Coinbase-owned Deribit has secured a Broker Dealer Licence from Dubai’s Virtual Assets Regulatory Authority, allowing the crypto derivatives platform to route customer spot orders directly to Coinbase Exchange for execution.
Deribit Gains Dubai VARA Broker Dealer Licence
Deribit said the new licence from Dubai’s Virtual Assets Regulatory Authority, or VARA, expands its regulated spot trading operations in the emirate. The company has offered spot trading since January 2025 under its existing VARA Exchange Services licence.
The approval allows spot buy, sell and trade orders submitted through Deribit to access Coinbase Exchange for execution. Deribit clients will continue using the existing platform and interface, while eligible transactions will connect with Coinbase’s centralized order book.
Deribit said a limited number of assets will continue trading through its own spot order book. That system will also remain available as a fallback, while the expanded spot service will cover retail, qualified and institutional investors.
Coinbase Exchange Adds Liquidity and New Assets
Routing orders through Coinbase Exchange gives Deribit customers access to a wider range of digital assets and additional spot market liquidity. The integration will add hundreds of assets available through Coinbase Exchange to Deribit’s trading platform.
Assets purchased through the upgraded spot service can also become collateral for derivatives positions on Deribit, subject to regulatory approval. The structure connects Deribit’s derivatives business with Coinbase’s spot market infrastructure following Coinbase’s acquisition of the company.
“This licence marks the moment the Coinbase acquisition starts delivering directly for our clients,” Luuk Strijers, Senior Director and Head of International Derivatives at Coinbase, said.
“By routing spot orders to Coinbase Exchange, we’re combining the platform Deribit clients know and trust with some of the deepest liquidity in crypto and hundreds of new assets,” Strijers added.
Coinbase Expands Regulated International Services
Deribit has operated its global headquarters from Dubai under VARA supervision since early 2025. The company was among the first crypto derivatives exchanges to receive regulatory approval from the Dubai authority, which oversees virtual asset businesses operating in the emirate.
Coinbase has also been expanding regulated products in other international markets. The company recently secured approval in Abu Dhabi to arrange investment deals and provide custody services as it develops services for tokenized securities and onchain capital markets.
In the United Kingdom, Coinbase has started rolling out 24/5 trading for nearly 4,000 U.S. stocks to eligible customers. The phased service includes zero-commission trading, fractional shares starting from £1 and funding through British pounds or USDC.
For UAE users, comparing the best crypto exchanges can help identify platforms that align with the region’s evolving regulatory framework.
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