Binance has secured three new licences in Abu Dhabi, tightening its grip on one of the most ambitious digital asset hubs in the Middle East and giving the exchange a powerful regulatory base as it pushes to keep institutional money on side.
The Financial Services Regulatory Authority of Abu Dhabi Global Market has approved Binance.com to operate through a trio of regulated entities that together cover exchange, clearing and broker dealer activities.
The authorizations were granted during Abu Dhabi Finance Week and apply to Binance’s global platform, not just a regional offshoot, which is a key point for professional traders watching where the exchange can legally serve them.
Binance Builds Multi-Entity Structure For Exchange, Clearing And Trading
Under the new structure, Nest Services Limited, which will be renamed Nest Exchange Limited, has been approved as a recognized investment exchange with permission to run a multilateral trading facility. It will host Binance’s on exchange business, including spot and derivatives markets.
Nest Clearing and Custody Limited has been approved as a recognized clearing house with added custody and securities depository permissions, putting it in charge of clearing, settlement and safekeeping of digital assets.
A third entity, BCI Limited, set to become Nest Trading Limited, holds a broker dealer licence that covers dealing and arranging in investments, asset management, custody arrangements and money services, including over the counter trading and conversion.
Binance Leans On ADGM Regime To Reinforce Compliance And Global Reach
Binance has described the package as a comprehensive regulatory framework for Binance.com and a global first for the platform. The company says the approvals give it a cleaner path into multiple markets beyond the UAE and help it present itself as a more predictable counterparty to institutions that have grown wary of loosely regulated venues after a series of blow ups.
Richard Teng, Binance’s co-chief executive and a former senior executive at Abu Dhabi Global Market, said in a statement that working under the authority’s regime reflects a commitment to compliance, transparency and user protection.
He argued that the licence brings regulatory clarity and legitimacy and allows Binance to support its global operations from Abu Dhabi while keeping a distributed operating model that taps talent around the world.
Rising Crypto Investments Show Abu Dhabi Positioning Itself As Digital Finance Hub
For Abu Dhabi, the deal fits neatly into a broader push to turn its oil wealth and sovereign funds into long term exposure to digital assets and financial technology. The emirate, which sits on roughly $2 trillion in sovereign wealth, has been steadily increasing its footprint in crypto.
The Abu Dhabi Investment Council, an independently run arm of Mubadala Investment, more than tripled its holding in BlackRock’s iShares Bitcoin Trust during the third quarter, taking the position to almost 8m shares as of Sept. 30, worth about $518m at the time.
Binance also has direct financial ties to the city. In March, the exchange secured a $2b investment from AI-focused investor MGX, chaired by Sheikh Tahnoon bin Zayed Al Nahyan, one of the most influential figures in the emirate’s financial and security establishment.
That backing and the new licences deepen the sense that Abu Dhabi sees Binance as a core piece of its digital finance strategy.
The exchange has not yet named a global headquarters, but Teng has previously called the UAE an attractive option. With Abu Dhabi Global Market now authorised to host Binance.com’s regulated activities from January 5, 2026, the city will remain high on the list of possible long term bases, especially as more institutional clients demand clear regulatory anchors.
Binance Looks To Rebuild Trust As New Licences Follow Turbulent Period
The approvals come after a difficult period for Binance on the enforcement front. Founder Changpeng Zhao stepped down as chief executive in 2023 after pleading guilty to breaking US anti money laundering laws.
The company agreed to pay more than $4.3b to settle a years long US investigation. Zhao was pardoned by President Donald Trump in October this year, removing a major legal cloud for the former CEO, but regulators and counterparties still expect Binance to prove that it can operate with tighter controls.
Binance says it now has more than 300m registered users and over $125 trillion in cumulative trading volume. It argues that operating under Abu Dhabi’s rules will give both retail and institutional users stronger comfort on oversight and consumer protection as it pushes toward its long stated goal of serving 1b people.
The leadership team is shifting as the regulatory architecture firms up. Last week, Teng named Binance co founder Yi He as the company’s new co-chief executive.
He described her as a driving force since the exchange’s launch, and credited her with shaping its culture, vision and user focused approach. Her formal elevation signals that Binance wants to present a more structured leadership bench as it leans further into regulated markets.
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