Former Crypto.com UAE General Manager Mohammed Al Hakim joins MultiBank exchange

Mohammed Al Hakim, former president and general manager of Crypto.com’s UAE operations, has joined MultiBank Group as vice chairman and CEO of MB.io, its UAE VARA regulated cryptocurrency and digital asset trading platform.

As per the appointment announcement, Al Hakim will lead MB.io into new international markets and oversee the expansion of MultiBank Exchange. His remit includes real-world asset tokenisation, institutional trading and cross-border settlement solutions, as the group looks to connect traditional financial markets with digital assets.

Working directly with MultiBank Group founder and chairman Naser Taher, he will also focus on partnerships with financial institutions, governments and sovereign wealth funds. The appointment coincides with the launch of MultiBank Exchange, a UAE-built interbank electronic trading platform designed to connect financial institutions with global liquidity.

In his announcement, Al Hakim said the role would give him an opportunity to contribute to the UAE’s ambitions in finance while building businesses serving international markets. Alongside leading MB.io, he said his focus would be on the group’s international growth and delivering results for clients and partners.

The move follows Crypto.com’s expansion into payments across the UAE. Al Hakim was appointed as president of the exchange’s UAE operation in December 2024, with responsibility for business development, strategic partnerships and financial innovation.

During his time at Crypto.com, the company moved from signing payment agreements to rolling out services. Emirates introduced Crypto.com Pay for eligible UAE residents in July 2026, followed by Dubai Duty Free in August. As previously reported by Lara on the Block, customers could authorize payments through Crypto.com, while the merchants receive settlement in UAE dirhams.

These launches followed a Stored Value Facilities licence granted by the Central Bank of the UAE to Crypto.com’s local entity, Foris DAX Middle East FZE, in May 2026. Lara on the Block’s coverage at the time identified Al Hakim as president and general manager for the UAE and Bahrain.

Before joining Crypto.com, Al Hakim held a director role covering corporate management and loyalty and incentives programmes at the UAE’s Ministry of Human Resources and Emiratisation. Lara on the Block’s December 2024 report, citing the appointment release, also noted his involvement in partnerships that attracted more than $800 million in foreign investment into Dubai.

At MultiBank, the focus now extends beyond crypto payments to the infrastructure linking digital assets and institutional finance. Through MB.io and MultiBank Exchange, Al Hakim’s new mandate brings international expansion, tokenisation and access to liquidity under the same umbrella.