OKX, a global digital asset exchange regulated by VARA in the UAE which announced the launch of Rubix, a modular Digital assets as a service (DAaaS) that enabled regulated financial institutions to integrate and offer digital asset products to clients without needing to build new infrastructure, is now officially offering Rubix in the UAE.
OKX published its terms and conditions for the use of Rubix in the UAE.
In a press release in October, OKX explained that Rubix, is designed as a flexible institutional layer. It seamlessly integrates into an institution’s existing front-, middle-, and back-office systems. It unifies key operational components, market access, execution, custody, settlement, and risk controls, into a single interoperable framework, allowing banks, asset managers, and brokers to deliver compliant digital-asset services while retaining their own client experience, branding, and governance standards.
“Institutions are ready to meet client demand for digital assets but have been held back by complexity and compliance,” said Simon Ren, Senior Vice President, OKX Institutional. “Rubix removes those barriers with a modular, interoperable solution that integrates into established front-, middle-, and back-office processes. Rubix is deployed as a bespoke institutional workflow, designed and governed by the client, while OKX provides the regulated, scalable market infrastructure behind it.”
OKX Rubix delivers a modular, plug-and-play infrastructure that lets financial institutions launch compliant digital-asset services seamlessly within their existing operations and regulatory frameworks.
Rubix’s modular design allows institutions to select only the components they need, tailoring them to existing risk frameworks, governance models, and client workflows. Its architecture supports deep integration across multiple jurisdictions, offering full regulatory alignment and operational interoperability.
Key Components Include:
Regulated Market Access: Full coverage under MiCA/MiFID II (Europe), VARA (UAE), AFSL/AUSTRAC (Australia), CNV (Argentina), and U.S. MSB/MTL licenses.
Liquidity & Execution: Access to OKX’s central limit order book and OTC RFQ systems for best-in-class price discovery and execution.
Post-Trade Settlement: Capital-efficient delayed settlement model that eliminates the need for exchange pre-funding.
Connectivity: Native integrations with institutional OMS/EMS platforms, supporting FIX, REST, and WebSocket APIs.
Off-Exchange Custody: Integration with licensed bank custodians and third-party providers to minimize counterparty exposure.
Collateral Optimisation: Support for fiat, stablecoins, crypto assets, and tokenized money-market funds.
Additional Services: Credit lines, loans, fiat on/off ramps, and advanced account governance controls.
By embedding these capabilities, Rubix allows financial institutions to offer compliant digital-asset services—trading, custody, and settlement—under their own branding while OKX delivers the regulated market infrastructure behind the scenes.
OKX had noted in October that Rubix was already live and operational with institutional partners across Europe, APAC, the UAE, and LATAM. OKX confirmed that additional institutions are currently onboarding, demonstrating growing demand for enterprise-grade digital asset infrastructure that prioritizes security, compliance, and interoperability.
In July 2025, OKX, launched the first regulated retail derivatives products, making it the first global exchange to offer retail futures, perpetual contracts, and options within a regulated VARA Pilot framework. The newly introduced regulated crypto retail derivatives offering provides customers with enhanced flexibility and a broader range of trading strategies across different market conditions, marking the first time such crypto derivatives have been made accessible to retail investors in the UAE under a regulated structure.
