Jurisdiction • UAE
United Arab Emirates: structuring, licensing and legal support for crypto & cross-border business.
The UAE offers multiple regulatory “tracks” (mainland + free zones) and several crypto frameworks (depending on your location and activity).
We help choose the right route, set up the entity, align compliance and prepare licensing documentation where required.
Typical goals: UAE holding/operating company, banking readiness, investor-friendly structure, UAE-compatible contracts and compliance.
UAE in practice
- Multiple zones, different regulators and rulebooks.
- Licensing depends on activity (crypto, finance, brokerage, payments, etc.).
- Substance, governance and compliance increasingly matter.
- Contracts + KYC/AML are key for banks and partners.
Often paired with Compliance and
Corporate.
Routes
How to “enter the UAE”: common structures
The right route depends on your activity, target clients, licensing needs, banking plan and tax/substance expectations.
Below are typical options we see for international founders.
Popular
Free zone company
Often used for international operations, IP holding and service businesses.
- Fast setup vs mainland in many cases.
- Flexible ownership and office options (zone-dependent).
- Better alignment for cross-border operations.
- Works well as a holding / HQ structure.
Best when you need a clean international structure and predictable admin.
Operating
Mainland company
Used when you need broad onshore trading/contracting footprint.
- Local market contracting and operations.
- May be preferred for certain regulated activities.
- Employment, visas and premises planning.
- Often combined with a free zone holding layer.
Best when you need deep onshore presence and local contracting.
Regulated
Financial / crypto licensing route
If you touch client money/crypto, brokerage, custody or exchange flows.
- Regulatory analysis of your model and token/asset flows.
- Choice of the right regulator / zone for the activity.
- Policies: AML/KYC, risk, outsourcing, custody controls.
- Application narrative and regulator Q&A support.
Best when compliance and licensing are central to the business model.
Scope
What we deliver for UAE projects
We combine structuring, contracts and compliance into one workstream so the setup supports banking, partners and (if needed) licensing.
Setup
Entity structuring & incorporation
Pick the route and set up the company with a clean governance baseline.
- Route selection (free zone vs mainland vs regulated).
- Shareholding / beneficial ownership logic.
- Founders’ arrangements (roles, control, exit logic).
- Board minutes/resolutions baseline (if needed).
Outcome: a structure that matches how the business actually operates.
Banking
Bank/PSP readiness pack
Documents and narrative aligned to real flows and counterparties.
- Business description + funds flow diagram narrative.
- AML/KYC & sanctions baseline (risk-based).
- Onboarding procedures and evidence rules.
- Compliance roles, escalation and audit trail setup.
Goal: reduce back-and-forth and avoid “template” red flags.
Contracts
Commercial & Web/crypto docs
Core legal docs for partnerships and online operations.
- Terms of Use / Privacy / Risk disclosures (as needed).
- Client agreements and service terms.
- Partner contracts (LPs, custodians, vendors, dev teams).
- IP assignment + contractor agreements.
Useful whether you operate B2B or B2C.
Crypto
Crypto model analysis
Clarify what your product “is” legally and what that triggers.
- Activity mapping: exchange, brokerage, custody, issuance, payments.
- Token/asset flow classification and risk map.
- Restrictions by geography and client type.
- Licensing/compliance gap list.
Outcome: a clear decision memo for founders and advisors.
Compliance
Policies & procedures
A set of internal documents that can actually be executed by the team.
- AML/CFT policy, CDD/EDD, ongoing monitoring.
- Risk management framework and incident handling.
- Outsourcing controls + vendor due diligence.
- Recordkeeping, reporting and audit readiness.
Often required for licensing or serious counterparties.
Ongoing
Legal ops & support
Support after setup: changes, governance and cross-border matters.
- Corporate changes, shares, director/manager updates.
- Contract lifecycle support and negotiations.
- Regulatory Q&A and document updates.
- Cross-border structuring touchpoints.
Good for teams scaling operations and partnerships.
Process
How we run a UAE engagement
We start with your real model: who the clients are, where funds/crypto move, which counterparties you rely on — then we build the legal layer.
Step-by-step
- Short call + questionnaire: activity, markets, flows, counterparties.
- Route selection memo: free zone / mainland / regulated track.
- Setup plan: corporate steps + documents + timeline logic.
- Execution: incorporation + core legal docs + compliance baseline.
- Banking/licensing readiness: evidence pack + Q&A support.
If you already have docs, we can do a fast gap review and rebuild only what’s missing.
Typical “decision points”
Where do clients sit?
Geography affects licensing triggers, marketing rules and risk level for banks.
Do you touch client assets?
Custody/exchange/brokerage flows usually push the project into a regulated/compliance-heavy route.
Which counterparties matter?
PSPs, banks, liquidity providers, custodians, on/off-ramps define what documents are required.
Substance & governance
Team presence, roles and controls increasingly matter for credibility and approvals.
FAQ
Common questions about UAE
Short, practical answers. For regulated routes, we align documentation with the applicable rulebook and your operating model.
Is the UAE “one jurisdiction” from a legal perspective?
Not in practice. The UAE has different regimes (mainland and multiple free zones) and, for certain activities, different regulators and licensing rules. The correct route depends on what you do, who your clients are and how funds/crypto flow.
Can we set up a UAE company first and “figure out compliance later”?
You can, but it often slows down banking and partnerships. Banks and institutional counterparties typically ask for a coherent narrative, AML/KYC baseline, sanctions screening and clear onboarding procedures early.
Do you help with crypto licensing in the UAE?
Yes. We start from activity mapping (exchange/brokerage/custody/issuance/payments), then propose the most realistic route and prepare the documentation scope (policies, governance, risk, outsourcing, contracts) and support regulator Q&A where applicable.
What are the most common mistakes founders make?
Choosing a zone without mapping the actual activity, using “template” policies that don’t match real flows, unclear ownership/governance, and building a product that triggers licensing while assuming it doesn’t.
Planning UAE setup or crypto operations?
Send a short description of your model: activities, target markets, whether you touch client funds/crypto, and your banking/licensing goal.
We’ll propose a clean route and a concrete legal scope.
If you already operate elsewhere, we can also align UAE documents with your existing group structure and policies.
Good fit for this page:
- Crypto/fintech founders planning UAE market entry.
- Cross-border services needing a UAE holding/operating layer.
- Projects preparing for bank/PSP onboarding in the region.
- Teams needing contracts + compliance that match real flows.
We focus on making the structure “bankable” and defensible — not just registered.