Flowdesk’s VARA approval follows its MiCA authorization in France as crypto firms build regulated operations across major global markets. Flowdesk, an institutional crypto market maker backed by Coinbase Ventures and BlackRock, has received a full broker-dealer license in Dubai, expanding its ability to serve institutional investors in the emirate. On Tuesday, Flowdesk said Dubai’s Virtual Assets Regulatory Authority granted the license to its local entity, Flowdesk Omega FZE, allowing it to provide regulated broker-dealer services to qualified and institutional investors in and from Dubai. Earlier this month, crypto market maker Wintermute launched a US broker-dealer, allowing it to trade stocks and options. Related: SoFi taps BitGo to provide infrastructure for bank-issued stablecoin