The UAE — the place everyone thought was the safest heaven for crypto — has dropped the most shocking crypto law of 2025.
Federal-Decree Law No. 6 of 2025 is now active, and trust me… this one changes everything.
Many are calling it:
👉 “The Biggest Crypto Crackdown in UAE History.”
👉 “The End of Open-Source Freedom.”
👉 “A Global Wake-Up Call.”
Let’s break it down in simple English:
🔥 1. Article 62: Full Control on Crypto Infrastructure
This part is WILD.
The UAE now treats basic crypto tools as regulated financial services:
🚫 APIs, blockchain explorers, DeFi tools
🚫 Self-custody wallets (even MetaMask-type tools!)
🚫 Open-source crypto software
All of these may now require Central Bank licensing.
And the craziest part?
🌍 Even developers sitting outside UAE can be punished…
if their tool is accessible in the UAE.
This has NEVER happened before.
📢 2. Article 61: Your Posts Can Become “Regulated Activity”
This is the most shocking part for content creators.
If you:
post a crypto article
promote a project
share a website
even mention an unlicensed service and that content reaches a UAE IP address, you can be considered in violation.
Yes — ONE POST can create legal trouble.
⚠️ 3. Fines That Can Destroy a Company Overnight
Penalties now range from:
💸 AED 50,000 → AED 500,000,000
(≈ USD $13,600 → $136,000,000)
Plus possible imprisonment for major violations.
This is not a soft warning — this is a regulatory earthquake.
🏙️ 4. Dubai & Abu Dhabi Free Zones Are No Longer “Safe Zones”
VARA (Dubai) and ADGM (Abu Dhabi) used to offer protection.
Not anymore.
Federal law now overrides everything.
Even DeFi and open-source tools count as financial infra inside the UAE.
⏳ 5. Countdown Begins: Enforcement Starts in 2026
Companies have 1 year to:
✔️ Get licensed
❌ Or leave the UAE entirely
Many global platforms may choose to block UAE users completely.
🌍 Why This Is a Global Turning Point
This law does something no major country has done before:
🔒 It treats open-source tools like financial institutions.
🔒 It regulates explorers, wallets, APIs, and even communication.
This could become:
👉 The new global regulatory template
OR
👉 The beginning of a more controlled, less open internet
Either way…
Crypto will never be the same after UAE’s 2025 law.
