Deribit’s Potential Move to Dubai: A New Era of Global Trading Opportunities

Deribit, cryptocurrency options, and futures exchange announced plans to shift its headquarters to Dubai from Panama.

Deribit is a leading European-based cryptocurrency derivatives exchange that offers trading in Bitcoin futures and options. Given the platform’s great liquidity and minimal fees, it has become incredibly popular among traders and investors.

According to Bloomberg, Deribit will launch operations in Dubai as early as in the third quarter, after receiving UAE government authorization to operate a virtual asset firm there. The exchange stated it will establish a new office in Dubai and set up a regional hub there using a combination of core staff members and local hiring.

According to David Dohmen, chief legal compliance and regulatory officer at Deribit stated, “We’ve had a few clients that basically suggest to us that they would prefer to trade on a crypto exchange that is properly regulated. We are not regulated in Panama. Additionally, we noted that the regulatory winds were shifting and that there was a global push for regulation.”

In locating a portion of its operations in the UAE, Deribit is joining international competitors like Crypto.com, world’s largest crypto exchange, and Babyit. Compared to other financial authorities that ordered crypto companies to forgo consumer-focused marketing, the country has established a reputation for being crypto-friendly.

Dubai is the go-to-location for cryptocurrency companies that are burdened by high taxes, or governments that are hostile to cryptocurrencies at their residence, which might help the city draw in additional business.

It is noteworthy that UAE was the first nation in the world to establish a specialized regulator for the virtual asset industry. Sheikh Mohammed Bin Rashid, UAE’s Prime Minister and ruler of Dubai announced that the emirate had passed the first law regulating cryptocurrency activity and had established an independent regulator to oversee the sector.

In December, a security breach occurred at Deribit, the largest cryptocurrency options exchange in the world by volume and open interest. Hackers stole nearly $28 million from the exchange’s hot wallets. Nevertheless, the exchange saw healthy volume growth over the past years as more knowledgeable investors came to the cryptocurrency sector. As a result, trading derivatives which enable traders to place bets on the price of cryptocurrencies without the requirement for actual delivery has seen an increase in investor interest.

In summation, Deribit’s planned relocation to Dubai would be a strategic move toward extending its worldwide reach and gaining access to the booming financial ecosystem of the city. Deribit’s long-term growth would benefit from the transfer because it would give access to new traders and investors as well as a better business climate.

Andrew is a blockchain developer who developed his interest in cryptocurrencies while his post-graduation. He is a keen observer of details and shares his passion for writing along with being a developer. His backend knowledge about blockchain helps him give a unique perspective to his writing