Robinhood Wins Dubai License to Bring Bitcoin and Stock Trading to the Middle East in 2027
Robinhood Markets has obtained authorization from the Dubai Financial Services Authority to offer retail trading and custody for 10 asset classes, including bitcoin, in the Middle East.
The platform will operate from a new hub in the Dubai International Financial Centre, which will serve as Robinhood’s Middle East and North Africa headquarters.
The DFSA has approved Robinhood to hold client digital assets directly, a key regulatory milestone for the company.
“The DIFC is one of the world’s most important financial hubs, and our expansion there brings us closer to building a global platform that enables anyone, anywhere to own the highest quality financial assets,”
Regional Expansion
Robinhood’s expansion into Dubai extends its strategy of growing beyond the United States, where the app first gained popularity among young investors.
The company has previously entered the UK and the European Union, secured in-principle approval for Singapore, and acquired the Canadian crypto platform WonderFi.
Johann Kerbrat, who leads crypto and international for Robinhood, framed the Dubai move around a wave of new retail investors in the region.
Dubai as a Financial Hub
The Dubai International Financial Centre continues to attract global financial institutions despite regional tensions.
The DIFC has over 10,000 active registered firms and recently opened new commercial towers with tenants including Deutsche Bank and Moody’s.
Competition in the region is intense, with 72 authorized brokerages and several crypto-native exchanges already licensed by Dubai’s Virtual Assets Regulatory Authority.
Next Steps
Robinhood has not yet disclosed which specific countries will be served at launch, how pricing will be structured, or how it will define eligible investors.
The company plans to go live in the region in 2027, with Salah Kaddoura overseeing the build-out of the Dubai team.
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