United Arab Emirates
Zero personal income tax and zero capital gains tax on all crypto activities for individuals. Dubai's VARA provides world-class regulatory framework.
FATCA Partner
Yes
FATF Status
Clear
EU Blacklist
No
Dual Nationality
Allowed
Bitizenship
Not yet
Tax Rates
Activity Taxes
Staking
0% for individuals
Mining
0% for individuals; VAT not exempt for mining
DeFi
0% for individuals
NFTs
0% for individuals
Taxable Events
Crypto → Fiat
Not taxable
Crypto → Crypto
Not taxable
Holding Period
No holding period benefit
No holding period needed - all gains are tax-free
Regulation & Residency
Regulatory Body
VARA (Dubai), ADGM (Abu Dhabi), SCA (Federal)
Residency Requirement
Must be UAE tax resident (183+ days or Golden Visa)
Reporting Requirements
Minimal for individuals; CARF compliance coming
Citizenship & Residency Path
Golden Visa (10yr) via AED 2M+ investment; citizenship rarely granted to foreigners
Notable Conditions
- →Corporate crypto income taxed at 9% above AED 375,000 threshold
- →Free zones (DMCC, DIFC, RAK DAO) offer 0% corporate tax for qualifying businesses
- →5% VAT applies to goods/services purchased with crypto
- →Mining activities excluded from VAT exemption
- →From July 2025, only dirham-backed stablecoins allowed for payments
- →VARA Rulebook V2.0 compliance required for all VASPs in Dubai
Living & Lifestyle
Cost of Living
High (Dubai ranks among world's most expensive cities)
Banking Access
Excellent - Emirates NBD and other major banks now offer crypto services
Quality of Life
Very High
Lifestyle Scores