First digital assets market maker and broker-dealer from Singapore to achieve an In-Principle Approval from the FSRA of ADGM

QCP, a global institutional digital assets company, today announced that they have received In-Principle Approval from the Financial Services Regulatory Authority (FSRA) of Abu Dhabi Global Market (ADGM) to conduct regulated activities. The decision to make a move into this strategic market for the company’s footprint was in anticipation that the Middle East is going to become a dominant global hub for capital flowing into traditional and digital assets.

The IPA marks a significant milestone in QCP’s journey and commitment towards becoming a regulated digital assets business. A major reason QCP has chosen ADGM as a base for its expansion is that the FSRA exists as the first regulator globally to introduce and implement a comprehensive and bespoke regulatory framework for the regulation of exchanges, custodians, brokers, and other intermediaries engaged in virtual asset activities.

Founded in 2017, in the early days of the rise of digital assets, QCP is a pioneer in a rapidly growing segment. It is one of the largest trading desks in the world for digital asset derivatives and provider of trading solutions and structured strategies. Ernst & Young finds that as of September 2023, the monthly volume of crypto derivatives stands at US$1.33 trillion, which is nearly four times the size of the crypto spot market. With most of the crypto derivative market currently existing outside the US, Abu Dhabi and the UAE have a lot of potential to capture this market segment. 

Melvin Deng, CEO, QCP said, “The IPA is a significant development for us and advances our goal of embracing greater regulation. We are committed to meeting ADGM’s transparent and high standards of regulatory compliance. Our intention is to be a responsible player that wants to support market confidence. We are proud to be the first Singaporean digital asset market maker and broker-dealer to set up here in the market and hope we can encourage others to venture into this dynamic market.” 

Arvind Ramamurthy, Chief of Market Development at ADGM said, “We congratulate QCP on receiving its IPA from ADGM and welcome them to Abu Dhabi’s thriving international financial centre. With a leading trading desk and digital asset capabilities, we look forward to QCP's integration into ADGM's ecosystem.”