Crypto Exchanges
By Pankaj K
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Who Sabina Saini and Darine Obeid Are. Sabina brings close to 20 years in financial regulation.
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The FCA's Broader Push for Global Influence. The FCA has been pretty open about its international ambitions.
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What This Means for Crypto and Fintech Firms. For crypto exchanges and fintech companies operating in the UAE or India, the FCA's physical…
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The UK's Financial Conduct Authority just got bigger. The FCA named Sabina Saini and Darine Obeid as its new financial services attachés for India and the UAE — two of the…
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Sabina is already on the ground. She started August 10, 2026, working out of the British Deputy High Commission in Mumbai.
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Sabina brings close to 20 years in financial regulation. Before landing in Mumbai, she managed critical third-party regimes and operational risk policies inside the FCA itself.
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Darine's background is different but just as dense. She's spent over a decade at the FCA, with her focus on supervision across retail banking, wholesale banking, and fintech.
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Ruairí O'Connell, the FCA's International Director, said the appointments are about building better collaboration with counterparts in India and the Gulf region.
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The FCA has been pretty open about its international ambitions. Its growth strategy running to 2030 puts boosting exports and pulling in inward investment near the top of the list.
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Related: Nigel Farage Faces Inquiry Over Crypto Donations as He Returns to Westminster
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India fits that picture well. The country's financial sector has expanded at a pace that's hard to ignore, and UK firms have long had a presence there.
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The UAE angle is maybe even more pointed. Abu Dhabi and Dubai have spent years building out financial free zones and regulatory frameworks specifically designed to attract…
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The IFSCA deal is worth noting. It's not a full memorandum of understanding, and the FCA hasn't spelled out exactly what the Exchange of Letters commits either side to.
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More context: Austrias FMA Hits Bitpanda With €70,000 Fine in MiCAs First Enforcement Shot
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It doesn't mean automatic friendliness. The FCA has been one of the stricter regulators on crypto marketing and consumer protection.
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