TechFlow, Nov 27 — According to CoinDesk, the UAE has enacted new central banking legislation bringing digital assets and decentralized finance (DeFi) under the traditional banking regulatory framework.
Under Federal Decree-Law No. 6, all cryptocurrency and blockchain organizations operating within or from the UAE must obtain a license from the Central Bank of the UAE (CBUAE), regardless of the technology used. Unlicensed operations may face fines of up to 1 billion dirhams (approximately $272 million).
The law brings virtual assets, DeFi protocols, stablecoins, tokenized real-world assets, decentralized exchanges, wallets, cross-chain bridges, and all supporting blockchain infrastructure under the central bank's jurisdiction. The new law provides a 60-day licensing decision window, risk-based capital requirements, and grants existing market participants a one-year grace period (until September 2026) to achieve compliance.
