UAE Government Accepts Cryptocurrencies as Securities, to Legalize ICOs in 2019

The United Arab Emirates is spearheading cryptocurrency adoption in the Gulf region and intends to introduce initial coin offerings as a legal means-of-fundraising in 2019, reported Reuters on Oct. 8.UAE's ICO Push.

Rulers of the seven Emirates are striving to create other industry in the country, such as tourism and banking, and introducing robust ICO regulations could mean an influx of blockchain talent to its shores in the near future.

UAE's Emirates Securities and Commodities Authority, the country's financial regulator, stated on Oct. 7, at a seminar that digital tokens will be considered as securities and provide legal companies as a legitimate method of crowd-based fundraising.

"The board of the Emirates Securities & Commodities Authority has approved considering ICOs as securities. As per our plan, we should have regulations on the ground in the first half of 2019.".

The SCA is reportedly drafting ICO regulations in consultation with subject experts and the stock market heads of Abu Dhabi and Dubai.

The Emirates' move comes on the heels of low oil prices that has constrained the region's economic bedrock and impacted IPOs on Gulf stock markets.

With this in mind, cryptocurrencies have proven to be a saving light for oil economies, at least on paper.

In September, Abu Dhabi Global Market executive Richard Teng called for the proper regulation of the cryptocurrency market while highlighting that crypto-scams make investors lose interest in the asset class after every instance.

ADGM is known for publishing clear guidance on cryptocurrencies and ICOs in 2017.

The document detailed and clarified how ICOs can be deployed as a mechanism to raise funds and stated token investments could be treated as "Special investments."