Abu Dhabi grants virtual asset firm M2 permission to offer crypto services

cointelegraph.com:

The Financial Services Regulatory Authority (FSRA) of the Abu Dhabi Global Market (ADGM) has granted financial services permission (FSP) to virtual assets firm M2 to operate a multilateral trading facility from the United Arab Emirates capital.

In an Aug. 16 announcement, the Abu Dhabi-headquartered M2 said the regulatory approval would allow institutional and retail clients in the UAE to “buy, sell and custody virtual assets,” such as Bitcoin (BTC) and Ethereum (ETH).

The M2 platform, which is scheduled to launch later in 2023, has been developed over the past year with a long-term vision to establish “the highest levels of trust, security and integrity in the emerging virtual asset class,” the announcement said.

Once live, the M2 platform will also allow UAE users to buy cryptocurrencies using fiat money, as well as access to derivatives and yield services.

“The process of obtaining the license is the first step on our journey, and we will remain in close dialogue with ADGM to ensure transparency around the custody of client assets,” said Stefan Kimmil, chief executive of M2.

منصة تداول الأصول الافتراضية "#إم_تو" تحصل على تصريح الخدمات المالية من سلطة تنظيم الخدمات المالية في #سوق_أبوظبي_العالمي ما سيتيح لها إدارة منشأة تداول ديناميكية جامعة، وتقديم خدمات حفظ آمنة للأصول الافتراضية لسكان دولة #الإمارات، وخدمة العملاء من أفراد ومؤسسات.اعرف المزيد… pic.twitter.com/V984QDdG70

Cointelegraph reached out to M2 for further comments but didn’t receive an immediate response.

“Over the past five years, the ADGM regulatory framework has established clear rules for those operating in the virtual assets sector, and M2 will uphold the highest standards to reflect their vision as the UAE continues to affirm its reputation as a global leader