Not yet. Revolut has held two licences from the Central Bank of the UAE since 17 June 2026, but on 6 November 2026 it had still not opened accounts to UAE residents or announced a launch date. If you already have a Revolut account from a supported country, such as the UK or an EU country, your card works in Dubai and across the UAE.
This guide covers what Revolut is licensed to do in the UAE, what it plans to offer, how a foreign Revolut account works while you live or travel here and which licensed apps you can use in the meantime, including for investing.
In short
- Payment licences: a Stored Value Facilities licence and a Retail Payment Services (Category II) licence from the Central Bank of the UAE (CBUAE) on 17 June 2026, after in-principle approval in September 2025.
- Crypto: in-principle approval from Dubai's Virtual Assets Regulatory Authority (VARA) on 15 July 2026. Revolut still needs final approval before it can offer crypto in the UAE.
- Launch: no public launch and no date yet. Revolut says it is preparing its local products "ahead of a full-scale launch".
- Visitors: a Revolut card opened in a supported country works for payments and ATM withdrawals in the UAE, within your plan's limits.
- Investing: Revolut has not announced stocks or ETFs for the UAE. Interactive Brokers, eToro and Sarwa are licensed locally and open to residents today.
Revolut's licences in the UAE
Revolut has three approvals in the UAE, two of them final. Neither CBUAE licence is a banking licence: they cover holding money in the app and making payments.
| Licence | Regulator | Date | What it covers |
|---|---|---|---|
| Stored Value Facilities | CBUAE | 17 June 2026 | Holding money digitally in the app |
| Retail Payment Services (Category II) | CBUAE | 17 June 2026 | Card payments and local and international transfers |
| Virtual Asset Service Provider (in-principle) | VARA | 15 July 2026 | Buying, selling and holding crypto, once final approval is granted |
Sources: Revolut press releases on its CBUAE licences (17 June 2026) and its VARA approval (15 July 2026).
The UAE business is led by Ambareen Musa, Revolut's GCC CEO, who founded the comparison site Souqalmal before joining Revolut in 2024, according to AGBI. The crypto side sits in a separate company, Revolut Digital Assets FZE. If you want to understand how the CBUAE, VARA and the other regulators split their roles, see our guide to financial regulation in the UAE.
When will Revolut launch in the UAE?
Revolut has not given a date. In its June announcement it said it was focused on preparing its local product offering, infrastructure and customer experience "ahead of a full-scale launch". Payment Expert reported the same day that the full launch was planned for late 2026.
By 6 November 2026 there was no sign of it. The Revolut newsroom had no UAE announcement after the July crypto approval, and Revolut still had no UAE version of its website. Its latest corporate update, on 4 November 2026, listed full bank launches in the UK, Mexico, Australia and New Zealand this year and more than 80 million retail customers worldwide, with no mention of the UAE.
What Revolut plans to offer in the UAE
According to Revolut, UAE customers will be able to:
- Hold and manage several currencies in one app.
- Pay with physical and virtual cards.
- Send money locally and internationally.
- Buy, sell and hold crypto in the Revolut app and on its exchange Revolut X, once VARA grants the final licence.
Revolut has not published UAE prices. As a reference, its free Standard plan in the UK includes 5 ATM withdrawals or £200 per rolling month without a fee (2% after that, minimum £1) and £1,000 of currency exchange per month, with a 1% fair usage fee above it, according to its UK fee page. UAE pricing may differ.
Revolut offers stock trading in some of its other markets, but it has not said whether stocks or ETFs will be part of the UAE launch.
Can you use Revolut in Dubai if you already have an account?
Yes. A Revolut card issued in a supported country, such as the UK or an EU country, works in Dubai and the rest of the UAE for card payments, Apple Pay and Google Pay and ATM withdrawals. Payments in dirhams are converted at the Revolut exchange rate and count towards your plan's monthly exchange limit, and cash withdrawals count towards your free ATM allowance.
What you cannot do is open a new Revolut account with a UAE address. Revolut only opens personal accounts for residents of its supported countries, and the UAE is not on that list yet. A foreign Revolut account also gives you no UAE IBAN, so you cannot receive a UAE salary into it.
Revolut alternatives available in the UAE now
The right alternative depends on what you wanted Revolut for.
| What you need | Revolut in the UAE | Available now |
|---|---|---|
| Account and card | Planned | Wio Bank, Liv, Mashreq Neo |
| Money transfers | Planned | Your bank's app or a digital bank |
| Crypto | In-principle approval | VARA-licensed exchanges |
| Stocks and ETFs | Not announced | Interactive Brokers, eToro, Sarwa |
Revolut's status as of 6 November 2026.
For a digital account and card
Three UAE digital banks give you an app-based account with a local IBAN today: Wio Bank, a digital bank based in Abu Dhabi, Liv, the digital bank of Emirates NBD, and Mashreq Neo, the digital arm of Mashreq. All three are part of banks licensed by the CBUAE.
For investing in stocks and ETFs
Interactive Brokers: regulated by the DFSA through Interactive Brokers (U.K.) Limited (DIFC Branch). You can fund your account in dirhams through a local transfer to First Abu Dhabi Bank, as explained in our article on IBKR's AED funding. US stocks cost from $0.0035 per share (minimum $0.35) and the same account trades the ADX at 0.10% and the DFM at 0.25%. It suits long-term investors with larger portfolios. Read our Interactive Brokers review or open an account with IBKR.
eToro: operates in the UAE through eToro (ME) Limited, regulated by the FSRA in Abu Dhabi Global Market. ETFs trade with 0% commission (other fees apply), US, EU and UK stocks cost $1 per trade, and UAE residents can buy real ADX and DFM shares for $2 per trade. eToro also offers crypto in the same app, which makes it the closest thing to Revolut's all-in-one approach for investors. Check the current eToro welcome offer or visit eToro.
Sarwa: a UAE company regulated by the FSRA. Sarwa Trade charges $1 or 0.25% per trade on US stocks and ETFs, with a $500 minimum, and Sarwa Save pays an estimated 3.8% on Save+ and 4.2% on Save Halal (variable, before its 0.5% annual fee) on cash you are not investing. New users can get up to AED 3,000 with our Sarwa promo code RLLAA29D, or visit Sarwa.
For a wider comparison, see the best trading apps in the UAE.
For crypto
Until Revolut gets its final VARA licence, you can buy crypto on exchanges that are already licensed in the UAE. Our guide to the best crypto exchanges in the UAE compares their licences and fees.
Bottom line
Revolut is licensed by the Central Bank of the UAE since 17 June 2026 and has in-principle crypto approval from VARA since 15 July 2026, but on 6 November 2026 UAE residents still could not open an account and there was no launch date. A Revolut account opened abroad keeps working for spending and cash in the UAE.
If you live in the UAE and want to invest now, Interactive Brokers, eToro and Sarwa are licensed locally and accept residents today. We will update this page when Revolut opens to UAE residents.
Frequently asked questions
Can I open a Revolut account in the UAE?
Not yet. Revolut only opens personal accounts for residents of its supported countries, and it had not launched in the UAE by 6 November 2026.
Is Revolut licensed in the UAE?
Yes. Revolut received a Stored Value Facilities licence and a Retail Payment Services (Category II) licence from the Central Bank of the UAE on 17 June 2026. It also has in-principle approval from VARA for crypto services since 15 July 2026.
When is Revolut coming to the UAE?
Revolut has not announced a date. It says it is preparing for a full-scale launch, and Payment Expert reported in June 2026 that the launch was planned for late 2026.
Can tourists use Revolut in Dubai?
Yes. If your Revolut account was opened in a supported country, your card works for payments and ATM withdrawals in Dubai and across the UAE. Exchange and ATM limits depend on your plan.
Is Revolut a bank in the UAE?
No. Its UAE licences are for stored value and payment services, not banking. Revolut holds banking licences in other countries, such as the UK and Mexico.
Will Revolut offer stocks and crypto in the UAE?
Crypto is planned through the Revolut app and Revolut X once VARA grants the final licence. Revolut has not said whether stocks or ETFs will be available to UAE customers.
What is the best alternative to Revolut in the UAE?
For an everyday account, Wio Bank, Liv and Mashreq Neo are local digital banks. For investing, Interactive Brokers, eToro and Sarwa are licensed in the UAE, and eToro also offers crypto in the same app.
