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FTX to be the First to Receive a Virtual Asset Exchange (VAX) License in Dubai – Blockchain News, Opinion, TV and Jobs

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Major global cryptocurrency exchange FTX is receiving a virtual asset exchange (VAX) license in Dubai, and is expanding its operations in the United Arab Emirates.

The VAX license is granted under a new cryptocurrency law and was issued by Sheikh Al Maktoum, creating a legal framework for crypto in the Emirate of Dubai, aimed at protecting investors and “designing much-warranted international standards” for industry governance.

The license allows FTX to operate within Dubai‘s crypto market model, which operates in compliance with global standards.

FTX founder and CEO Sam Bankman-Fried said that FTX had received the digital exchange license from Dubai. “Really excited to receive the first (and so far only) digial asset exchange license from Dubai!” Bankman-Fried tweeted. The company says it’s now planning to establish a regional headquarters in United Arab Emirates’ most international hub and city.

According to Bloomberg, Binance will also get a crypto license in Dubai under the same program, but it seems FTX beat the company to it. Apparently the United Arab Emirates is seeking to attract some of the world’s biggest crypto and fintech companies.

FTX recently reached $32 billion valuation after raising $400 million in a Series C round announced in January. The company has only been founded three years ago, but has already become one of the world’s largest crypto exchanges, in part through their marketing campaign during the Super Bowl.

Just like Binance, FTX’s European and Middle Eastern division FTX Europe was also among the first to join a new crypto hub, in the Dubai World Trade Centre, to create a specialised zone for virtual assets – including digital assets, products, operators and exchanges.





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Binance ban off the cards, says Philippine trade and industry department

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A proposal to ban global cryptocurrency exchange Binance from operating in the Philippines will not gather steam due to a lack of regulations towards cryptocurrencies in the country.

The Philippines’ Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) has cited no clear guidelines set out by the country’s central bank, Banko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP), as a dead-stop after a lobbying group called for the prohibition of Binance in early July.

Local think tank Infrawatch PH had asked the DTI to investigate Binance for the promotion of its services and offerings, which the group believed to have been done without the necessary permits.

Binance had looked to acquiesce the parties involved, telling Cointelegraph that it intends to secure virtual asset service provider and e-money issuer licenses in the Philippines.

Related: Terra crash highlights stablecoin risk to financial stability: ECB

Nevertheless, DTI is unable to enforce any ruling against Binance from operating in the country according to their latest correspondence with Infrawatch PH. As reported by Forkast, the department cited a lack of legislation for virtual assets creating a gray area:

“Cryptocurrency and other forms of virtual assets are not consumer products, the Department of Trade and Industry has no jurisdiction to act on applications for sales and promotion permits to promote virtual assets per se in the absence of clear legislation on the matter.”

The DTI noted that the proposal would fall under the auspices of the country’s central bank, which has to date not released any official guidelines or regulations for the use or sale of cryptocurrencies in the Philippines. This would include any companies or service providers conducting sales or promotion activities linked to financial products.