Kudo.com, the CFD broker formerly known as Kudotrade, announced that it has secured a Category 5 license in the United Arab Emirates, enabling the firm to expand its presence across the Gulf region. The company said the license was issued on 9 June and allows it to conduct "Promotion and Introduction" activities in the country.
The Category 5 approval sits at the limited end of the UAE regulatory framework. It permits Kudo.com to market its services and refer clients in the UAE but does not authorize the firm to execute trades or hold customer funds onshore. As a result, the broker’s actual trading operations continue to be handled by its offshore entities.
Kudo.com described the issuing authority as the UAE Capital Markets Authority. However, the Emirates' federal securities regulator is the Securities and Commodities Authority, which grants the Category 5 permits that a number of brokers have obtained over the past year. The promotion and introduction license does not allow firms to deal on their own account or safeguard client money in the UAE.
Kudo.com had previously signalled its Dubai plans when it received initial approval and opened a local office. The broker subsequently rebranded from Kudotrade to Kudo.com in early June, aligning the name change with its regional build-out and licensing efforts.
The firm pairs the new UAE license with access to a set of Gulf-listed equities. The equities launch covers Emaar Properties, ADNOC Gas and e& in the UAE; Saudi Aramco, Al Rajhi Bank and Saudi Telecom in Saudi Arabia; Qatar National Bank, Ooredoo and Nakilat in Qatar; and Kuwait's Zain in Kuwait.
Kudo.com's offshore trading operations run through Kudo Trade (Mauritius) Ltd, which holds a Financial Services Commission of Mauritius license. The company has previously stated that it offers CFD services via entities in Mauritius, Saint Lucia and Cyprus.
Chief Operating Officer Finley Wilkinson linked the UAE license to the company’s broader expansion strategy, saying it demonstrated a commitment to operating within trusted regulatory frameworks as Kudo.com continues to grow globally. The broker joins a long list of firms seeking UAE authorization, as the regulator has automated parts of its process and reported an 18% rise in applications, with companies viewing a Dubai license as a credential for serving the wider region.
