If you are building in Web3, the UAE can feel like a paradox: fast-moving, founder-friendly and yet highly structured once you touch regulated activity. That is exactly why ‘Arabian Crypto: UAE Edition – Success Stories from Digital-Asset Pioneers’ matters.
Written by Charles d’Haussy and Jame DiBiasio, the book is a collection of interviews and ecosystem field notes that explain how the UAE became a global digital-asset hub, through the voices of regulators, founders, exchanges, protocols, and operators across Abu Dhabi and Dubai.
Irina Heaver’s Contribution: UAE Regulations and Business Structuring
Irina Heaver, Founder of NeosLegal, contributes Chapter 26, focused on Web3 advisory in the UAE: how founders should think about UAE regulations and business structuring before they scale.
While each project is different, “Web3 advisory” in the UAE typically comes down to three founder-critical decisions:
First, what you are actually doing from a regulatory standpoint (exchange, brokerage, custody, token issuance, payments, RWA tokenisation, DeFi infrastructure). Misclassifying the activity is the fastest way to lose months.
Second, where to anchor the business: mainland, financial free zones (ADGM/DIFC), or an economic free zone. The choice drives your regulator touchpoints, licensing pathway, banking posture, and investor comfort.
Third, how to structure for fundraising and execution: clean governance, clear token model, compliant onboarding/AML approach, and a roadmap that aligns product milestones with licensing readiness.
Irina frames structuring and compliance as part of strategy, not paperwork.
If you need more detailed, practical guidance on how to scale legally in the UAE, from licensing and structuring to token issuance and RWA, grab your free copy of the Founder’s Guide to UAE Crypto Laws and build with clarity and confidence.
Who Should Read This Book
This book is for founders, investors, product leads and BD teams who want a real, on-the-ground view of UAE crypto regulation, market dynamics and the people building the ecosystem.
Where to Get 'Arabian Crypto' Book
Arabian Crypto: UAE Edition is available worldwide in print and eBook formats on Amazon.
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