Role of VARA in Regulating Crypto Exchanges in Dubai The Virtual Assets Regulatory Authority (VARA) is key to Dubai’s digital asset world. It sets simple rules for crypto exchanges to follow. Dubai Law №4 of 2022 says VARA manages this space, gives out licenses, and checks that virtual asset service providers (VASPs) play by the rules. VARA aims to keep investors safe, prevent money crimes, and help grow crypto responsibly. This blog looks at how VARA keeps an eye on crypto exchanges, enforces rules, and helps Dubai get global recognition as a safe, regulated place for virtual asset trading. VARA and it’s Legal Basis If you want to start a crypto-business in dubai, you need to follow certain guidelines. This applies to almost any crypto biz, like exchanges, brokers, custodians, wallet services — basically anyone working with digital assets. You’ll need permission to swap crypto for cash, trade crypto, secure crypto, create tokens, and offer advice. VARA has guidelines that spell everything out. VARA RulesVARA made some rules (called Virtual Assets and Related Activities Regulations 2023, and they’ve updated them). These rules tell crypto companies how to handle risks, avoid money laundering and funding illegal activities, keep their systems safe, be honest with customers, and follow the rules. Get Updations on VARAVARA doesn’t just give out licenses and forget about it. It is necessary to monitor all kinds of transactions happening in VARA. They want to stop scams, market manipulation, or false promises. Why Crypto-Exchanges Require VARA Entering Dubai Easy RulesVARA gives crypto places simple rules, which helps them and their users. Fair and Safe InvestingVARA makes things fair and keeps investors safe by pushing companies to be honest and follow rules, cutting down on scams. Good SecurityCrypto places with VARA licenses must have strong security to fight cyber attacks, money laundering, and terrorism funding so trading is safe. Trust Around the WorldVARA’s approval helps a crypto place get a better name and enter Dubai’s growing digital market and global investment chances. How VARA Works? Getting Licensed and OnboardIt is necessary to get license with VARA before getting started with it. One must need to know all kinds of rules and regulations. Rules of the RoadVARA enforces the Virtual Assets and Related Activities Regulations. These regulations set the standards for how VASPs should operate, stay compliant, and stay secure. Trading, asset holding, token creation, and user protection are all covered by these rules. Keeping an Eye OutVARA makes certain licensed exchanges are following the rules by checking for weird behavior or rule-breaking. They do this via audits, transaction tracking, and using programs to watch out for bad stuff. PenaltiesIf exchanges don’t play by the rules, VARA can issue fines, yank their licenses, or hit them with other penalties. This ensures market fairness and honesty. Helping New ConceptsVARA backs blockchain startups, DeFi projects, and tokenization platforms provided they stay within legal limits and under close watch. This encourages safe innovation. VARA Mind-Blowing Beneficial Features Full Licensing FrameworkVARA makes sure that only honest and law-abiding companies can do business in Dubai’s virtual asset ecosystem by providing a clear and organized licensing system for all crypto-related businesses. Putting Advanced Regulatory TechnologyThe authority uses AI, blockchain analytics, and tools that let them watch transactions in real time to keep an eye on transactions, find risks, and keep the market honest. International StandardsVARA makes use of certain international standards that fits for money-laundering and terrorism financing. Investors’ Safety and OpennessVARA protects user data and money by requiring full disclosures, keeping assets separate, and following secure custody protocols. Innovation-Driven EnvironmentVARA tells both new and established companies to work on blockchain, DeFi, and tokenization projects in a safe legal environment. This encourages responsible innovation. Keeping the Market Stable and Building a Good Name for YourselfBy always enforcing and regulating the rules, VARA makes Dubai an even better place for crypto businesses that follow the rules, are open, and are ready for the future. Technical VARA working Monitoring that uses the blockchain Blockchain-based audit systems help VARA keep an eye on crypto transactions as they happen. This keeps people from breaking the law and lets you see where digital assets are going. Enforcement of KYC and AMLAt VARA, strict KYC rules are followed which offers a security guideline for the users. How to Figure out What Risks areVARA uses AI models and data-driven analytics to look at possible operational and financial risks. Only businesses that are honest and follow the rules can work in Dubai’s crypto world. Rules for Safe CustodyVARA is the leader in how to keep digital assets safe with its advanced custody solutions. These are things like multi-signature wallets and encryption technologies that keep investors’ money safe. Licensing and Supervision SystemsBefore a crypto business can start working, it needs to get the go-ahead from VARA. Checks on a regular basis make sure that people follow the rules and don’t cheat with their money. Interfaces for Automated ReportingVARA can help businesses that have to follow rules set up automated reporting systems. These systems help you keep track of compliance documents and send data to regulatory databases right away. Future Innovations in VARA Expanded Tokenization of Real-World Assets (RWA)VARA is already working on tokenizing real estate, like PRYPCO Mint, to make ownership more flexible and improve liquidity. As more people use the metaverse, VARA could offer regulatory tools like licenses, dispute resolution, and monitoring right inside those virtual worlds. Tighter Rules and Tools for Risk, Margin, and Leverage ControlsWith its Version 2.0 rulebooks, VARA has made it harder for retail investors to trade on margin. Interoperability of Regulations Across BordersVARA has said it wants to work with other regulators to make it possible for assets to move across borders while still protecting investors and preventing money laundering. In the future, we might see new ideas like systems for recognizing foreign licenses, standardized reporting, or identity/KYC systems that work across borders. Stablecoins and Asset-Referenced Virtual Assets (ARVAs) That are RegulatedClearly define, regulate, and oversee stablecoins and other asset-referenced tokens under the VA regime. In its rulebooks, VARA has already made ARVAs official. We might see new types of digital dirhams, stablecoins that can be used across borders, or regulated ways to issue and distribute stablecoins that are linked to real assets. Better Protection for Consumers and More OpennessNew rules include clearer definitions (like “qualified custodians” and “client assets”) and guidelines for marketing. Innovations could include special areas for DeFi, NFTs, programmable money, or new Web3 models, along with customized oversight and rollback systems. Using AI and Machine Learning for Monitoring and Following the RulesAs more and more transactions involving virtual assets happen, it becomes impossible to keep an eye on them all manually. VARA can use AI and machine learning tools to find fraud, money laundering, and market manipulation in real time. Some of these new ideas could be finding anomalies, giving new tokens a predictive risk score, and automatically sending reports and alerts for non-compliance. More Clear Laws for New Types of Businesses (DAOs, NFTs, etc.)Rules are being changed to deal with NFTs, especially when it comes to security and cross-border issues. New technologies may make the legal status and rules for DAOs, NFT issuers, and virtual world projects more clear, including how they are taxed, who is responsible, contracts, and so on. Virtual Assets that are Good for the Environment and PeopleAs concerns about the environment grow, virtual asset projects may need to follow rules about energy efficiency, green proof-of-stake, carbon footprints, and telling people about their effects on the environment. VARA could make rules or offer rewards for low-energy blockchain architecture or carbon offsetting that can be verified for token issuances. Conclusion In short, VARA is making a big difference in Dubai’s virtual asset scene by bringing in new ideas and better rules. It is setting new global standards for crypto governance by focusing on things like tokenizing real-world assets, integrating the metaverse, using AI to make sure rules are followed, and making sure that crypto works across borders. By supporting stablecoin regulation, investor protection measures, and environmentally friendly blockchain practices, VARA is helping to make the digital economy safe, open, and ready for the future. Dubai is becoming the best place in the world for responsible virtual asset development as these new ideas come to light. By making sure that innovation and regulation go hand in hand, VARA’s forward-thinking approach builds trust and long-term growth in the crypto ecosystem. The Role of VARA in Regulating Crypto Exchanges in Dubai: What You Need to Know was originally published in Coinmonks on Medium, where people are continuing the conversation by highlighting and responding to this storyRole of VARA in Regulating Crypto Exchanges in Dubai The Virtual Assets Regulatory Authority (VARA) is key to Dubai’s digital asset world. It sets simple rules for crypto exchanges to follow. Dubai Law №4 of 2022 says VARA manages this space, gives out licenses, and checks that virtual asset service providers (VASPs) play by the rules. VARA aims to keep investors safe, prevent money crimes, and help grow crypto responsibly. This blog looks at how VARA keeps an eye on crypto exchanges, enforces rules, and helps Dubai get global recognition as a safe, regulated place for virtual asset trading. VARA and it’s Legal Basis If you want to start a crypto-business in dubai, you need to follow certain guidelines. This applies to almost any crypto biz, like exchanges, brokers, custodians, wallet services — basically anyone working with digital assets. You’ll need permission to swap crypto for cash, trade crypto, secure crypto, create tokens, and offer advice. VARA has guidelines that spell everything out. VARA RulesVARA made some rules (called Virtual Assets and Related Activities Regulations 2023, and they’ve updated them). These rules tell crypto companies how to handle risks, avoid money laundering and funding illegal activities, keep their systems safe, be honest with customers, and follow the rules. Get Updations on VARAVARA doesn’t just give out licenses and forget about it. It is necessary to monitor all kinds of transactions happening in VARA. They want to stop scams, market manipulation, or false promises. Why Crypto-Exchanges Require VARA Entering Dubai Easy RulesVARA gives crypto places simple rules, which helps them and their users. Fair and Safe InvestingVARA makes things fair and keeps investors safe by pushing companies to be honest and follow rules, cutting down on scams. Good SecurityCrypto places with VARA licenses must have strong security to fight cyber attacks, money laundering, and terrorism funding so trading is safe. Trust Around the WorldVARA’s approval helps a crypto place get a better name and enter Dubai’s growing digital market and global investment chances. How VARA Works? Getting Licensed and OnboardIt is necessary to get license with VARA before getting started with it. One must need to know all kinds of rules and regulations. Rules of the RoadVARA enforces the Virtual Assets and Related Activities Regulations. These regulations set the standards for how VASPs should operate, stay compliant, and stay secure. Trading, asset holding, token creation, and user protection are all covered by these rules. Keeping an Eye OutVARA makes certain licensed exchanges are following the rules by checking for weird behavior or rule-breaking. They do this via audits, transaction tracking, and using programs to watch out for bad stuff. PenaltiesIf exchanges don’t play by the rules, VARA can issue fines, yank their licenses, or hit them with other penalties. This ensures market fairness and honesty. Helping New ConceptsVARA backs blockchain startups, DeFi projects, and tokenization platforms provided they stay within legal limits and under close watch. This encourages safe innovation. VARA Mind-Blowing Beneficial Features Full Licensing FrameworkVARA makes sure that only honest and law-abiding companies can do business in Dubai’s virtual asset ecosystem by providing a clear and organized licensing system for all crypto-related businesses. Putting Advanced Regulatory TechnologyThe authority uses AI, blockchain analytics, and tools that let them watch transactions in real time to keep an eye on transactions, find risks, and keep the market honest. International StandardsVARA makes use of certain international standards that fits for money-laundering and terrorism financing. Investors’ Safety and OpennessVARA protects user data and money by requiring full disclosures, keeping assets separate, and following secure custody protocols. Innovation-Driven EnvironmentVARA tells both new and established companies to work on blockchain, DeFi, and tokenization projects in a safe legal environment. This encourages responsible innovation. Keeping the Market Stable and Building a Good Name for YourselfBy always enforcing and regulating the rules, VARA makes Dubai an even better place for crypto businesses that follow the rules, are open, and are ready for the future. Technical VARA working Monitoring that uses the blockchain Blockchain-based audit systems help VARA keep an eye on crypto transactions as they happen. This keeps people from breaking the law and lets you see where digital assets are going. Enforcement of KYC and AMLAt VARA, strict KYC rules are followed which offers a security guideline for the users. How to Figure out What Risks areVARA uses AI models and data-driven analytics to look at possible operational and financial risks. Only businesses that are honest and follow the rules can work in Dubai’s crypto world. Rules for Safe CustodyVARA is the leader in how to keep digital assets safe with its advanced custody solutions. These are things like multi-signature wallets and encryption technologies that keep investors’ money safe. Licensing and Supervision SystemsBefore a crypto business can start working, it needs to get the go-ahead from VARA. Checks on a regular basis make sure that people follow the rules and don’t cheat with their money. Interfaces for Automated ReportingVARA can help businesses that have to follow rules set up automated reporting systems. These systems help you keep track of compliance documents and send data to regulatory databases right away. Future Innovations in VARA Expanded Tokenization of Real-World Assets (RWA)VARA is already working on tokenizing real estate, like PRYPCO Mint, to make ownership more flexible and improve liquidity. As more people use the metaverse, VARA could offer regulatory tools like licenses, dispute resolution, and monitoring right inside those virtual worlds. Tighter Rules and Tools for Risk, Margin, and Leverage ControlsWith its Version 2.0 rulebooks, VARA has made it harder for retail investors to trade on margin. Interoperability of Regulations Across BordersVARA has said it wants to work with other regulators to make it possible for assets to move across borders while still protecting investors and preventing money laundering. In the future, we might see new ideas like systems for recognizing foreign licenses, standardized reporting, or identity/KYC systems that work across borders. Stablecoins and Asset-Referenced Virtual Assets (ARVAs) That are RegulatedClearly define, regulate, and oversee stablecoins and other asset-referenced tokens under the VA regime. In its rulebooks, VARA has already made ARVAs official. We might see new types of digital dirhams, stablecoins that can be used across borders, or regulated ways to issue and distribute stablecoins that are linked to real assets. Better Protection for Consumers and More OpennessNew rules include clearer definitions (like “qualified custodians” and “client assets”) and guidelines for marketing. Innovations could include special areas for DeFi, NFTs, programmable money, or new Web3 models, along with customized oversight and rollback systems. Using AI and Machine Learning for Monitoring and Following the RulesAs more and more transactions involving virtual assets happen, it becomes impossible to keep an eye on them all manually. VARA can use AI and machine learning tools to find fraud, money laundering, and market manipulation in real time. Some of these new ideas could be finding anomalies, giving new tokens a predictive risk score, and automatically sending reports and alerts for non-compliance. More Clear Laws for New Types of Businesses (DAOs, NFTs, etc.)Rules are being changed to deal with NFTs, especially when it comes to security and cross-border issues. New technologies may make the legal status and rules for DAOs, NFT issuers, and virtual world projects more clear, including how they are taxed, who is responsible, contracts, and so on. Virtual Assets that are Good for the Environment and PeopleAs concerns about the environment grow, virtual asset projects may need to follow rules about energy efficiency, green proof-of-stake, carbon footprints, and telling people about their effects on the environment. VARA could make rules or offer rewards for low-energy blockchain architecture or carbon offsetting that can be verified for token issuances. Conclusion In short, VARA is making a big difference in Dubai’s virtual asset scene by bringing in new ideas and better rules. It is setting new global standards for crypto governance by focusing on things like tokenizing real-world assets, integrating the metaverse, using AI to make sure rules are followed, and making sure that crypto works across borders. By supporting stablecoin regulation, investor protection measures, and environmentally friendly blockchain practices, VARA is helping to make the digital economy safe, open, and ready for the future. Dubai is becoming the best place in the world for responsible virtual asset development as these new ideas come to light. By making sure that innovation and regulation go hand in hand, VARA’s forward-thinking approach builds trust and long-term growth in the crypto ecosystem. The Role of VARA in Regulating Crypto Exchanges in Dubai: What You Need to Know was originally published in Coinmonks on Medium, where people are continuing the conversation by highlighting and responding to this story

The Role of VARA in Regulating Crypto Exchanges in Dubai: What You Need to Know

2025/10/24 16:18

Role of VARA in Regulating Crypto Exchanges in Dubai

The Virtual Assets Regulatory Authority (VARA) is key to Dubai’s digital asset world. It sets simple rules for crypto exchanges to follow. Dubai Law №4 of 2022 says VARA manages this space, gives out licenses, and checks that virtual asset service providers (VASPs) play by the rules. VARA aims to keep investors safe, prevent money crimes, and help grow crypto responsibly. This blog looks at how VARA keeps an eye on crypto exchanges, enforces rules, and helps Dubai get global recognition as a safe, regulated place for virtual asset trading.

VARA and it’s Legal Basis

If you want to start a crypto-business in dubai, you need to follow certain guidelines. This applies to almost any crypto biz, like exchanges, brokers, custodians, wallet services — basically anyone working with digital assets. You’ll need permission to swap crypto for cash, trade crypto, secure crypto, create tokens, and offer advice.

VARA has guidelines that spell everything out.

VARA Rules
VARA made some rules (called Virtual Assets and Related Activities Regulations 2023, and they’ve updated them). These rules tell crypto companies how to handle risks, avoid money laundering and funding illegal activities, keep their systems safe, be honest with customers, and follow the rules.

Get Updations on VARA
VARA doesn’t just give out licenses and forget about it. It is necessary to monitor all kinds of transactions happening in VARA. They want to stop scams, market manipulation, or false promises.

Why Crypto-Exchanges Require VARA Entering Dubai

Easy Rules
VARA gives crypto places simple rules, which helps them and their users.

Fair and Safe Investing
VARA makes things fair and keeps investors safe by pushing companies to be honest and follow rules, cutting down on scams.

Good Security
Crypto places with VARA licenses must have strong security to fight cyber attacks, money laundering, and terrorism funding so trading is safe.

Trust Around the World
VARA’s approval helps a crypto place get a better name and enter Dubai’s growing digital market and global investment chances.

How VARA Works?

Getting Licensed and Onboard
It is necessary to get license with VARA before getting started with it. One must need to know all kinds of rules and regulations.

Rules of the Road
VARA enforces the Virtual Assets and Related Activities Regulations. These regulations set the standards for how VASPs should operate, stay compliant, and stay secure. Trading, asset holding, token creation, and user protection are all covered by these rules.

Keeping an Eye Out
VARA makes certain licensed exchanges are following the rules by checking for weird behavior or rule-breaking. They do this via audits, transaction tracking, and using programs to watch out for bad stuff.

Penalties
If exchanges don’t play by the rules, VARA can issue fines, yank their licenses, or hit them with other penalties. This ensures market fairness and honesty.

Helping New Concepts
VARA backs blockchain startups, DeFi projects, and tokenization platforms provided they stay within legal limits and under close watch. This encourages safe innovation.

VARA Mind-Blowing Beneficial Features

Full Licensing Framework
VARA makes sure that only honest and law-abiding companies can do business in Dubai’s virtual asset ecosystem by providing a clear and organized licensing system for all crypto-related businesses.

Putting Advanced Regulatory Technology
The authority uses AI, blockchain analytics, and tools that let them watch transactions in real time to keep an eye on transactions, find risks, and keep the market honest.

International Standards
VARA makes use of certain international standards that fits for money-laundering and terrorism financing.

Investors’ Safety and Openness
VARA protects user data and money by requiring full disclosures, keeping assets separate, and following secure custody protocols.

Innovation-Driven Environment
VARA tells both new and established companies to work on blockchain, DeFi, and tokenization projects in a safe legal environment. This encourages responsible innovation.

Keeping the Market Stable and Building a Good Name for Yourself
By always enforcing and regulating the rules, VARA makes Dubai an even better place for crypto businesses that follow the rules, are open, and are ready for the future.

Technical VARA working

Monitoring that uses the blockchain Blockchain-based audit systems help VARA keep an eye on crypto transactions as they happen. This keeps people from breaking the law and lets you see where digital assets are going.

Enforcement of KYC and AML
At VARA, strict KYC rules are followed which offers a security guideline for the users.

How to Figure out What Risks are
VARA uses AI models and data-driven analytics to look at possible operational and financial risks. Only businesses that are honest and follow the rules can work in Dubai’s crypto world.

Rules for Safe Custody
VARA is the leader in how to keep digital assets safe with its advanced custody solutions. These are things like multi-signature wallets and encryption technologies that keep investors’ money safe.

Licensing and Supervision Systems
Before a crypto business can start working, it needs to get the go-ahead from VARA. Checks on a regular basis make sure that people follow the rules and don’t cheat with their money.

Interfaces for Automated Reporting
VARA can help businesses that have to follow rules set up automated reporting systems. These systems help you keep track of compliance documents and send data to regulatory databases right away.

Future Innovations in VARA

Expanded Tokenization of Real-World Assets (RWA)
VARA is already working on tokenizing real estate, like PRYPCO Mint, to make ownership more flexible and improve liquidity.

As more people use the metaverse, VARA could offer regulatory tools like licenses, dispute resolution, and monitoring right inside those virtual worlds.

Tighter Rules and Tools for Risk, Margin, and Leverage Controls
With its Version 2.0 rulebooks, VARA has made it harder for retail investors to trade on margin.

Interoperability of Regulations Across Borders
VARA has said it wants to work with other regulators to make it possible for assets to move across borders while still protecting investors and preventing money laundering.

In the future, we might see new ideas like systems for recognizing foreign licenses, standardized reporting, or identity/KYC systems that work across borders.

Stablecoins and Asset-Referenced Virtual Assets (ARVAs) That are Regulated
Clearly define, regulate, and oversee stablecoins and other asset-referenced tokens under the VA regime. In its rulebooks, VARA has already made ARVAs official.

We might see new types of digital dirhams, stablecoins that can be used across borders, or regulated ways to issue and distribute stablecoins that are linked to real assets.

Better Protection for Consumers and More Openness
New rules include clearer definitions (like “qualified custodians” and “client assets”) and guidelines for marketing. Innovations could include special areas for DeFi, NFTs, programmable money, or new Web3 models, along with customized oversight and rollback systems.

Using AI and Machine Learning for Monitoring and Following the Rules
As more and more transactions involving virtual assets happen, it becomes impossible to keep an eye on them all manually. VARA can use AI and machine learning tools to find fraud, money laundering, and market manipulation in real time.

Some of these new ideas could be finding anomalies, giving new tokens a predictive risk score, and automatically sending reports and alerts for non-compliance.

More Clear Laws for New Types of Businesses (DAOs, NFTs, etc.)
Rules are being changed to deal with NFTs, especially when it comes to security and cross-border issues.

New technologies may make the legal status and rules for DAOs, NFT issuers, and virtual world projects more clear, including how they are taxed, who is responsible, contracts, and so on.

Virtual Assets that are Good for the Environment and People
As concerns about the environment grow, virtual asset projects may need to follow rules about energy efficiency, green proof-of-stake, carbon footprints, and telling people about their effects on the environment. VARA could make rules or offer rewards for low-energy blockchain architecture or carbon offsetting that can be verified for token issuances.

Conclusion

In short, VARA is making a big difference in Dubai’s virtual asset scene by bringing in new ideas and better rules. It is setting new global standards for crypto governance by focusing on things like tokenizing real-world assets, integrating the metaverse, using AI to make sure rules are followed, and making sure that crypto works across borders. By supporting stablecoin regulation, investor protection measures, and environmentally friendly blockchain practices, VARA is helping to make the digital economy safe, open, and ready for the future. Dubai is becoming the best place in the world for responsible virtual asset development as these new ideas come to light. By making sure that innovation and regulation go hand in hand, VARA’s forward-thinking approach builds trust and long-term growth in the crypto ecosystem.


The Role of VARA in Regulating Crypto Exchanges in Dubai: What You Need to Know was originally published in Coinmonks on Medium, where people are continuing the conversation by highlighting and responding to this story.

Disclaimer: The articles reposted on this site are sourced from public platforms and are provided for informational purposes only. They do not necessarily reflect the views of MEXC. All rights remain with the original authors. If you believe any content infringes on third-party rights, please contact service@support.mexc.com for removal. MEXC makes no guarantees regarding the accuracy, completeness, or timeliness of the content and is not responsible for any actions taken based on the information provided. The content does not constitute financial, legal, or other professional advice, nor should it be considered a recommendation or endorsement by MEXC.
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‘Code Is Law’ documentary nails the drama of DeFi hacks — despite what it leaves out

‘Code Is Law’ documentary nails the drama of DeFi hacks — despite what it leaves out

Ekin Genç is DL News’ Editor-in-Chief. Opinions expressed are his own.The world was transfixed last week when thieves in construction vests at the Louvre managed to vanish with jewels worth more than $100 million. Yet when hundreds of millions vanish from decentralised finance, nobody outside crypto hears about it; you won’t see headlines of DeFi heists in mainstream media. (The Louvre heist is hefty, of course, but it still wouldn’t make it to the top 25 in crypto.)That dissonance is the starting point of Code Is Law, a new documentary about DeFi exploits:“It’s incredible, you turn on the news and see a $450 theft from a local 7-Eleven, and on the same day someone steals $25 million from a protocol and you’ll never hear about it,” pseudonymous blockchain security specialist Ogle says during the opening credits.Streaming on Amazon Prime Video, Code Is Law is probably the first serious documentary to take the woes of decentralised finance — not centralised crypto exchanges or charismatic crypto fraudsters — as its subject.“It’s done an incredible job of representing people involved as humans rather than fringe lunatics, and I’m proud I was involved in it,” Indexed Finance co-founder Laurence Day told DL News, “even if I now know more about how the sausage is made when it comes to films than I ever cared to!”Given it’s a documentary about a community that’s pretty much exclusively online, you might expect it to be un-cinematic, a story more suited to the podcast format. It does, of course, consist mostly of people explaining things, sitting in front of laptops, typing, skimming code, and wading through Discord logs. Yet the filmmakers have still managed to make the watch genuinely gripping — not just for crypto nerds, but for anyone interested in cybercrime.But those deeply involved in crypto will notice at least two major omissions — for good reasons, as one of the directors tells me.The DAO hack without the hackerYou’ll be familiar with DAOs as the digital co-ops behind DeFi protocols and other crypto projects. But back at Ethereum’s start, there was basically one DAO, and it was literally called The DAO. It functioned like a giant onchain venture fund.The documentary opens with the hack of that project in 2016. Griff Green, Christoph Jentzsch, and Lefteris Karapetsas narrate those sleepless days as they tried to keep the first Ethereum experiment from falling apart in real time. Their recollections give the film its pulse. Code is Law is one of the first accounts in which the people who held Ethereum together tell their story at such length, and for that reason alone, the documentary is a significant contribution to crypto industry’s collective memory.The DAO hack was a big deal for Ethereum because the saga led to a “hard fork” — a blockchain split — to refund depositors who lost their money in the hack. Those who disagreed with the hard-fork kept mining the original chain, which became Ethereum Classic. The other, newer version is what we call Ethereum today. But that monumental event, a consequence of the DAO hack, gets only the briefest mention in Code is Law — and in the closing credits, at that. “In a film with such a wide scope, we had to make difficult choices about what to include,” James Craig, one of the directors, told DL News. Louis Giles is the other director.Another glaring omission is the journalist Laura Shin’s 2022 investigation identifying Austrian programmer Toby Hoenisch as The DAO hacker. (Hoenisch denies the allegations.)“In the case of Hoenisch, the decision was primarily thematic: our film focuses on individuals who actively defended their actions by invoking the idea that ‘code is law.’,” Craig said. “Since Hoenisch has never admitted to the hack — let alone offered a justification based on that idea — including him would have felt tangential to the story we were telling.”For anyone hoping for closure on the DAO hack story, that omission might feel like a letdown. Yet the documentary succeeds where it matters most: capturing the chaos and urgency of those first days of The DAO hack, from the people who were directly involved with it.Andean Medjedovic, the poster boy of ‘code is law’The hacker who gets the most airtime in the documentary is Andean Medjedovic, a Canadian teenager who ended up being a kind of live experiment in whether “code is law” holds up in a court of law. His name is tied to two major DeFi exploits, that of Indexed Finance in 2021 and of KyberSwap in 2023. According to an indictment by prosecutors in the Eastern District of New York, he stole about $49 million and $16 million, respectively.“It’s both cathartic to see it out after all this time, and a reminder of an incredibly rough time in a bunch of our lives, so I’m pretty conflicted,” Day told DL News.As the documentary reminds us, Medjedovic, a maths prodigy, was identified by the Indexed Finance team through a seemingly absurd digital breadcrumb. In a careless moment of vanity, he edited — under a user name associated with him — a Wikipedia page for a Canadian TV show he’d once appeared on and added himself to the list of show’s notable alumni as a “notable mathematician.” That tiny edit was enough to connect the dots between his real identity and the heist. But that wasn’t enough to bring him to justice, as Medjedovic still remains at large. In March 2024, Medjedovic told DL News he was self-exiled on an island somewhere and claimed to have turned a white-hat hacker — someone who hacks lawfully.Medjedovic declined to speak in the documentary, Craig told DL News.Didn’t Avi Eisenberg prove ‘code is law’?Another hacker that gets plenty of screen time is Avi Eisenberg, the Mango Markets exploiter.In October 2022, Eisenberg manipulated Mango Markets, the Solana-based decentralised exchange, by artificially inflating the price of his own collateral token, then borrowing against it to drain roughly $110 million in assets. He was convicted in April 2024.Unlike most hackers who vanish, he went fully public at the time, tweeting that his actions were “a highly profitable trading strategy” conducted entirely within the protocol’s rules (hence “code is law”).Although initially he negotiated with the Mango DAO, returning part of the funds in exchange for a promise that he wouldn’t face legal consequences, that didn’t stop US federal agencies from later charging him with market manipulation and fraud. If you don’t know what later happened, you could be forgiven for thinking as the credits roll that Eisenberg lost the “code is law” defence. “We’re beginning to see the end of the ‘code is law’ defence,” Paul Dylan-Ennis, the author of ​​the book “Absolute Essentials of Ethereum”, says in the documentary.“Filming concluded during the build-up to Eisenberg’s trial, and at the time, the overwhelming expectation among those we spoke to was that he would be found guilty,” Craig said.“The crew had originally intended to end the film with a message saying that Eisenberg’s case had tested the ‘“code is law’” defence in court, and it flopped.”And yet this May a judge said prosecutors didn’t prove Eisenberg defrauded Mango Markets in 2022.Although some in the industry cheered that “code is law” appeared to prevail in court, things were more nuanced than that — as they typically are.While the defence did lean on the idea that Eisenberg’s trades were executed within the logic of the protocol’s code, the judge didn’t conclude that this alone justified acquittal.Instead, the judge’s decision to overturn the most serious conviction — on wire fraud — rested on narrower legal grounds specific to that statute.“While a jury did initially find Eisenberg guilty, as we were preparing to release the film it became clear the judge was seriously considering overturning some of the convictions… which ultimately happened,” Craig said.“The precedent it sets for future cases isn’t clear, but it reinforces the central theme of the film: that we’re in uncharted legal territory where traditional systems are struggling to keep up.”
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2025/10/29 07:11