A five-year-old cryptocurrency exchange in the Middle East is poised to become the first to receive a special license to operate in the region after getting a preliminary nod from the United Arab Emirates. U.A.E.-based BitOasis says it received preliminary approval in April from the Financial Services Regulatory Authority of Abu Dhabi Global Market Authorities to operate a crypto asset platform and wallets. The cryptocurrency sector remains largely unlicensed and unregulated in major global financial hubs, providing an opening for smaller jurisdictions such as Malta and Liechtenstein to create regulatory structures. ... (full story)