Robinhood wins authorization to offer trading and crypto in Dubai

Robinhood plans to launch its retail investing platform in the Middle East in 2027 after receiving authorization from the Dubai Financial Services Authority. The company will base its regional headquarters at the Dubai International Financial Centre and offer trading and custody across 10 approved asset classes, including equities, crypto, exchange-traded funds and investment tokens, it said Thursday. The DIFC will serve as Robinhood’s regional headquarters as the company seeks to connect more investors with global financial markets. Salah Kaddoura, senior executive officer and president of Robinhood MENA, will lead local operations and oversee the expanding team. Robinhood executives said the launch would bring modern investing tools to a growing base of retail investors across the Middle East and North Africa, while DIFC Authority CEO Arif Amiri said the company’s arrival would strengthen Dubai’s financial services ecosystem. Part of a broader international push Dubai is not Robinhood’s first trip abroad. The company has recently expanded into the UK, the EU, Singapore and Canada. Robinhood secured in-principle approval in Singapore in April 2026, then acquired WonderFi in June 2...