UAE shuts down TON Golden Visa rumors

Crypto staking ≠ residency. UAE regulators just made it crystal clear.

*� Crypto influencers hyped it. TON fans shared it. But now the UAE has spoken: staking tokens won’t get you a 10-year Golden Visa.

On July 6, 2025, three of the UAE’s most powerful regulators dropped a joint statement nuking one of the hottest rumors in crypto Telegrams: that staking 100,000 in TON tokens could magically land you a decade-long residency visa in Dubai.

Turns out? Fake news.

🛑 What the regulators actually said

The ICP (Identity & Citizenship Authority), SCA (Securities & Commodities Authority), and VARA (Virtual Assets Regulatory Authority) all confirmed:

“Golden visas are issued according to clear and officially approved frameworks and criteria, which do not include digital currency investors.”

Translation: unless you’re buying real estate, building startups, or curing cancer — you’re not getting a Golden Visa just by staking TON.

And VARA didn’t hold back either:

“TON is neither licensed nor regulated by VARA. Investors and consumers must only deal with licensed and regulated companies.”

The crypto-Telegram dream? Dead on arrival.

💸 What the TON offer claimed

Just days before the official denial, a slick campaign began circulating through Web3 Twitter and Telegram channels. The so-called "TON Golden Visa" offer promised:

• Stake 100K in TON for 3 years
• Pay a 35K processing fee
• Get a 10-year UAE Golden Visa
• Include your whole family
• Earn 3–4% APY on top

It was fast. It was sleek. It sounded too good to be true. And according to the UAE? It was.

🧯 Crypto ≠ citizenship

The UAE isn’t new to crypto. In fact, Dubai is one of the most crypto-forward cities on Earth. But it’s also regulation-heavy, especially when it comes to blending residency privileges with blockchain finance.

Here’s who actually qualifies for the UAE’s Golden Visa (according to icp.gov.ae):

• Real estate investors
• Entrepreneurs
• Scientists
• Outstanding students
• Frontline workers
• Humanitarians

No mention of staking. No mention of DeFi. No mention of TON.

🔍 Why this matters

This isn’t just about TON. This is a warning flare for the entire crypto industry:

Don’t sell residency. Don’t blur private deals with sovereign programs.

Scams are evolving. They’re smarter, flashier, and wrapped in semi-legit DeFi wrappers. Just because a staking offer has slick branding and passive yield doesn’t mean it comes with immigration perks.

The UAE regulators were blunt for a reason: consumer protection comes first — and crypto influencers pushing “residency tokens” are now in the spotlight.

⚡ TL;DR

🚫 UAE regulators confirm TON staking does not unlock a Golden Visa 📜 Golden Visas are only granted under officially approved frameworks — crypto isn’t one of them 🔒 VARA says TON is not licensed or regulated in the UAE 🚨 Beware of private staking offers that promise sovereign privileges 🌐 Official info only at icp.gov.ae — ignore Telegram hype 👀 This could set a precedent for how global governments treat crypto-residency crossover deals