Flipster’s UAE Expansion and What It Signals About Competing in a Regulated Market

The United Arab Emirates has established one of the most defined regulatory frameworks for crypto exchanges. Dubai’s Virtual Assets Regulatory Authority issues licenses, while Abu Dhabi’s Financial Services Regulatory Authority regulates platforms operating in the Abu Dhabi Global Market. The clarity has drawn international platforms seeking formal authorization rather than operating in regulatory gray zones. Just last week, on February 12, 2026, perpetuals-focused trading platform Flipster joined the growing list, securing in-principle approval from VARA through its local entity, Flipster FZE source: https://beincrypto.com/flipster-vara-approval-dubai/