VARA Management & Investment Services Licence: Regulated Crypto Portfolio Management in Dubai
Management & Investment is the licence for firms that manage VA portfolios with discretion on behalf of clients — crypto fund managers, portfolio managers, and VA asset managers.
Operating a VA fund or collective investment scheme
Managing VA allocations within multi-asset mandates
Algorithmic or robo-advisory portfolio management for VA
Key distinction from Advisory: Management firms execute investment decisions on behalf of clients without requiring client approval per transaction.
Capital Requirements
Structure
Paid-Up Capital
With VARA-licensed custodian
Higher of AED 280,000 or 15% of fixed annual overheads
Without VARA-licensed custodian
Higher of AED 500,000 or 25% of fixed annual overheads
Key Requirements
Responsible Individuals
2 RIs — UAE residents, full-time, VARA-approved.
Physical presence
Private office in Dubai required.
Investment policy
Each client mandate requires a documented Investment Policy Statement (IPS) aligned with suitability assessment outcomes.
Performance reporting
Regular portfolio reporting with clear performance calculation methodology and fee disclosure.
Custody
Client VA assets must be held by a VARA-licensed custodian (third-party or in-house Custody licence).
Fund Structures
For fund management, the fund vehicle itself may require separate licensing depending on structure and investor base. Some structures can be held under a single VARA licence; others require both VARA Management authorisation and a supervised fund vehicle. We map the full structure before any application is made.
What We Do for You
Activity scoping
Confirm Management & Investment vs Advisory. The key test: do you execute trades on behalf of clients without per-trade approval? If yes, Management & Investment applies.
Fund structure mapping
VARA management company + fund vehicle structure design.
Custody structuring
Third-party VARA custodian vs in-house Custody licence.
Depending on your fund structure and investor base, the fund vehicle itself may need separate regulatory treatment. The VARA Management licence covers the management company; the fund vehicle is assessed separately. We map the full structure.
For the VA component, VARA authorisation is required. The traditional asset component falls under the relevant regulator (FSRA for ADGM structures, DFSA for DIFC). Cross-regulator structures require careful mapping — we handle this.
VARA sets no minimum AUM. Practically, compliance and capital costs typically make sense from approximately USD 3–5M AUM upward. We provide a cost-benefit analysis for your situation.
Start Your VARA Management & Investment Services Licence Process
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Please note: We do not provide any personalized investment advice, token selection guidance, or transaction recommendations. AMLzone is a compliance consultancy and project management services provider, not a Virtual Asset Advisor.