Dubai has strengthened digital asset oversight through updates from the Dubai Financial Services Authority and the Virtual Assets Regulatory Authority. The DFSA removed its recognised token list within the Dubai International Financial Centre, shifting responsibility to firms for crypto suitability assessments and governance. VARA introduced stricter due diligence measures for high-risk jurisdictions, reinforcing AML/CFT compliance and firm-level accountability across Dubai’s crypto market.

The UAE's introduction of an Advance Pricing Agreement ('APA') framework marks a significant milestone in the country's corporate tax evolution. With the release of the Federal Tax Authority's Corporate Tax Guide on Advance Pricing Agreements (CTGAPA1), taxpayers now have a structured mechanism to obtain prospective certainty on transfer pricing outcomes.

Based on my professional experience working closely with government entities across multiple jurisdictions, one reality has become increasingly clear that despite the scale of ambition and investment behind government transformation programs, many struggle to translate intent into lasting impact.