Johannesburg, South Africa, May 25th, 2026, Chainwire
VALR, Africa’s leading digital asset infrastructure provider, today announced it has received provisional approval from the Cayman Islands Monetary Authority (CIMA) to operate as a Virtual Asset Service Provider (VASP).
This milestone grants VALR provisional authority to offer a comprehensive suite of services, including:
- Virtual Asset Trading & Exchange: Between fiat and crypto, and crypto-to-crypto.
- Custody Services: Secure storage for digital assets.
- Transfer Services: Seamless movement of virtual assets across borders.
This approval is a cornerstone of VALR’s international growth strategy, positioning the firm to bridge the gap between African markets and global institutional capital.
Strengthening a Global Compliance Foundation
The CIMA provisional license adds to VALR’s robust regulatory portfolio. The company already holds Category I and II licenses from South Africa’s Financial Sector Conduct Authority (FSCA), as well as ODP and TPPP licenses, enabling innovative financial products and a seamless payments infrastructure. VALR is also licensed with South Africa’s National Credit Regulator as a registered credit provider.
“This provisional approval marks an important step in expanding VALR’s digital asset infrastructure services to a broader global client base,” said Farzam Ehsani, Co-Founder and CEO of VALR. “For close to a decade, we have built deep expertise as Africa’s leading digital asset infrastructure platform, serving retail customers, corporate clients, and institutional partners with secure, advanced technology. As a significant player in global stablecoin markets, VALR is helping enable more efficient payments and movement of value. This milestone allows us to extend our infrastructure globally while remaining committed to building impactful financial technology with integrity and in a spirit of service to humanity.”
Path to Full Licensure
VALR is currently working closely with CIMA to fulfill the final set of compliance conditions required for a full license. This move aligns with VALR’s mission to provide world-class infrastructure for the 1.8 million users and more than 2,000 institutional clients it serves worldwide.
About VALR
Founded in 2018, headquartered in Johannesburg, and backed by leading investors including Pantera Capital, Coinbase Ventures and Fidelity’s F-Prime Capital, VALR is a global crypto exchange, and the leading digital asset infrastructure provider on the African continent, offering a comprehensive suite of products including Spot Trading, Spot Margin, Perpetual Futures, Staking, Lending, Borrowing, OTC services, VALR Invest, Crypto Bundles, and VALR Pay. Licensed by South Africa’s FSCA, with regulatory approval in Europe, VALR serves over 1.8 million registered users and 2,000 corporate and institutional clients worldwide. The exchange is dedicated to advancing a just financial future that upholds human dignity and the unity of mankind. For more information, visit valr.com.
Contact
VALR
press@valr.com
