2025-06-19
The Dubai Virtual Assets Regulatory Authority issues this Rulebook to establish comprehensive regulatory requirements for licensed Virtual Asset Service Providers conducting transfer and settlement services. The framework mandates robust internal policies, explicit client consent for asset encumbrance, and strict liability protocols that require VASPs to refund or restore accounts within twenty-four hours of erroneous executions. Additionally, it enforces detailed public disclosures, standardized receipt issuance, AML/CFT compliance, and legally enforceable default rules to ensure market stability and client protection.
ae.vara@varaconnectصندوق بريد: 9292 دبي، اإلمارات العربية المتحدة - سُلطة تنظيم األصول االفتراضية varaconnect@vara.ae - PO Box 9292, Dubai, UAE - Virtual Assets Regulatory Authority VA Transfer and Settlement Services Rulebook 19 May 2025
ae.vara@varaconnectصندوق بريد: 9292 دبي، اإلمارات العربية المتحدة - سُلطة تنظيم األصول االفتراضية varaconnect@vara.ae - PO Box 9292, Dubai, UAE - Virtual Assets Regulatory Authority 2 Contents INTRODUCTION....................................................................................................................................................................3 I. PART I – POLICIES, PROCEDURES AND PUBLIC DISCLOSURES.....................................................4 A. Policies and procedures.........................................................................................................................................................4 B. Public disclosures......................................................................................................................................................................4 II. PART II – VA TRANSFER AND SETTLEMENT RULES...........................................................................6 A. General requirements.............................................................................................................................................................6 B. Property interests and protection of client Virtual Assets................................................................................6 C. Authorisation and responsibility for transmissions, transfers and/or settlements.............................7 D. Client disclosures ......................................................................................................................................................................8 E. Exchange, trade or conversion........................................................................................................................................10 F. Receipts.......................................................................................................................................................................................11 G. Benchmark global standards ...........................................................................................................................................12 H. Default Rules............................................................................................................................................................................12 SCHEDULE 1 – DEFINITIONS........................................................................................................................................15
ae.vara@varaconnectصندوق بريد: 9292 دبي، اإلمارات العربية المتحدة - سُلطة تنظيم األصول االفتراضية varaconnect@vara.ae - PO Box 9292, Dubai, UAE - Virtual Assets Regulatory Authority 3 Introduction The Dubai Virtual Assets Regulatory Authority ("VARA") was established and authorised by Law No. (4) of 2022 Regulating Virtual Assets in the Emirate of Dubai ("Dubai VA Law") to regulate Virtual Asset Service Providers ("VASPs"), including to issue authorisations to conduct regulated Virtual Asset Activities ("VA Activities"). This VA Transfer and Settlement Services Rulebook is issued pursuant to, and forms part of, the Virtual Assets and Related Activities Regulations 2023, as may be amended from time to time ("Regulations"), issued by VARA, and applies to all VASPs Licensed by VARA to carry out VA Transfer and Settlement Services in and/or from the Emirate. This VA Transfer and Settlement Services Rulebook applies in addition to all other requirements in the Regulations as may be in force from time to time. As such, VASPs Licensed by VARA to carry out VA Transfer and Settlement Services must also comply with the following Rulebooks applicable to all VASPs—
ae.vara@varaconnectصندوق بريد: 9292 دبي، اإلمارات العربية المتحدة - سُلطة تنظيم األصول االفتراضية varaconnect@vara.ae - PO Box 9292, Dubai, UAE - Virtual Assets Regulatory Authority 4 I. Part I – Policies, Procedures and Public Disclosures A. Policies and procedures
ae.vara@varaconnectصندوق بريد: 9292 دبي، اإلمارات العربية المتحدة - سُلطة تنظيم األصول االفتراضية varaconnect@vara.ae - PO Box 9292, Dubai, UAE - Virtual Assets Regulatory Authority 5 2. Other disclosable matters. To the extent permissible under applicable laws, VASPs providing VA Transfer and Settlement Services shall publish on their website, or by other publicly accessible means— a. details of any past convictions or prosecutions of any member(s) of their Senior Management or Board, whether before the courts of the UAE or the courts of another jurisdiction; and b. any such other information relating to their business or activities as VARA may reasonably require. 3. The disclosure requirements set out in this Rule I.B of the VA Transfer and Settlement Services Rulebook are in addition to all disclosures required under the Market Conduct Rulebook, and to all notifications to VARA required under the Compliance and Risk Management Rulebook.
ae.vara@varaconnectصندوق بريد: 9292 دبي، اإلمارات العربية المتحدة - سُلطة تنظيم األصول االفتراضية varaconnect@vara.ae - PO Box 9292, Dubai, UAE - Virtual Assets Regulatory Authority 6 II. Part II – VA Transfer and Settlement Rules A. General requirements
ae.vara@varaconnectصندوق بريد: 9292 دبي، اإلمارات العربية المتحدة - سُلطة تنظيم األصول االفتراضية varaconnect@vara.ae - PO Box 9292, Dubai, UAE - Virtual Assets Regulatory Authority 7 2. The consent required under Rule II.B.1 of this VA Transfer and Settlement Services Rulebook must be secured through explicit instruction from, or acceptance by the client prior to the VASP carrying out any VA Transfer and Settlement Services for that client, but is not required on a per transmission, transfer and/or settlement basis, unless explicitly required by the client, insofar as the said transmission, transfer and/or settlement meets the conditions consented to by the client. C. Authorisation and responsibility for transmissions, transfers and/or settlements
ae.vara@varaconnectصندوق بريد: 9292 دبي، اإلمارات العربية المتحدة - سُلطة تنظيم األصول االفتراضية varaconnect@vara.ae - PO Box 9292, Dubai, UAE - Virtual Assets Regulatory Authority 8 4. A recipient's VASP (if applicable) is responsible for the systemic readiness and infrastructural functioning of VA Wallets and/or accounts of its clients for the purposes of receiving Virtual Assets, as well as providing all routing information that is necessary for a transmission, transfer and/or settlement to be completed when requested by the sender's VASP. To the extent that any Virtual Assets transmission, transfer and/or settlement is not received by the target recipient, the recipient VASP shall only be liable if and when the sender's VASP can establish that it has executed the transmission, transfer and/or settlement in accordance with the instructions, and that the error was caused by the recipient's VASP. 5. VASPs must maintain records of all client instructions for a period of eight (8) years. D. Client disclosures
ae.vara@varaconnectصندوق بريد: 9292 دبي، اإلمارات العربية المتحدة - سُلطة تنظيم األصول االفتراضية varaconnect@vara.ae - PO Box 9292, Dubai, UAE - Virtual Assets Regulatory Authority 9 iii. when they will be assessed; b. information about execution times; c. whether the client has a right to stop or amend a pre-authorised transmission, transfer and/or settlement, or revoke authorisation for a transmission, transfer and/or settlement, including the required procedure to initiate stop-settlement orders, or revoke the authorisation for a subsequent transmission, transfer and/or settlement; d. the client's and the VASP's respective liabilities for any unauthorised, mistaken, or accidental transmission, transfer and/or settlement; e. general error-resolution rights that apply to transmission, transfer and/or settlement; f. the client's right to receive periodic account statements and Virtual Asset valuations from the VASP; g. the client's right to receive a receipt or other evidence of a Virtual Asset transmission, transfer and/or settlement; and h. to the extent relevant— i. any ability of the VASP to vary unilaterally the terms of any contract with the client for the provision of VA Transfer and Settlement Services, and client's right to terminate such contract. If the client is a Retail Investor, terms and conditions shall specify—
ae.vara@varaconnectصندوق بريد: 9292 دبي، اإلمارات العربية المتحدة - سُلطة تنظيم األصول االفتراضية varaconnect@vara.ae - PO Box 9292, Dubai, UAE - Virtual Assets Regulatory Authority 10 ii. any ability of the VASP and/or client to terminate a contract for the provisions of VA Transfer and Settlement Services. If the client is a Retail Investor, the terms and conditions shall—
ae.vara@varaconnectصندوق بريد: 9292 دبي، اإلمارات العربية المتحدة - سُلطة تنظيم األصول االفتراضية varaconnect@vara.ae - PO Box 9292, Dubai, UAE - Virtual Assets Regulatory Authority 11 only to limitations or malfunctioning of any DLT in the event they are not controlled directly or indirectly by the VASP or its Group; and f. remain directly responsible to their clients for the completion of the transmission, transfer and/or settlement as relevant. F. Receipts
ae.vara@varaconnectصندوق بريد: 9292 دبي، اإلمارات العربية المتحدة - سُلطة تنظيم األصول االفتراضية varaconnect@vara.ae - PO Box 9292, Dubai, UAE - Virtual Assets Regulatory Authority 12 d. full details of all exchanges, trades or conversions completed in the course of the transmission, transfer and/or settlement (if applicable), including times, rates of exchange and all fees. 3. VASPs must maintain all receipts provided in accordance with Rules II.F.1 and II.F.2 of this VA Transfer and Settlement Services Rulebook for a period of eight (8) years. G. Benchmark global standards
ae.vara@varaconnectصندوق بريد: 9292 دبي، اإلمارات العربية المتحدة - سُلطة تنظيم األصول االفتراضية varaconnect@vara.ae - PO Box 9292, Dubai, UAE - Virtual Assets Regulatory Authority 13 more transmission, transfer and/or settlement, which enable action to be taken in respect of the unsettled transmission, transfer and/or settlement to which the client has undertaken obligations or is a party ("Default Rules"). 2. Such Default Rules must be appropriate, and demonstrate due consideration, for all risks given the nature of transmission, transfer and/or settlement, including but not limited to the following— a. effecting any close-out transfers of a defaulting client's assets or positions (as applicable) to the VASP or a non-defaulting client; b. the application of the proceeds of liquidation and/or other funds and assets of the defaulting client; c. the use of a default contribution fund mechanism pertaining to clients' pre-funded contributions becoming applicable in the event of a default; d. all remaining rights and liabilities of the defaulting client in respect of an unsettled transmission, transfer and/or settlement; e. segregation and portability arrangements, including the method for determining the value at which client positions will be transferred; f. provisions ensuring that losses that arise as a result of any default do not threaten the solvency of the VASPs providing VA Transfer and Settlement Services, and that the VASP can continue to provide the services and carry out the activities; and g. restriction of any further transmission, transfer, trade or termination of a client's access to the VA Transfer and Settlement Services in the event of such client's failure to meet its obligations in respect of one or more transmission, transfer or trade. 3. The Default Rules shall clearly define and specify: a. circumstances which constitute a default, addressing both financial and operational default, and how the different types of default may be treated by the VASP providing VA Transfer and Settlement Services; b. the method for identifying a default, including any automatic or discretionary default scenarios, and how the discretion is exercised in any relevant default scenarios; c. potential changes to the normal settlement practices in a default scenario;
ae.vara@varaconnectصندوق بريد: 9292 دبي، اإلمارات العربية المتحدة - سُلطة تنظيم األصول االفتراضية varaconnect@vara.ae - PO Box 9292, Dubai, UAE - Virtual Assets Regulatory Authority 14 d. the management of transmissions or transfer at different stages of processing a transmission, transfer and/or settlement; e. the treatment of Client Money and/or Client VAs; f. the probable sequencing of actions that the VASP providing VA Transfer and Settlement Services will expect to take under the Default Rules; g. the roles, obligations and responsibilities of various parties, including the VASP providing VA Transfer and Settlement Services, the defaulting client and non-defaulting clients; h. how to contain the chain effect of the defaulting client's obligations and its implications in the wider ecosystem including, but not limited to, other clients of the VASP; i. how to address the allocation of any credit losses it may face, as a result of any individual or combined default, and how stress events are dealt with; j. any other mechanisms that may be activated to contain the impact of a default, including— i. whether the VASP maintains a default contribution fund, whereby defaulting and non-defaulting clients' or participants' pre-funded contributions are applied to cover the losses or shortfalls resulting from a default on the basis of a predetermined order of priority; and ii. a resolution regime of the defaulting participant, involving 'porting' or transferring the open positions and margin related to client transactions to a non-defaulting participant, receiver, third party or bridge financial company. 4. Default Rules should be reviewed and tested at least annually, or following material changes to the rules and procedures, to ensure that they are practical and effective.
ae.vara@varaconnectصندوق بريد: 9292 دبي، اإلمارات العربية المتحدة - سُلطة تنظيم األصول االفتراضية varaconnect@vara.ae - PO Box 9292, Dubai, UAE - Virtual Assets Regulatory Authority 15 Schedule 1 – Definitions Term Definition "AML/CFT" has the meaning ascribed to it in the Regulations. "Board" has the meaning ascribed to it in the Company Rulebook. "CBUAE" means the Central Bank of the United Arab Emirates. "Client Agreements" has the meaning ascribed to it in the Market Conduct Rulebook. "Client Money" has the meaning ascribed to it in the Compliance and Risk Management Rulebook. "Client VA" has the meaning ascribed to it in the Compliance and Risk Management Rulebook. "Company Rulebook" means the Company Rulebook issued by VARA pursuant to the Regulations, as may be amended from time to time. "Default Rules" has the meaning ascribed to it in Rule II.H.1 of this VA Transfer and Settlement Services Rulebook. "Distributed Ledger Technology" or "DLT" has the meaning ascribed to the term 'Distributed Ledger Technology' in the Dubai VA Law. "Dubai VA Law" means Law No. (4) of 2022 Regulating Virtual Assets in the Emirate of Dubai, as may be amended from time to time. "Emirate" means all zones across the Emirate of Dubai, including Special Development Zones and Free Zones but excluding the Dubai International Financial Centre. "Entity" means any legal entity or individual. "Group" has the meaning ascribed to it in the Company Rulebook. "Licence" has the meaning ascribed to it in the Regulations. "Licensed" means having a valid Licence. "Market Conduct Rulebook" means the Market Conduct Rulebook issued by VARA pursuant to the Regulations, as may be amended from time to time.
ae.vara@varaconnectصندوق بريد: 9292 دبي، اإلمارات العربية المتحدة - سُلطة تنظيم األصول االفتراضية varaconnect@vara.ae - PO Box 9292, Dubai, UAE - Virtual Assets Regulatory Authority 16 Term Definition "Regulations" means the Virtual Assets and Related Activities Regulations 2023, as may be amended from time to time. "Retail Investor" has the meaning ascribed to it in the Market Conduct Rulebook. "Rule" has the meaning ascribed to it in the Regulations. "Rulebook" has the meaning ascribed to it in the Regulations. "Senior Management" has the meaning ascribed to it in the Company Rulebook. "Technology and Information Rulebook" means the Technology and Information Rulebook issued by VARA pursuant to the Regulations, as may be amended from time to time. "Travel Rule" has the meaning ascribed to it in the Compliance and Risk Management Rulebook. "UAE" means the United Arab Emirates. "VA Activity" means the activities listed in Schedule 1 of the Regulations, as may be amended from time to time. "VA Transfer and Settlement Services" has the meaning ascribed to it in Schedule 1 of the Regulations. "VA Transfer and Settlement Services Rulebook" means this VA Transfer and Settlement Services Rulebook issued by VARA pursuant to the Regulations, as may be amended from time to time. "VA Wallet" has the meaning ascribed to the term 'Virtual Asset Wallet' in the Dubai VA Law. "VARA" means the Dubai Virtual Assets Regulatory Authority. "VASP" means an Entity authorised by VARA to conduct VA Activity(ies) in the Emirate. "Virtual Asset" or "VA" has the meaning ascribed to it in the Dubai VA Law.