Coinbase obtains ADGM licence in UAE to arrange and custody tokenised securities, expanding into regulated blockchain equity markets.
Regulation & Gov ·
Coinbase has obtained a licence from the Abu Dhabi Global Market (ADGM) to arrange and provide custody services for tokenised securities, marking an expansion into regulated blockchain-based equity markets in the UAE. The licence positions the exchange to operate a hub for digital asset infrastructure in the region, leveraging the country's established regulatory framework for crypto and digital assets.
The move reflects broader institutional infrastructure development in the UAE, where regulators have created dedicated frameworks for digital assets across multiple jurisdictions. Bitcoin Suisse previously secured similar authorisation to offer custody services in the region, signalling growing institutional demand for regulated on-chain financial services. The UAE's strategy explicitly emphasises blockchain and digital asset settlement as components of its economic modernisation, with tokenisation of real-world assets emerging as a key use case across finance and real estate.
Questions remain about the scope of tokenised securities Coinbase will initially support, the timeline for launching services, and how this licence complements the exchange's existing regional operations. The competitive landscape among institutional custodians and arrangement platforms in the ADGM continues to develop as other providers establish similar footholds.