Payward Receives Full Market Approval from Dubai’s VARA; Kraken Plans UAE Launch in the Coming Weeks

Kraken parent Payward has received full market approval from Dubai’s VARA, allowing regulated virtual-asset services for retail, professional and institutional investors. Kraken plans to launch in the UAE within weeks, with AED-denominated spot and margin trading, direct AED deposits and withdrawals, onchain staking and tokenized stocks via xStocks. Institutional clients will also get OTC spot and Kraken Prime. Crypto derivatives and other products are planned for late 2026 into 2027, subject to further approval. Payward received preliminary VARA approval in May. — link