Complaints policy

1. Introduction

This Complaints Policy outlines the procedure for raising complaints related to the services of RIV Technologies FZE (“RIV Technologies”, the “Company”, “we”, or “us”) as a Virtual Assets Service Provider (VASP) in Dubai, United Arab Emirates (“UAE”). We take all complaints seriously and aim to resolve them promptly, fairly, and transparently, in line with the regulations set by the Dubai Virtual Assets Regulatory Authority (VARA) and local and international best practices.

While we are always committed to the highest standards of quality, we recognize that some situations can lead to complaints raised against RIV Technologies. The Complaints Policy describes all the principles involved in the complaints handling followed by RIV Technologies and provides a description of all the steps that a user can follow to present a complaint.

2. Scope

This policy applies to all the services provided by RIV Technologies: more in detail, our advisory services on cryptocurrencies.

3. Principles

• Promptness: All complaints shall be dealt with without undue delay.

• Fairness: Complaints will be addressed impartially, considering both the complainant and the Company’s perspectives.

• Confidentiality: All complaints will be treated with the utmost confidentiality and in line with applicable data protection laws.

• Transparency: Complainants will be kept informed of the progress of their complaint and the reasons for decisions made.

4. Raising a Complaint

1- Initial Contact: If you have concerns, we encourage you to first discuss them with your primary contact at our organization.

2- Formal Complaint: If the initial discussion doesn’t resolve your concerns, or you prefer to raise a formal complaint immediately, you can do so via any of the following methods:

• Online: please fill in the complaints form available on our website at https://riv-technologies.com/complaint;

• Email: please email info@riv-technologies.com, specifying “Complaint” in the title of your mail and clearly stating your complaint in the content of the email; or

• Post: please mail your letter, marked for the attention of the “Compliance Officer”, to RIV Technologies FZE, Office 613, The Offices 3 – One Central, Dubai World Trade Centre, Dubai, UAE, clearly stating your complaint.

3- RIV Technologies does not impose any fees or charges for the submission or handling of complaints.

4- When raising a complaint, please provide as much detail as possible, including:

• Your full name

• Your contact information (email address and phone number; return mailing address in case of complaints submitted by post)

• A clear description of your complaint (in English language), including the date and time when the issue arose

• Any supporting documentation or evidence

• The outcome or resolution you are seeking

5- If your complaint contains insufficient information for us to properly investigate and resolve it, we will reach out to you to request the missing information and/or any additional information which we may deem necessary or useful from you in order to address your complaint. Since these additional correspondences will impact the timeline within which we can adequately respond to your complaint, we encourage you to ensure that your initial complaint submission is as complete, detailed, and accurate as possible.

5. Complaints Handling Process

1- Acknowledgment: Upon receipt of your complaint, we will acknowledge it within one (1) week.

2- Investigation: We will review the details of the complaint, gather necessary information, and may contact you if further clarification is needed. This process may take up to four (4) weeks, depending on the types and the priority of the complaint.

3- Extended investigation: In extraordinary circumstances, we may need to carry out an extended review of your complaint due to, for example, the nature and complexity of the complaint and supporting evidence. If an extended investigation of your complaint is necessary, we will provide you with an update on the status of the complaint, as well as an explanation of the extraordinary circumstances delaying its resolution, within four (4) weeks from the submission of your complaint. Any extended review of your complaint will be resolved within eight (8) weeks from the submission of your complaint.

4- Outcome: All investigations are handled by independent personnel unconnected to the complaint. After the investigation, we will provide you with a written response outlining our findings, the reasons for reaching our decision, and the steps we intend to take. How we communicate the outcome of the complaint to you will depend on the method you used to submit the complaint:

• Online: we will reply via email to the email address you indicated when providing the complaints form.

• Email: we will reply via email to the email you sent us.

• Post: we will reply via post to the return mailing address you indicated in your letter.

6. Escalation

If you are not satisfied with the response or outcome of your complaint, you have the right to escalate it by contacting the Dubai Virtual Asset Regulatory Authority (VARA) via the complaint form accessible on their website: https://www.vara.ae/en/register-a-complaint/.

7. Complaints Involving Third Parties

If RIV Technologies determines that a third party is wholly or partially responsible for the subject matter of the complaint, we may refer your complaint to such third party. When a complaint is referred to a third party by us, we will promptly inform you in writing that such referral has been made, along with contact details of the individual receiving your complaint at the third party. Any referral containing personal data will be made in compliance with applicable data protection laws. RIV Technologies will remain responsible for the resolution of your complaint even when a third-party referral is made.

8. Records

All complaints, whether resolved at the initial contact or through the formal complaints process, will be recorded in the Company’s complaints register and stored securely for a minimum of eight (8) years. These records help us monitor the quality of our service and continuously improve.

In compliance with VARA (Virtual Assets Regulatory Authority) Market Conduct Rulebook – Rule III.A.5, RIV Technologies FZE is committed to maintaining a transparent and accountable record-keeping system for all complaints received and resolved. To this end, we ensure to:

1- Maintain a Comprehensive Record: All measures taken in response to complaints, including the steps undertaken to investigate, address, and resolve the issues raised by our clients, are meticulously documented in our Complaints Register.

2- Report Resolution: The resolution of all complaints, along with the details of the measures taken, is recorded and stored securely. This information is used not only for internal review and improvement but also to provide a summary report to VARA within twenty-four (24) hours following the notification of any incident affecting or potentially affecting Personal Data to a data regulator or a Data Subject, in compliance with VARA requirements, unless prohibited by applicable law.

By adhering to these practices, RIV Technologies FZE ensures that our complaints handling process is in line with the regulatory expectations and maintains the trust and confidence of our clients and regulators.

9. Continuous Improvement

We regularly review our complaints to identify trends and areas of improvement. This feedback loop ensures that we consistently improve our services and the experience of our customers.

10. Contact

For any queries related to this Complaints Policy, please contact our Complaints Department at info@riv-technologies.com

ABAC Policy

Complaints Policy

Whistleblowing Policy

Conflicts Of Interest Policy

Regulatory Compliance Disclosure