Every broker exchange checked UAE 2026
Every Broker and Exchange We Have Actually Checked This Year, in One Place.
Robius has checked dozens of brokers, crypto exchanges, and prop firms against live UAE regulator registers this year. One company at a time. This piece is different. It is the master index. Every verdict sits in one place. You no longer have to remember which review covered which company. Bookmark it, and come back before you fund any account.
| T H E R O B I U S V E R D I C T: A reference tool, not a new investigation. Every verdict here traces back to a review where the register check, the legal entity name, and the license number are documented. Companies are grouped by how much protection the underlying license structure actually gives you. Not by brand recognition. Tier 1 means direct, substantive UAE regulatory authorization. Tier 2 means a genuine UAE presence with a weaker structure for most retail accounts. Tier 3 means international regulation only, with no UAE license at all. Tier 4 means active warnings, enforcement action, or confirmed unlicensed operation. This index gets updated as new companies are checked and as status changes. A license confirmed today can change tomorrow. |
Forex and CFD Brokers: Tier 1, Full UAE Authorization
| Broker | UAE License | Key Finding |
|---|---|---|
| eToro | FSRA (ADGM), FSP 220073 | Full ADGM authorization, physical Abu Dhabi office confirmed |
| Deriv | CMA Category 1, 20200000243 | Most comprehensive CMA authorization of any broker reviewed |
| IG Markets | DFSA, F001780 | DFSA licensed since June 2015, FTSE 100 listed parent |
| Exness | CMA, active since Jul 2024 | Confirmed on the register, reversing earlier third-party claims |
| AvaTrade | FSRA Category 3A, 190018 | First broker issued this specific ADGM license category |
Forex and CFD Brokers: Tier 2, Dual Presence
| Broker | UAE License | Key Finding |
|---|---|---|
| XM Trading | DFSA F003484 + CMA Cat 5 | Most retail accounts onboard to a Mauritius entity, not either UAE one |
| Pepperstone | DFSA + CMA Cat 5, Dec 2025 | Strong global regulation. Confirm DIFC vs offshore entity at signup |
| MultiBank Group | CMA retail forex license | Genuine UAE license. DFSA separately warned other MultiBank entities are not DFSA authorized |
Forex and CFD Brokers: Tier 3 and 4, No UAE License or Active Warnings
| Broker | Status | Key Finding |
|---|---|---|
| XTB | No UAE license, KNF fined | $5.5M Polish regulator fine, March 2026, over CFD risk disclosure failures |
| Olymp Trade | No UAE license | Weakest offshore framework in this comparison, Vanuatu registered |
| IQ Option (UAE) | No UAE license | UAE clients served by a Nevis entity, not the CySEC-regulated Cyprus one |
| Quotex | 5 regulator warnings | FCA, CNMV, CONSOB, CMVM, and India’s RBI have all issued warnings |
Crypto Exchanges: Fully Licensed
| Exchange | UAE License | Key Finding |
|---|---|---|
| OKX | Full VARA operational | Widest asset selection here, 280+ cryptocurrencies |
| Bybit (mainland) | Full CMA federal, Oct 2025 | First exchange to receive this specific federal license |
| Binance | VARA + FSRA, MGX invested $2B | $4.3B DOJ settlement in 2023 is real history. Now under an independent 5-year monitor |
| Rain | CBB + FSRA + VARA IPA | Full GCC license set. Also disclosed a real $16M hack from April 2024 |
Crypto Exchanges: Provisional, Restricted, or Under Enforcement
| Exchange | Status | Key Finding |
|---|---|---|
| Bybit (Dubai) | Provisional VARA, non-operational | AED bank rails restricted for Dubai residents until full approval |
| Kraken | Preliminary VARA, May 2026 | Real approval. Not yet a full operational license |
| Revolut | In-principle VARA, Jul 2026 | Genuine step forward. UAE crypto services not live yet |
| Mal | In-principle CBUAE approval | Not yet a licensed bank. Still pre-launch with a waitlist |
Crypto Platforms Under Active VARA Enforcement
| Platform | Action Taken | Key Finding |
|---|---|---|
| KuCoin | VARA cease-and-desist, Mar 2026 | Ordered to stop all Dubai activity. Publicly named by the regulator |
| Vesta Prime Portal | VARA penalty, Jan 2026 | Single-sourced finding, flagged accordingly |
| UAEC Digital Fintech | VARA penalty, Aug 2025 | Single-sourced finding, flagged accordingly |
Prop Trading Firms: Structurally Unregulated by Design
| Firm | Status | Key Finding |
|---|---|---|
| FTMO | No UAE license, none pending | Operating since 2015. No reported pursuit of UAE licensing |
| FundedNext | No license for the prop product | Brokerage arm FNmarkets is pursuing a DFSA license. That does not cover the prop firm |
| Goat Funded Trader | No UAE license found | Same structural category as FTMO |
How to Use This Index
Find the company you are considering. Check its tier. Then open the full review for the exact legal entity name and license number. This index tells you the pattern. The individual review tells you exactly what to type into the regulator’s own register. Both matter. Neither replaces the other.
Two companion pieces go deeper on the rankings themselves. Every major forex and CFD broker, ranked by regulatory tier covers the trading side. Every major crypto exchange, ranked by regulatory status covers the exchanges. The prop firm rows are the exception, since that whole category sits outside UAE licensing by design, which is set out in our look at why funded-trader firms need a harder look.
One entry is worth calling out as the benchmark. Most brokers with a CMA presence hold Category 5, which is a marketing permit. Only one broker in this index holds Category 1, and the difference between those two categories is the single most useful thing to understand before reading any other row here.
License status changes. A company in Tier 1 today can lose that status. A company under enforcement can resolve it and earn a real license later. So treat this index as a strong starting point, current as of when each review published. Then confirm directly on the regulator’s own register before funding anything. That takes about five minutes, and the five-minute license check walks through exactly how.
Sources
- DFSA public register: live UAE broker license verification — https://www.dfsa.ae/public-register/firms
- VARA public register: all licensed virtual asset service providers in Dubai — https://www.vara.ae/en/licenses-and-register/public-register/
- UAE Capital Market Authority: licensed firms register — https://www.cma.gov.ae/en
- ADGM FSRA public register: all ADGM-licensed financial firms — https://www.adgm.com/public-registers/fsra
This is not financial advice.
Robius.news — Dubai, UAE — 2026 | Built to be first. Built to be trusted.
