Middle East Stablecoin Association now in DIFC
The Middle East Stablecoin Association (MESA), the region’s industry body dedicated exclusively to stablecoins, has been incorporated in Dubai International Financial Centre (DIFC), global financial center in the Middle East, Africa and South Asia (MEASA) region as a Non-Profit Incorporated Organisation (NPIO).
As per the announcement, the incorporation marks MESA’s transition from an industry-led initiative into a DIFC-registered non-profit platform focused on responsible stablecoin adoption, policy dialogue, education, research, standards development and international knowledge exchange.
Dr. Bhaskar Dasgupta, Chairman of MESA, noted that stablecoins are now at the core of the financial infrastructure supporting settlement, treasury, cross border payments and programmable finance. He explained, ” MESA’s role is to help the MENA region become a standard-setter rather than a standard-taker, aligning industry participants around credible standards, informed policy dialogue and responsible innovation. Incorporation provides MESA with a formal governance framework through which it can undertake its educational, research and public interest activities across the region.”
MESA exists to convene stablecoin issuers, exchanges, banks, legal advisers, fintech infrastructure providers, venture capital firms, corporate treasury leaders and other market participants, and to engage policymakers and regulators, in support of the safe, transparent and interoperable growth of digital money across the Middle East. MESA operates in the public interest and does not promote, endorse or confer commercial advantage on any individual organisation.
According to DeFiLlama and Citi Institute, global stablecoin market capitalization now stands at around $311 billion, up from approximately $28 billion in 2020, with Citi projecting the market could reach $1.9 trillion in its base case and USD 4.0 trillion in its bull case by 2030. The UAE is emerging as one of the world’s most active regulated digital asset markets, with Chainalysis estimating that the country received more than $56 billion in crypto value during its 2024 to 2025 reporting period, representing 33 per cent growth year on year.
His Excellency Arif Amiri, Chief Executive Officer of DIFC Authority, also welcome MESA and noted that as digital finance continues to evolve, collaboration between industry participants, policymakers and innovators will be critical to unlocking new opportunities and supporting responsible growth. He stated, “MESA’s incorporation further strengthens DIFC’s position as a leading global center for financial innovation, providing a platform for the advancement of emerging technologies shaping the future of finance.”
Kristiina Lumeste, Co-Chair of Technology, Innovation and Education at MESA, added “MESA will help bridge innovation and compliance by bringing market participants together around practical standards and shared understanding, so that digital money can develop in a way that is secure, transparent and globally aligned.”
On 7 July 2026, the DFSA published Consultation Paper No. 173, the most significant overhaul of the DIFC Collective Investment Fund framework since 2006. The reforms simplify licensing, modernize master-feeder structures, and introduce dedicated provisions for tokenized investment funds where ownership is represented on blockchain.
According to Charlotte Robins, Managing Director of Policy and Legal at the DFSA, the proposals are designed to support the continued growth of DIFC’s wealth and asset management sector by ensuring regulation remains proportionate, internationally aligned and focused on investor protection. The DFSA’s consultation closes on 7 September 2026, with formal policy expected to follow in Q4.
