VARA demonstrates how regulators, market can work in tandem: VARA Vice Chair

Deepa Raja Carbon told Cointelegraph that VARA took a collaborative approach and consulted stakeholders, legislators and the general public to develop its virtual asset regulatory guidelines.

The Virtual Assets Regulatory Authority [VARA] is one of the earliest world regulatory bodies to release comprehensive crypto assets regulations to promote crypto-related activities in Dubai. Established in March 2022, VARA was created to promote the Emirate as a regional and international hub for virtual assets and related services.

VARA released a comprehensive regulatory framework for virtual asset service providers (VASP) in February this year. The regulatory framework includes four compulsory rulebooks and activity-specific rulebooks for VASPs. These rules will govern VASPs operating within the Dubai region only. The VARA framework also includes a rulebook for marketing, advertising and promotions by VASPs.

Cointelegraph spoke to Deepa Raja Carbon, Managing Director and Vice Chair at VARA, to gain insight into regulatory bodies’ views on the nascent technology and critical challenges they faced while establishing the framework for the crypto assets. When enquired about VARA’s approach toward virtual assets and what made them successful compared to other global regulators, Raja said that VARA’s unique proposition lies in its agility and collaborative ethos and its ability to respond swiftly to market needs.

Raja explained that VARA follows the ethos underpinning a philosophy that seeks to “find the highest point of convergence as a universal threshold rather than a minimum standard baseline is what will ultimately elevate and scale the entire ecosystem.”

“VARA is setting a precedent for how regulators can work in cohort with the market, dynamically adjusting to its pulse to sculpt a regulatory environment that is robust, resilient, and responsive: the 3R-Pyramid. It is this combination of speed, collaboration, and unwavering dedication to quality that defines our progress and, we believe, will help usher in a new era of borderless economic opportunity with traceable, hence minimized, cross-border risks,” Raja added.

When asked about the key challenges faced by VARA while establishing these virtual asset frameworks, the vice chair noted that crafting guidelines for a nascent industry like virtual assets is undeniably challenging. She added that the regulatory body rigorously analyzed existing frameworks and keenly observed the learning curves experienced by other regulatory bodies.

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Raja told Cointelegraph that the regulatory body followed an inherently consultative and collaborative approach by engaging with various stakeholders ranging from industry leaders to innovators, peer regulators to legislators, and the common public.

“We ensured our guidelines are not only comprehensive but also resonate with the needs and realities of the market. By working in concert with Dubai’s established entities like DET and the DFZC for Mainland and the various free zones, we’ve crafted a unified and fungible framework.”

VARA’s crypto regulations aim to make Dubai one of the industry’s hot spots as more countries in the East look to attract virtual asset businesses. Hong Kong has also made big strides in crypto regulation in 2023, setting up various regulatory guidelines for crypto platforms catering to retail and institutional clients.

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