Dubai Regulator, Securitize Sign MoU on Tokenized Finance

Crypto Regulation & Tokenization News

Tokenization is moving deeper into regulated financial territory in the United Arab Emirates. Dubai’s Virtual Assets Regulatory Authority (VARA) and Securitize, a tokenization platform backed by BlackRock, signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) on Sept. 3, 2026. The agreement sets up a formal framework for the two organizations to work together on building regulated digital asset markets across the emirate.

The MoU does not announce a specific product or technology. It is designed to define how VARA and Securitize will cooperate over time. A VARA spokesperson told Cointelegraph that the collaboration combines the regulator’s policy perspective with Securitize’s institutional expertise. The shared goal is to help build trusted, regulatedtokenized markets in Dubai. No specific projects were announced as part of the agreement, the spokesperson said.

Regulation Meets Institutional Tokenization

Carlos Domingo, co-founder and CEO of Securitize, said the partnership reflects a broader shift in how the industry operates. He described tokenization as moving from an experimental stage into standard financial infrastructure. He added that engaging directly with regulators is essential during this transition. The agreement also covers efforts to draw digital asset professionals to Dubai and explore how tokenized financial products can evolve within the emirate’s existing regulatory framework.

VARA has been active on the licensing front. It granted its 50th virtual asset service provider (VASP) license to tokenization firm Tribe Tokenisation FZE in June. The MoU with Securitize adds a policy and collaboration dimension to that licensing activity, rather than simply expanding the number of licensed firms.

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RWA Market Hits $38.5B as Holder Count Surges

The broaderreal-world asset (RWA) tokenization market has seen significant growth recently. The total number of RWA holders rose 103% over the past 30 days to reach 3.2 million, according to data from RWA.xyz. The total value of distributed tokenized assets increased 2% over the same period to reach $38.5 billion.

RWA.xyz lists $4.9 billion in distributed asset value on Securitize’s platform, the largest figure among tokenization platforms by that measure. Ondo Finance follows with $3.5 billion. The MoU creates a framework for Securitize to work with VARA on Dubai’s regulated tokenization efforts as financial institutions worldwide explore these products.

Tokenization is also gaining ground elsewhere. The London Stock Exchange was reported days before the VARA announcement to be working with Payward, Kraken’s parent company, to launch tokenized UK stocks on its planned LSE 24 venue in 2027, subject to regulatory approval. The venue is expected to offer 24-hour trading from Monday through Friday. The activity across multiple major financial centers shows that tokenization is drawing greater regulatory and institutional attention.

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