Recently, the community has been buzzing about$TON promoting “Stake $100K to get a 10-year UAE Visa.” This news was also shared by @durov, CEO of Telegram. Can anyone who stakes become a Dubai resident? It sounds appealing, but what is the truth?
1. Source shared by ton_blockchain
- Pay a one-time processing fee of $35K.
- Stake $100K using TON for 3 years.
- Hold crypto to get a visa for 10 years?
=> Clearly, the wording is misleading: Everyone thinks that just staking#TON guarantees a visa.
2.@CZ 🔶 BNB doesn't believe it either
*CZ frankly states: “Trust but verify.” He points out that:
- The agent fee of 35K is too high (normally only ~$1K).
- TON has not announced any Government partners.
- VARA, ADGM, SCA have not yet permitted crypto staking as a residency condition.
- There is no government website confirming this.
=> CZ is right: Durov sharing does not mean the government has signed it.
3. UAE government announces
*WAM (UAE government news agency) issues a statement:
“No golden visa for digital currency investors in UAE, authorities clarify.”
- This means crypto staking is NOT a visa standard. Those who stake must still submit applications according to the law:
+ Real estate ≥ 2 million AED (~$545K)
+ Business or tax ≥ 250K AED/year
+ Or high-skilled professionals, entrepreneurs, artists, students, retirees.
=> There is no “shortcut visa” for crypto at all.
4. Real risks
- After staking, funds are locked for 3 years, agent takes a $35K fee.
- Visa is not guaranteed, but there is an opportunity cost.
- TON does not have an intermediary residency license.
- Easy to turn into a “sell hope” model, pump tokens, shifting risks onto Holders.
5. My perspective
- This is a typical example: Fake news, Web3 marketing leads to turning regulatory gray areas into “investment products.”
- Anyone wanting a UAE visa should follow the law: Real estate, real companies, or high qualifications.
- Crypto is crypto, not yet an official “investment visa.”
- In the long term, if UAE has a sandbox, it might open up, but currently there is 0% legal basis.
- What do you all think?
#steven_research
