Pepperstone has been granted a full licence by the Dubai Financial Services Authority (DFSA) to operate from the Dubai International Financial Centre (DIFC). This makes Pepperstone one of the most extensively regulated retail forex brokers in the world, with full authorisation from ASIC (Australia), FCA (UK), BaFin (Germany), CySEC (EU), CMA (Kenya), and now DFSA (UAE).
What is the DFSA?
The Dubai Financial Services Authority is the independent financial regulator for the Dubai International Financial Centre (DIFC) — a special economic zone within Dubai. The DFSA operates under a framework broadly equivalent to UK FCA standards, requiring client fund segregation, capital adequacy, and strict conduct rules.
Crucially, DFSA-regulated entities are covered under UAE law and the DIFC Courts — providing Middle East traders with local legal recourse that they don't have when dealing with offshore entities.
What Changes for UAE Traders?
UAE residents who previously traded with Pepperstone's ASIC or FCA entities will now have the option to open accounts with the DFSA-regulated entity. Key changes:
1. Local legal protection: Disputes can be resolved through DIFC Courts rather than Australian or UK legal systems.
2. AED account support: The DFSA entity will offer AED-denominated accounts, eliminating currency conversion costs on UAE dirham deposits.
3. Arabic language service: Full Arabic customer support through the Dubai office.
4. Leverage: DFSA retail leverage caps align with ESMA standards (30:1 on majors) — the same as UK FCA clients receive.