Dubai, United Arab Emirates, June 4, 2026, FinanceWire
Chainberg, the institutional custody arm of global digital asset platform Liminal, has secured an IPA, paving the way for a full VASP license from VARA in Dubai.
Chenbergan institutional-grade digital asset custody platform Initial Approval (IPA) From Dubai Virtual Assets Regulatory Authority (VARA), The penultimate stage before obtaining a full license as a Licensed Virtual Asset Service Provider (VASP) in one of the largest regulated virtual asset markets in the world. Chainberg is the institutional custody arm of Liminal, a leading global digital asset company.
VARA’s in-principle approval confirms that Chainberg has met the regulator’s stringent requirements across its governance, compliance infrastructure, risk management and operational controls to date. The IPA places Chainberg on the publicly accessible VARA registry of those virtual asset entities with in-principle approval – a shortlist that today only includes a handful of dedicated custody providers.
With the IPA in hand, Chainberg will now complete the final regulatory requirements to obtain a full VASP license from VARA, at which point it will be permitted to provide institutional digital asset custody services to qualified investors and institutional clients in and from Dubai.
“Receiving in-principle VARA approval validates the infrastructure and standards we have built at Chainberg from the beginning. Institutional custody requires more than just technology – it requires accountability, governance and trust. We are committed to completing the final steps quickly and look forward to delivering fully regulated, institutional-grade custody services from the heart of Dubai’s world-leading virtual assets ecosystem.”
– Manan Vora, Managing Director and CEO, Chainberg.
What does IPA mean?
Established under Dubai Law No. 4 of 2022, VARA is the world’s first independent regulator dedicated exclusively to virtual assets. Initial approval is only issued after the applicant demonstrates full compliance with VARA’s governance, anti-money laundering, risk management and technology security frameworks – making it a substantive regulatory approval, rather than just a procedural step.
Applicants with an IPA are listed on the VARA public registry but remain prohibited from serving clients until a full VASP license is granted. Dubai’s virtual assets market has recorded a trading volume of more than AED 2.5 trillion since the beginning of 2025, strengthening the emirate’s position as the largest licensed virtual assets ecosystem in the world.
About Chinberg
Chenberg It is a digital asset custody platform designed specifically for institutional clients and qualified investors. Chainberg is the custodial arm of Liminal, a global leader in digital assets.
In Dubai, under the VARA regulatory framework, Chainberg launches with compliance built into its core, combining a custody structure with institutional-level risk controls and governance designed to meet the standards of regulated financial markets. Designed to serve institutional clients across the Asia-Pacific and MENA regions – including digital asset exchanges, hedge funds, asset managers, public institutions, venture capital and investment firms, corporate treasuries and family offices – Chainberg provides secure, auditable and fully regulated access to the virtual assets ecosystem. Core capabilities of the platform include:
- Custody of digital assets at the institutional level.
- A compliance-first qualification process designed for qualified investors and institutional entities.
- Our advanced reporting and governance frameworks are strictly aligned with VARA’s regulatory standards.
Users can visit www.chainberg.com For more information.
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