OFZA, the UAE homegrown and regulated cryptocurrency exchange, has appointed Amir Tabch as Chief Executive Officer to lead OFZA through its next stage of growth and market activation.

As per the press release, the leadership milestone reflects OFZA’s deepening commitment to building the most trusted crypto exchange in the region—one that’s designed from day one to align with regulations, empower users, and scale without shortcuts.

A seasoned executive with over 20 years of experience across large regulated financial institutions, digital-led startups, and crypto-native platforms, Tabch brings the kind of strategic leadership that matches OFZA’s mission: to make digital asset trading safe, simple, and accessible for everyone.

“OFZA isn’t here to be the biggest. We’re here to be the most trusted,” said Tabch. “That means regulatory-first principles, real operational substance, and a platform that puts both retail and institutional users first.”

Fully licensed by Dubai’s Virtual Assets Regulatory Authority (VARA), OFZA is authorized to provide Broker-Dealer Services, Exchange Services, Management and Investment Services, and Advisory Services. The platform is built with local governance, regulatory clarity, and security-first architecture designed for long-term credibility.

The firm’s mission is to empower and educate individuals and businesses to take control of their financial future by simplifying crypto trading and removing barriers to entry. OFZA combines a secure, regulated infrastructure with an intuitive user experience and practical tools, making digital asset trading safe, simple, and accessible.

OFZA, a UAE established cryptocurrency exchange that provides seamless and secure crypto trading offering has secured a full VASP license from Dubai’s Virtual Asset Regulatory Authority (VARA). As per the license, OFZA will be able to offer crypto broker-dealer Services, crypto exchange services, management and Investment Services as well as advisory services to both retail and institutional investors as well as qualified investors in the UAE.

With the license from VARA, OFZA becomes the 20th Virtual Asset exchange and broker provider to be licensed by VARA in the UAE. The license comes at a time when crypto is gaining immense traction with the new Trump administration.

The crypto exchange will be competing with players such as Binance, CoinMENA, Crypto.com, OKX and others in the UAE.

According to Chainalysis’ Geography of Crypto Report 2024, the UAE saw a 42% year-on-year growth in crypto transactions, receiving $34 billion between July 2023 and June 2024. The Middle East and North Africa region (MENA) accounted for 7.5% of all cryptocurrency transaction volume globally between July 2023 and June 2024.

Chainalysis estimated the total value received during the period to be $338.7 billion, with the vast majority of the transaction volume coming from institutional and professional investors.