加载图片中Robinhood wins authorization to offer trading and crypto in Dubai

Robinhood Markets logo (Wikimedia Commons, public domain)

The Dubai Financial Services Authority has cleared Robinhood to offer trading and custody across 10 asset classes, with a regional rollout planned for 2027

Thu 22 Oct 2026 · 10:22 EDT · 3 min read

In Technology

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Robinhood plans to launch its retail investing platform in the Middle East in 2027 after receiving authorization from the Dubai Financial Services Authority.

The company will base its regional headquarters at the Dubai International Financial Centre and offer trading and custody across 10 approved asset classes, including equities, crypto, exchange-traded funds and investment tokens, it said Thursday.

The DIFC will serve as Robinhood’s regional headquarters as the company seeks to connect more investors with global financial markets. Salah Kaddoura, senior executive officer and president of Robinhood MENA, will lead local operations and oversee the expanding team.

Robinhood executives said the launch would bring modern investing tools to a growing base of retail investors across the Middle East and North Africa, while DIFC Authority CEO Arif Amiri said the company’s arrival would strengthen Dubai’s financial services ecosystem.

Part of a broader international push

Dubai is not Robinhood’s first trip abroad. The company has recently expanded into the UK, the EU, Singapore and Canada. Robinhood secured in-principle approval in Singapore in April 2026, then acquired WonderFi in June 2026.

Those international efforts are tied to a customer base of over 1 million people outside the US.

As of March 31, 2026, the DIFC counted 72 authorized brokerage firms. Robinhood is about to become another name on that list.

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What this means for Robinhood, Dubai and regional investors

For Robinhood, the license is less about immediate revenue and more about positioning. A 2027 launch window means any financial contribution from MENA sits well in the future.

The breadth of the approval also matters. Covering all 10 DFSA asset classes means Robinhood will not have to bolt on permissions piecemeal later.

Competition is the obvious hurdle. With 72 authorized brokerages already operating in the DIFC as of March 31, 2026, Robinhood will need to persuade users to switch from platforms they already know.

For Dubai, landing a well-known US retail brand reinforces the emirate’s case that it is a serious, regulated destination for fintech and digital-asset companies. The DIFC has spent years marketing itself as a regulated gateway for fintech and digital-asset firms, and its brokerage roster reflects that effort.

For crypto specifically, the approval adds another regulated on-ramp in a region that has embraced digital assets more openly than many Western markets. Custody permission is the detail worth noting, since it signals the DFSA is comfortable with Robinhood safeguarding client crypto, not just executing trades.

The definition of “eligible investors” will shape how large the addressable market actually is, and the exact product lineup at launch has yet to be detailed.

The things to watch from here are concrete. Look for hiring announcements out of the DIFC, details on which assets appear first, and any updates on the Singapore approval moving from in-principle to full authorization.

Disclosure: This article was edited by John Chen. For more information on how we create and review content, see our Editorial Policy.