đŠđȘâïžIs This the Biggest UAE Crypto Crackdown in History?âïžđđïžđźââïž
đ„ The UAE â long seen as one of the worldâs most innovation-friendly crypto hubs â has just delivered a regulatory shockwave with Federal-Decree Law No. 6 of 2025, now in force as of 16 September.
đŠđȘ The new framework flips the script on wallets, APIs, explorers, decentralisation â and even marketing.
âš Article 62: The infrastructure takeover
𧩠APIs, explorers & decentralised protocols now fall under Central Bank control.
𧚠Even self-custody wallets and open-source tools may require licensing.
đ Developers outside the UAE can still face liability if their software is accessible inside the country.
âš Article 61: Communication becomes a regulated activity
đŁ Websites, tweets, articles, emails, or even promotional mentions of unlicensed crypto services count as regulated communication.
đ A single post reaching a UAE IP could be interpreted as a violation.
â ïž Penalties: AED 50,000 â AED 500,000,000
â USD $13,600 â USD $136,000,000
Severe penalties and potential imprisonment give this law unprecedented enforcement power.
đïž Dubai & Abu Dhabi free zones no longer shield anyone
VARA and ADGM frameworks are effectively secondary; federal law overrides all free-zone arbitrage.
Open-source access and decentralised tooling are now treated as regulated financial activity.
âł Enforcement begins in 2026
The UAE gives companies one year to comply â or withdraw.
For many global platforms, âaccess from UAE usersâ may itself be too risky.
đ Why this matters for the world?
Because classifying core crypto infrastructure â like wallets and explorers â as financial services effectively rewrites the rules of the internet.
Open-source code no longer means open access.
This is a turning point â either toward global regulatory alignment or toward a new era of digital control.#CryptoRegulation
