DUBAI, June 15 (Reuters) - OKX, one of the world's largest cryptocurrency exchanges, is seeking regulatory approval to operate in Dubai as it plans to expand the company's Middle East operations, an executive told Reuters on Thursday. Regulation is an industry trend, OKX Global Head of Government Relations Tim Byun said. Byun said he believed the SEC's move would push more applicants towards innovative regulators like Dubai's Virtual Asset Regulatory Authority (VARA). OKX is regulated in the Bahamas and currently does not allow customers from the United States to use its platform due to regulatory issues. OKX plans to apply for such a licence, Byun said.

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Persons: Tim Byun, Binance, Byun, VARA, Lisa Barrington, Yousef Saba, Kirsten Donovan Organizations: Reuters, Government, U.S . Securities, Exchange Commission, SEC, Regulatory, Dubai World Trade Center, United, United Arab Emirates, Dubai International Financial, UAE, Thomson Locations: DUBAI, Dubai, VARA, United Arab, Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, Bahamas, United States