From Wednesday, Google requires a UAE licence and its own certification for every crypto exchange and software-wallet ad aimed at the Emirates

Advertisers that want to reach users in the United Arab Emirates with crypto exchange or wallet ads now need two permissions: a local licence and Google's certification. From Wednesday, Google's financial products and services policy allows ads for cryptocurrency exchanges and software wallets that target the UAE only when the advertiser holds a licence from one of four named authorities, the Capital Market Authority (CMA), the Dubai Financial Services Authority (DFSA), the Financial Services Regulatory Authority (FSRA) or the Virtual Assets Regulatory Authority (VARA), and is also certified by Google, according to the policy page. Other local legal requirements still apply, the page says.

Complex speculative products face a shorter list. Ads for products such as contracts for difference and rolling spot forex are permitted only for advertisers licensed by the CMA, the DFSA or the FSRA, together with Google certification, Crypto Briefing reported; VARA is not on the list for those products.

The policy applies globally to all accounts that advertise these products, per Google's page, Crypto Briefing and PANews, so an exchange based elsewhere cannot aim these ads at users in the UAE without one of the four licences. Google's page says a warning will be issued at least seven days before any account suspension, rather than suspending at once, as Crypto Briefing also reported. Crypto Briefing said the update clarifies licensing after regulatory changes in the UAE; neither it nor PANews described the earlier rules in detail.

What it means: Google's change ties advertising reach in the UAE to a local licence. Firms without one cannot run Google ads for these products aimed at users in the UAE until they obtain one and complete Google's certification.