‘ElonTrades,’ a popular social media user with hundreds of thousands of followers on X, continues to express his concerns about Dubai amid the Iran war. Having moved to the much-preferred destination a month ago, he recently gained viral fame on the SNS platform for filming the heart-rending scenes of the fire at the luxurious Fairmont The Palm hotel.
However, UAE authorities were unimpressed by his decision to capture the explosion, which resulted in his X account being banned across the Gulf country, as per his own confessions on social media these past few weeks.
Viral crypto guy’s Dubai rant continues after X ban in the UAE
Taking to his account on Wednesday, an exasperated ElonTrades complained about not being able to accept that he had been “ordered to get a license and permit to post on social media” despite having moved to Dubai to “not be strangled by regulations and bureaucracy.” Alongside his rant on X, the founder of Signal Labs (a team-led crypto desk) shared the image of the “Important Notice for Content Creators” issued by the Emirates authorities.
The note states, “As per the latest regulatory requirements, all UAE residents involved in content creation activities must secure both a valid E-Trader License and a UAE Media Council (UMC) Permit. Please ensure compliance to avoid any potential penalties or disruptions to your activities.”
Why was ‘ElonTrades’ banned in UAE?
Just days ago, the user shared with his social media followers that he had moved to Dubai a month ago. The recent developments in the city prompted authorities to flag his SNS account.
Moved to Dubai a month ago…
— ElonTrades (@ElonTrades) March 9, 2026
Then two drones exploded next to our building, I was listed #3 on the UAE public prosecutor’s list for “publishing illegal content” (the video of the Fairmont on fire that got 1.7m views) resulting in my X account being banned across the country,… pic.twitter.com/M5pTT0bgyD
He then shared the first page of the UAE public prosecutor’s list, which featured his X username alongside 23 other names. In a follow-up post, he published the warnings highlighted in the public prosecution document, which threatened “Imprisonment for Two Years and a Fine of Not Less Than AED 200,000 for Spreading Rumor and False News During Times of Crisis.”
In the aftermath of the US and Israel launching attacks on Tehran, Iran responded with its own retaliatory offensive by targeting Gulf states that have long emerged as big allies of the US. Iranian drone and missile attacks ultimately caused damage to numerous landmarks in Dubai. The five-star Fairmont The Palm on Dubai’s Palm Jumeirah island similarly became the target of a missile attack, prompting several eyewitnesses to film the explosion scene from various camera angles.
ElonTrades was one of the many people who filmed the Fairmont fire; his video amassed millions of views on X. In a post from merely days ago, he wrote, “Then two drones exploded next to our building, I was listed #3 on the UAE public prosecutor’s list for “publishing illegal content” (the video of the Fairmont on fire that got 1.7m views) resulting in my X account being banned across the country, followed by another week of hiding in the basement due to constant barrages of missiles and drones.”
Yup.
— ElonTrades (@ElonTrades) March 9, 2026
Then around the same time they put out a message stating they would imprison or fine people if they share information that hasn’t first been confirmed by them.
So basically you’re only allowed to share what they tell you.
With even more attacks wreaking havoc on prominent landmarks, such as the Dubai Marina residential skyscraper and Dubai International Airport (DXB), in the following days, ElonTrades felt he and his family had “pushed our luck far enough.” Deciding to escape the Emirates, he confessed to traveling to Oman to fly out. Urging even others stuck in Gulf Cooperation Council member countries to flee before it gets too late, he added, “Good luck to everyone in the GCC. But if you have the means to get out – I suggest you do so. Don’t FAFO.”
When a fellow X user asked if the government banned his account over the Fairmont fire video he had posted, Elon replied affirmatively. “Then around the same time they put out a message stating they would imprison or fine people if they share information that hasn’t first been confirmed by them,” he wrote in the comments. “So basically you’re only allowed to share what they tell you.”
In a more recent update, ElonTrades detailed his journey from Dubai in the UAE to Muscat in Oman, so that he could finally board a flight out of the Gulf region. With his travel spanning from midnight to 8 am, the crypto boss boarded a van to the UAE border, which then led him to “shuttle across the border into no man’s land.” Thereafter, he took a seat on a bus headed to the Omani territory, and finally two small sedans led him, his “wife, baby and entirety of our life possessions” to Muscat.
UAE rules for content creation amid Iran war
Starting February 1, 2026, the UAE enforced the mandatory issuance of an Advertiser Permit (influencer e-media permit) for advertisers and content creators in the country. Additionally, creators are also required to acquire a Commercial Trade License. Although the UAE Medical Council announced these new rules in 2025, a grace period ending January 31, 2026, was also provided for creators and businesses to comply.
Under the new UAE law, working as an influencer isn’t merely a hobby; it’s now regarded as a commercial activity. In the aftermath of these mandatory introductions, a suspicious pattern has emerged on social media. Influencers in Dubai are being seen posting near-identical videos praising the city’s safety even as missiles continue to rain down over the emirates. Many influencers in the city are even showering its leadership with hefty praise for “protecting” the residents.
After the very first few strikes in the UAE, Dubai authorities warned the public against sharing old videos and images of past fires on social media. “We confirm that they are inaccurate and misleading,” the Dubai Media Office said in late February. The UAE Public Prosecution even warned residents not to publish rumours or information from unknown sources on social media. It further threatened to enforce legal action against those who fail to comply.
The country’s Article 52 indicates that spreading unverified information in the UAE is a crime punishable by law. It states that anyone publishing, sharing or spreading false news, rumours, or misleading information contradicting official sources may face at least one year in prison and a fine of Dh100,000.
Additionally, if false news ends up fuelling public opinion against state authorities during crises, the person involved may be sentenced to at least two years in prison and fined Dh200,000.