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Policy updates, China–UAE developments, industry news and official Middle East travel alerts.

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October 13, 2026Source: Analytics Insight

Dubai Regulator Grants Full Virtual Asset Licence to Kraken Parent Payward

Payward, the parent company of cryptocurrency exchange Kraken, has secured full regulatory approval from Dubai's Virtual Assets Regulatory Authority. The licence permits the platform to prepare services for retail, professional, and institutional investors in the UAE, including direct dirham trading and deposits. Payward expects to roll out local operations in the coming weeks following preliminary approval received in May.

Policy & Legal Updates

October 13, 2026Source: ABS Partners

UAE Commercial Companies Law Enables Internal Corporate Re-Domiciliation

ABS Partners analyzed Article 15 bis of the UAE Commercial Companies Law, amended under Federal Decree Law No. 20 of 2025, which establishes a framework for internal corporate re-domiciliation. Companies can transfer between Emirates, Free Zones, and Mainland jurisdictions without losing their legal identity. The statutory procedure prevents the need for company liquidation and maintains existing contracts and banking continuity.

China–UAE News

October 13, 2026Source: Gulf Daily News

China-Abu Dhabi JV Secures $2.7 Billion Al Maktoum Airport Terminal Contract

Dubai Aviation Engineering Projects has awarded a AED 10 billion ($2.7 billion) contract for the West Terminal substructure at Al Maktoum International Airport to a joint venture of China Civil Engineering Construction Corporation and Abu Dhabi-based Tristar Engineering & Construction. The 800,000-square-metre facility will span seven levels and accommodate 45 million passengers annually once complete. The project transitions the airport's $35 billion initial expansion phase into its core construction stage.

China–UAE News

October 13, 2026Source: Emirates News Agency

Dubai-China Non-Oil Trade Reaches AED 363.5 Billion in 2025

Non-oil trade between Dubai and China reached AED 363.5 billion in 2025, marking a 172-fold increase over 35 years. The announcement comes ahead of the Dubai Business Forum in Shenzhen, where Dubai Chambers is leading an economic delegation.