Robinhood has received authorisation from the Dubai Financial Services Authority (DFSA) to offer its retail investing platform in the Middle East.
The US brokerage will run its regional operations from the Dubai International Financial Centre (DIFC) and plans to launch its products in 2027.
The authorisation covers trading and custody across all 10 asset classes the DFSA permits, including equities, crypto, ETFs and investment tokens.
Investment tokens are the DFSA’s category for tokens that carry rights similar to traditional securities, such as tokenised shares.
Robinhood said the launch will give local investors expanded access to the global economy.
“The DIFC is one of the world’s most important financial hubs, and our expansion there brings us closer to building a global platform that enables anyone, anywhere to own the highest quality financial assets,”
said Vlad Tenev, Chairman and CEO of Robinhood.
Arif Amiri, Chief Executive Officer of DIFC Authority, said:
“The arrival of one of the world’s most recognised retail investment platforms further strengthens DIFC’s ecosystem and reflects the calibre of international firms choosing Dubai as a base for regional expansion.”
The approval follows an announcement in August 2025 that Robinhood had applied for a DFSA licence and begun hiring in Dubai.
The DFSA’s public register now lists Robinhood MENA Limited as an authorised firm.
Featured image credit: Edited by Fintech News UAE, based on image by georgejmclittle via Magnific
