7Jurisdictions
Where the company is incorporated decides which courts hear a dispute, whether it can trade onshore, and which regulator must licence the activity. Incorporation and licensing are separate questions.
| Structure | Mainland | Free zone | Financial free zone | Offshore |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Foreign ownership | Full | Full | Full | Full |
| Can trade in the UAE | Yes | Via distributor | Via distributor | No |
| Residence visas | Yes | Yes | Yes | No |
| Courts and law | UAE courts | UAE courts | Common law | By contract |
| Crypto licence path | DET and VARA | Zone and VARA | FSRA or DFSA | None available |
| Tax position | Standard rate | QFZP possible | QFZP possible | Substance tested |
| Banking appetite | Moderate | Selective | Strongest | Difficult |
Direct access to the onshore UAE market, with two permissions to hold rather than one.
Can trade in the UAEFast, cost-effective incorporation. Incorporation only — the virtual-asset licence is separate.
Cannot trade in the UAEA lower cost base and a Web3-oriented zone — outside VARA's perimeter, and outside its protection.
Cannot trade in the UAEAn English common-law jurisdiction with its own courts and the longest-standing virtual-asset framework in the country.
Cannot trade in the UAECarved out of VARA's perimeter, with its own courts and a statutory digital-assets property regime.
Cannot trade in the UAEOnshore Abu Dhabi, licensed by ADDED, with the federal perimeter above it rather than an emirate-level one.
Can trade in the UAEHolding layers above the licensed company. No trading, no visas, no operating licence.
Cannot trade in the UAE