Dubai Virtual Assets Regulatory Authority Releases Token Issuance Guidelines, Clarifying Regulatory Frameworks for Stablecoins and RWAs

According to Cointelegraph, the Dubai Virtual Assets Regulatory Authority (VARA) released its Virtual Asset Issuance Guidance on Thursday, establishing clear requirements for the structural design, disclosure, and distribution of stablecoins and tokenized real-world assets (RWAs). The guidance categorizes token issuances into three pathways: Category 1 covers fiat- and asset-backed virtual assets; Category 2 requires distribution through licensed intermediaries, which are responsible for conducting due diligence and ongoing compliance verification; and Category 3 comprises functionally limited exempt virtual assets. Ruben Bombardi, VARA’s General Counsel, stated that the framework enhances transparency through whitepapers and independent risk disclosure statements, providing issuers with “greater regulatory certainty” and market participants with a “single, dedicated reference point.” This guidance serves as an interpretive document clarifying VARA’s existing Virtual Asset Issuance Rules Handbook—not as newly enacted legislation.