PU Prime Follows the Trend, Enters the UAE with a Cat 5 Licence

Tuesday, 10/02/2026 | 08:53 GMT by Arnab Shome
  • The licence will allow the broker to promote and market its CFD products through offshore entities.
  • The broker joins a long list of other firms that have obtained the same licence from the UAE regulator.
Dubai UAE
Dubai's skyline

PU Prime has become the latest contracts for differences (CFDs) broker to gain a licence in Dubai and, like most others, has opted for an introducing broker-equivalent Category 5 licence.

UAE Is the Next Hub for Brokers

According to the register of the Capital Market Authority (CMA), which was recently renamed from the Securities & Commodities Authority (SCA), the licence will allow the broker to introduce and promote products offered by other offshore entities.

However, the Cat 5 licence does not allow firms to hold client assets or execute trades locally. They must redirect UAE-based clients to other offshore entities.

Although the Cat 1 licence offers full brokerage status in the UAE, the conditions are much higher compared to the popular Cat 5 option. For instance, the Cat 1 licence requires at least AED 30 million in capital, while the requirement for Cat 5 is only AED 500,000.

Category 1 licensees are also required to maintain larger operating teams and office setups, including more senior control functions and stronger operational infrastructure.

Two licenses from Dubai's CMA for CFD brokers

These factors have likely pushed XM, Exinity, VT Markets, Eightcap, EC Markets, Pepperstone, Taurex, and many others to secure the Cat 5 licence in the UAE. However, some brokers are willing to bear the higher cost. Plus500, XTB, Deriv, and RoboMarkets are among the well-known firms that have secured Category 1 licences. There are also newer Dubai-based entrants that have chosen the full brokerage route.

PU Prime’s Expansion Plan

Founded in 2015, PU Prime primarily operates under offshore licences, including those in Mauritius and Seychelles. It also holds a licence from the regulator in South Africa and obtained one from the Australian watchdog last year by acquiring the Australian business of Admirals.

PU Prime’s entry into the UAE also shows that brokers see the region as attractive.

While detailed local data are limited, several brokers have pointed to rising demand in the region.

Capital.com reported that 52 per cent of its H1 2025 trading volume came from the Middle East, compared with 15 per cent from Europe. The broker had 35,000 MENA traders, compared with 61,400 in Europe. In addition, 71.7 per cent of Capital.com’s $804.1 billion trading volume in MENA was generated by UAE-based traders.

CFI Financial, another Middle East-focused CFD broker, handled a record $2.07 trillion in trading volume during the fourth quarter of 2025. By comparison, the broker’s total trading volume for the whole of 2024 was $2.79 trillion.

PU Prime has become the latest contracts for differences (CFDs) broker to gain a licence in Dubai and, like most others, has opted for an introducing broker-equivalent Category 5 licence.

UAE Is the Next Hub for Brokers

According to the register of the Capital Market Authority (CMA), which was recently renamed from the Securities & Commodities Authority (SCA), the licence will allow the broker to introduce and promote products offered by other offshore entities.

However, the Cat 5 licence does not allow firms to hold client assets or execute trades locally. They must redirect UAE-based clients to other offshore entities.

Although the Cat 1 licence offers full brokerage status in the UAE, the conditions are much higher compared to the popular Cat 5 option. For instance, the Cat 1 licence requires at least AED 30 million in capital, while the requirement for Cat 5 is only AED 500,000.

Category 1 licensees are also required to maintain larger operating teams and office setups, including more senior control functions and stronger operational infrastructure.

Two licenses from Dubai's CMA for CFD brokers

These factors have likely pushed XM, Exinity, VT Markets, Eightcap, EC Markets, Pepperstone, Taurex, and many others to secure the Cat 5 licence in the UAE. However, some brokers are willing to bear the higher cost. Plus500, XTB, Deriv, and RoboMarkets are among the well-known firms that have secured Category 1 licences. There are also newer Dubai-based entrants that have chosen the full brokerage route.

PU Prime’s Expansion Plan

Founded in 2015, PU Prime primarily operates under offshore licences, including those in Mauritius and Seychelles. It also holds a licence from the regulator in South Africa and obtained one from the Australian watchdog last year by acquiring the Australian business of Admirals.

PU Prime’s entry into the UAE also shows that brokers see the region as attractive.

While detailed local data are limited, several brokers have pointed to rising demand in the region.

Capital.com reported that 52 per cent of its H1 2025 trading volume came from the Middle East, compared with 15 per cent from Europe. The broker had 35,000 MENA traders, compared with 61,400 in Europe. In addition, 71.7 per cent of Capital.com’s $804.1 billion trading volume in MENA was generated by UAE-based traders.

CFI Financial, another Middle East-focused CFD broker, handled a record $2.07 trillion in trading volume during the fourth quarter of 2025. By comparison, the broker’s total trading volume for the whole of 2024 was $2.79 trillion.

About the Author: Arnab Shome
Arnab Shome
  • 7283 Articles
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About the Author: Arnab Shome
Arnab is an electronics engineer-turned-financial editor. He entered the industry covering the cryptocurrency market for Finance Magnates and later expanded his reach to forex as well. He is passionate about the changing regulatory landscape on financial markets and keenly follows the disruptions in the industry with new-age technologies.
  • 7283 Articles
  • 133 Followers

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