3iQ Middle East Gets Preliminary Nod for Abu Dhabi Category 4 License
Coincheck Group subsidiary 3iQ said its UAE sister company, 3iQ Middle East, has received in-principle approval for a Category 4 license from the Financial Services Authority of ADGM. The license is still going through the approval process rather than being finalized. The move follows 3iQ's partnership with Further, a UAE digital asset investment manager, and its QMAP platform's $100 million in sovereign-linked seed capital, as 3iQ seeks regulated access in major digital asset markets.
3iQ Middle East, the UAE-based sister company of Coincheck Group subsidiary 3iQ, has received preliminary clearance for a Category 4 license from ADGM’s Financial Services Authority. The authorization is not yet final and remains subject to the regulator’s ongoing review.
The development follows 3iQ’s partnership with Further, a UAE firm managing digital-asset investments, and comes as its Managed Account Platform, QMAP, drew $100 million in seed funding linked to sovereign sources. 3iQ is pursuing licensed footholds in key crypto markets and wider availability for qualified investors around the world.
This preliminary license could affect institutional investors seeking regulated crypto exposure in the UAE, potentially giving them more familiar compliance and custody pathways. It may also strengthen Abu Dhabi’s role as a digital-asset hub, drawing service providers and talent. For ordinary retail users, effects may be indirect, arriving through better-regulated products or stricter standards, though final approval and actual operations remain uncertain.