Matthew White

As the CEO of the Virtual Assets Regulatory Authority (VARA), Matt White has been instrumental in establishing Dubai as a global leader in virtual asset regulation. Under his leadership, VARA became the world’s first independent regulator for virtual assets, setting a gold standard for responsible digital asset governance.

Matt has successfully led the development of a comprehensive, risk-based regulatory framework, ensuring market integrity, investor protection, and innovation-friendly policies. His strategic vision has positioned Dubai as a trusted hub for blockchain, Web3, and digital finance, attracting top-tier global players.

In 2024, Matt spearheaded the licensing of major exchanges, including Binance, OKX, Crypto.com, and Bitpanda, reinforcing Dubai’s status as a hub for top-tier digital asset firms.

Under his leadership, VARA oversaw the first-ever acquisition of a UAE-based crypto exchange, BitOasis, highlighting global confidence in Dubai’s regulatory clarity.

White also played a key role in shaping the future of asset tokenization, carefully navigating the sector’s regulatory development while overseeing projects like ORO, a tokenized gold initiative on Fasset Exchange’s Layer 2 network.

Through strategic oversight and global engagement, White continues to drive VARA’s pioneering approach to responsible digital asset governance.