtual asset services. Since then, it has steadily expanded, even obtaining a limited licence to offer crypto derivatives recently.
On 19 March last year, Dubai launched a pilot scheme to tokenise real estate assets on the blockchain, with the goal of supporting fractional ownership and efficient transfer. The initiative, under the Real Estate Evolution Space (REES) programme, applies blockchain technology to digitalise property title deeds and generate digital tokens that symbolise fractions of properties.
Token2049 Dubai, which was conducted from 30 April 2025 to 1 May 2025, exemplified the increasing reputation of Dubai as a leader in the blockchain and crypto industry. More than 15,000 people from various businesses attended the event, which showed the emirate’s desire to become a global centre for crypto innovation.
In March 2025, Crypto.com partnered with Trump Media & Technology Group to launch a series of “Made in America” exchange-traded funds (ETFs) focused on digital assets and American industries. Crypto.com will provide technology, custody, and cryptocurrency supply for these ETFs. These ETFs are expected to hold both digital assets and securities representing American industries.
