AMINA Bank AG, a global crypto bank licensed in Switzerland and the UAE, announced its financial performance for 2024, with 69% surge in revenue to $40.4 million with revenues from its Abu Dhabi operations growing 150% year on year and Hong Kong office accelerating 570%. Currently assets under management ( AUM) are $4.2 billion a 136% increase.

Franz Bergmueller, CEO of AMINA Bank said, “Our global, client-first strategy has delivered exceptional results in 2024 and proves how the market responds when you put your clients at the center of your business. I’m incredibly proud of our team’s tenacity and focus, which led to quarterly profitability in Q4 2024 – a pivotal milestone that confirms the value of our approach. With our current group geographical footprint – spanning multiple jurisdictions, offering 24/7 trading capabilities, and maintaining zero default in our lending book over five years – we are uniquely prepared to support our clients through the fast-paced changes of the crypto industry.”

As per the press release, AMINA’s self-funded approach and operational excellence in the past three years has placed the bank at a sustainable competitive advantage delivering $801 million in net new assets (NNAs) in 2024 along with 40% growth in derivatives revenue driven by client demand for risk management solutions.

Significant technology investments have been made under the new CTO leadership to develop a proprietary crypto banking platform and a modern online and mobile experience, all launching later this year. Supported by a scalable and API-driven architecture, these platforms support B2C, B2B, and B2B2C models while delivering seamless secure client integration and rapid adaptability to market demands, ensuring both AMINA and its clients remain agile, as the industry continues to evolve.

“Our strong financial fundamentals underpin this exceptional growth trajectory, demonstrating our strength and agility to support our clients through any market conditions,” added Mike Foy, CFO of AMINA Bank. “AMINA’s Liquidity Coverage Ratio is 228%, up from 219% in 2023. In addition, our CET1 capital ratio, which compares a bank’s capital against its risk-weighted assets, is more than double the regulatory requirement at 34%, despite an increase in risk-weighted assets as a result of our expansion.”

With the acceleration of institutional adoption and demand for regulated solutions, AMINA has established itself as an essential infrastructure provider at crypto’s critical inflection point. AMINA Bank has attracted almost 20 B2B2C partners including some of Europe’s largest private banks, with expectations to reach 30 partners by year-end.

The Hashgraph Association a Swiss non-profit organization driving global adoption of Hedera-powered solutions by funding innovation, training, certification, and venture building programs, in collaboration with Exponential Science Foundation, a not-for-profit foundation accelerating responsible tech adoption, via research, education, and innovation activities, has launched the Hedera Africa Hackathon 2025 to enable the next generation of Web developers and empower economic inclusion in Africa with a digital future for all.

As per the press release, the Hackathon will be the biggest Web3 Hackathon initiative combines online participation with onsite events in over 20 African cities, with a goal of attracting over 10,000 participants across more than 15 countries on the African continent. Developers, students, and entrepreneurs are invited to collaborate to build decentralized solutions on Hedera across industries such as Finance, Healthcare, Telecoms, Sustainability, Agriculture, and Manufacturing, while leveraging the convergence of other deep technologies such as AI, IoT, Robotics, and Quantum Computing, with a prize pool of more than $1 million on offer for the winning teams and projects.

With global participation officially open from August 1 to September 30, 2025, the hackathon tasks applicants to develop blockchain/distributed ledger technology (DLT)-based, scalable solutions tailored to the continent’s most urgent challenges and needs. All solutions will be built on the Hedera network an energy-efficient and cost-effective DLT, which offers cost predictability, the highest levels of security, and the ability to support reliable, scalable, and enterprise-grade applications.

Already having secured the backing and participation of more than 50 global and regional partners to be announced over the next few weeks, as well as over 100 universities and tech hubs, the hackathon is designed to be the largest of its kind on the African continent. The event will offer extensive technical education, certification, and hands-on support from Hedera-Certified engineers, with hacking stations to be established in cities such as Lagos, Cairo, Nairobi, Kinshasa, Cape Town, Casablanca, and Tunis for in-person collaboration, alongside a fully virtual Hackathon track accessible worldwide.

“Africa is home to one of the youngest, most enthusiastic and dynamic tech communities in the world; its future will depend on digitization,” said Kamal Youssefi, President of The Hashgraph Association. “By equipping developers and entrepreneurs with Web3 skills and next generation toolkits, we’re not just solving today’s problems, we’re shaping the future of decentralized innovation in one of the world’s most significant growth markets, fostering a digital future for all through financial, identity, and communication inclusion.”

The hackathon aims to catalyze continuous innovation across four key tracks: On-Chain Finance and Real-World Asset (RWA) Tokenisation; ESG Sustainability and Traceability; Self-Sovereign Identity (SSI) and AI; and Gaming, Metaverse, & NFTs.

Developers of all skill levels and backgrounds are encouraged to participate — no prior blockchain experience is required. Extensive training resources will be provided through the Hedera Academy, with access to a thriving developer community.

The Hashgraph Association and the Exponential Science Foundation will be carrying out awareness and training campaigns to prepare participants for the hackathon before the official start date on August 1st 2025.

 Initiatives such as the Hedera Africa Hackathon encourage the next generation of tech builders, researchers, and entrepreneurs. As well as driving blockchain education and innovation within a continent that is showing incredible growth potential. We encourage anyone with an interest in blockchain technology to sign up and start developing the next wave of practical solutions across multiple industries to gain valuable experience and a chance to claim the prize pool. Our hope is that participants will go on to launch their own ventures and share their learnings,” said Paolo Tasca, Co-Founder & Executive Chairman of Exponential Science Foundation.

The Hedera Africa Hackathon 2025 is operated and supported by a strong network of partners, under the experienced leadership of DAR Blockchain, a Tunisian-based Web3 Hub that has been operating in the Web3 industry since 2017. DAR Blockchain plays a significant role in magnifying the impact of this hackathon initiative across the continent and builds on THA’s previous efforts to support blockchain innovation in Africa.

UAE regulated Changer,a digital asset custodian and Bitgrit, a global startup working to democratize AI who recently registered their DLT Foundation at ADGM, have partnered to advance the Distributed Ledger Technology (DLT) Foundation ecosystem in Abu Dhabi Global Market (ADGM), to unlock new frontiers for “AI-on-chain” technology.

Changer, known for its ultra-secure custody platform for managing digital money and assets, will join forces with Bitgrit, which leverages its global network of over 40,000 AI developers to enable companies to crowdsource and license innovative AI solutions. Together, they aim to power a decentralized AI economy where developers, enterprises, and institutions can securely build, monetize, and trade AI models on the blockchain, right here in Abu Dhabi.

Wang Hao, CEO of Changer, stated, “This is a pivotal moment. Changer is dedicated to supporting ADGM’s DLT Foundation – the world’s first comprehensive framework for blockchain foundations, DAOs, and Web3 entities. We provide secure, regulated digital asset custody and a seamless infrastructure for tokenized ecosystems. With Bitgrit, we are forging new standards for transparency, efficiency, and global cooperation in the digital age.”

The partnership will initially see Changer provide custody services for Bitgrit’s native BGR tokens. It will then expand to secure AI models and datasets tokenized on Bitgrit’s BGR Network. This capability is crucial for creating smooth and secure interactions between traditional finance, cryptocurrency, and the burgeoning AI economy, boosting security, transparency, and worldwide appeal.

Kazuya Saginawa, CEO of Bitgrit, underscored the partnership’s strategic vision, “Teaming up with Changer is a game-changer for Bitgrit. Their trusted custody solutions allow us to confidently scale our decentralized AI ecosystem and position Bitgrit as a pioneer in the AI-on-chain revolution. This alliance solidifies our mission to securely bring advanced AI onto the blockchain, which will create immense value for developers, businesses, and investors across the globe.”

The event also served as an official announcement for the launch of the BGR Network by Bitgrit’s COO Saksham Kukreja. The BGR Network is a purpose-built blockchain ecosystem for AI applications. It allows AI models and datasets to be securely tokenized, owned, and traded on-chain, offering unprecedented transparency, ownership, and monetization avenues for AI creators and enterprises. Its ability to connect with other established blockchain systems makes it a pioneering infrastructure for the next wave of AI development.

Saksham Kukreja COO of Bitgrit added, “Our collaboration with Changer is fundamental to establishing a trusted, secure, and regulatory-compliant AI economy on the blockchain. This is not only a major achievement for Bitgrit but also a compelling example for the global Web3 community of how regulated partnerships in progressive jurisdictions like ADGM can catalyze sustainable and truly impactful innovation.”

The cooperation between these two regulated firms within ADGM underscores how supportive regulatory environments can powerfully drive innovation, further cementing Abu Dhabi’s position as a global leader in the advancement of blockchain and artificial intelligence.

In a show of its intention to enter the MENA region Flipster, a cryptocurrency trading platform, has appointed a regional head to drive innovation in this high-potential market.

Previously an executive at Rain crypto exchange licensed in UAE and Bahrain, Benjamin Grolimund, is now the General Manager of the UAE at Flipster.
Grolimund brings nearly two decades of experience scaling business operations and driving compliant digital assets innovation in the region. Prior to this, Ben was the founder and CEO of Finally Technologies, and the Regional Head of MEA at Bloomberg.

Appointed as General Manager of the UAE, Benjamin will oversee the firm’s business and operational strategies in the region. His appointment comes at a pivotal growth phase for Flipster, reinforcing its commitment to providing traders of all experience levels with seamless, global access to crypto trading.

Expanding into the Middle East marks a natural progression in Flipster’s global strategy, driven by the region’s strong demand for digital assets and a highly engaged, informed investor base. This move builds on the platform’s performance in 2024, which included an 856% increase in trading volume across existing markets. With Benjamin’s leadership, Flipster is well-positioned to support the region’s growing digital asset ecosystem and confidently execute its vision for strategic expansion in this high-growth market.

“Joining Flipster at this pivotal moment is an exciting opportunity to contribute to a bold vision for the future of digital asset trading,” said Benjamin Grolimund, General Manager of the UAE at Flipster. “The Middle East’s progressive regulatory environment and commitment to financial innovation provide an ideal foundation for responsible growth. My focus will be on establishing a strong, compliant, and operationally sound presence in the region—ensuring we build with integrity, safety, and long-term scalability. I’m proud to be part of a team that is setting new standards in the industry and driving the next phase of global expansion.”

As per the press release, Flipster’s expansion into the Middle East signals its commitment to work with regulators, industry partners, and the broader community. This move aims to shape the future of digital assets while ensuring traders worldwide stay ahead in a rapidly evolving market, all while maintaining the highest standards of compliance in the region.

Flipster offers over 350 trading pairs across spot and perpetual futures markets, Flipster combines zero trading fees, tight spreads, and up to 100x leverage to give users a powerful edge in any market condition. Users can trade and earn simultaneously—with USDT used for trading continuing to earn APR rewards—maximizing capital efficiency without sacrificing execution.

BitGo, a digital asset infrastructure provider, recently licensed in UAE has launched its Crypto-as-a-Service (CaaS) platform globally including the UAE to enable financial institutions, FinTechs, and enterprises to seamlessly integrate crypto functionality into their products.

The platform simplifies the process of offering crypto trading, transfers, and staking, ensuring high standards of security and regulatory compliance.

The CaaS platform leverages BitGo’s secure wallet infrastructure, modular APIs, and regulatory licensing, allowing businesses to build and scale digital asset products quickly. With minimal friction, organizations can now tap into BitGo’s trusted platform to offer crypto services to their customers.

Mike Belshe, CEO of BitGo, emphasized, “We’ve made it easier than ever for financial institutions to integrate crypto and meet growing demand without the time and resource burden of creating their own marketplace.”

Some of the key features include secure wallet infrastructure offer enterprise-grade solutions for safe transactions, regulatory compliance with built-in KYC/AML tools for global compliance, crypto trading and staking, customizable governance and policy features, and custodial insurance with protection of up to $250 million in assets.

UAE based Air Arabia airline is now accepting the AED stablecoin, AE Coin, developed by MBank ( Al Maryah Bank) for payments such as flight booking. The airline is the first in MENA to offer a stablecoin based payment option. Users can book their flights using the AEC Wallet application developed by MBank.

As the UAE’s first regulated AED-backed stablecoin, AE Coin is pegged 1:1 to the UAE dirham, ensuring price stability, security, and low transaction fees. With this integration, Air Arabia’s customers can now select the AEC Wallet at checkout when booking via the airline’s website.

Adel Al Ali, Group Chief Executive Officer, Air Arabia said: “We are proud to partner with Mbank to introduce AE Coin as a secure and innovative payment option for our customers. At Air Arabia, we are committed to embracing digitalization across our operations, and this partnership reflects our efforts to enhance our customer experience through technology. The newly introduced payment option through AEC Wallet reflects our ongoing efforts to adopt smart solutions that bring greater value, choice and flexibility to our growing customer base.”

Mohammed Wassim Khayata, CEO of Mbank, commented: “We are proud to partner with Air Arabia to offer AE Coin as a payment option for travelers. Air Arabia’s strong reputation as a leading low-cost carrier operator serving a diverse customer base aligns perfectly with our mission to provide accessible, secure, and affordable digital payment solutions to our community. Through this partnership, we are not only enhancing the booking process but also contributing to the UAE’s broader goal of creating a truly inclusive, digitally empowered financial ecosystem.”

Ramez Rafeek, General Manager of AED Stablecoin, added: “This partnership with Air Arabia is a key milestone for AE Coin as it makes digital currency even more accessible to everyday consumers. By integrating AE Coin into flight bookings, we are simplifying the payment experience for travelers and enabling a seamless cashless solution that aligns with the growing digital economy. Air Arabia’s leadership in adopting digital payment solutions within the aviation industry is an exciting development that will set the stage for wider adoption of digital currencies in the region.”

UK, Ireland, and UAE based Ctrl Alt is the tokenization partner for Dubai Land Department aimed to tokenize real estate using XRP Ledger Blockchain. The initiative which is being carried out alongside VARA ( Dubai’s Virtual Assets Regulatory Authority), the Dubai Future Foundation, and PRYPCO seeks to tokenize real estate to develop the future of property investment in Dubai through fractional ownership.The initiative is projected to contribute to the growth of an AED 60 billion ($16 billion) tokenized real estate market by 2033, equivalent to 7% of Dubai’s total property transactions.

Ctrl Alt, is a B2B is a B2B infrastructure provider that makes structuring and investing in alternative asset classes efficient, cost-effective, and accessible. Launched in 2022 by Matt Ong (formerly of Morgan Stanley and Credit Suisse) to open up access to the growing world of alternative assets, Ctrl Alt has since become the leading expert in the sector. Through Ctrl Alt, businesses can structure and distribute private equity, infrastructure, private credit, films and more. This is achieved via their sophisticated technology stack which includes tokenization, that streamlines existing investment structures.

The Ctrl Alt team is composed of financial and product experts including alumni from Morgan Stanley, Credit Suisse, UBS and Revolut.

As the designated tokenization provider for the project, The DLD and Ctrl Alt have worked closely together on the development of a secure and compliant tokenization framework, focusing on structuring, minting and placing real estate title deed tokens on-chain. The XRP Ledger (XRPL), a decentralized layer 1 blockchain renowned for its decade-long reliability and stability in tokenizing and exchanging digital and real-world assets, has been selected as the blockchain of choice for the project.

Additionally, Ctrl Alt has integrated directly with the DLD to synchronize both digital and traditional real estate ledgers, ensuring coordination between the on-chain and the conventional property registration system. This enables a fully integrated and transparent tokenization process that aligns with local regulations and enhances investor confidence.

The project has been developed under the Real Estate Evolution Space Initiative (REES) and marks the first time in the Middle East that a government real estate registration authority has implemented a public blockchain-based tokenization of property title deeds. With this move, the DLD is leading the charge toward a more accessible, transparent and efficient real estate market, enabling fractional ownership, broadening investor participation and enhancing operational efficiency.

By leveraging native tokenization, ownership of real estate has been fractionalized, allowing multiple investors to co-own a single property. This is achieved through the PRYPCO Mint real estate platform, which is now live and allows investors to participate with a starting minimum investment of AED 2,000. EID holders are able to participate at mint.prypco.com.

Matt Ong, CEO and Founder, Ctrl Alt said, “We’ve been working closely with the DLD on this project for some time, and we’re delighted to be taking this major step together to bring real estate investment to a wider audience. As experts in the space, we are proud to create the tokenization infrastructure that enables DLD’s partners to offer fractional real estate to investors. Dubai’s leadership in embracing next-generation financial technologies is truly world-class and this project is a powerful signal of what’s to come. We’re thrilled to launch this pilot and continue building with DLD in the months ahead.”

The UAE Blockchain enabled Verify platform, affiliated with the Telecommunications and Digital Government Regulatory Authority (TDRA), has issued over 21.789 million certified digital documents since its launch in mid-January 2022.

During the launch in 2022, H.E. Eng. Majed Sultan Al Mesmar, Director General of the Telecommunications and Digital Government Regulatory Authority, said: “With the launch of the “UAE Verify” platform, we take a new important step on the path of comprehensive digital transformation using future technologies such as blockchain, which is the technical basis for the “UAE Verify” platform. We are happy about this platform, which was the result of intensive cooperation between TDRA and many government entities, that worked together in a team spirit to serve the higher goals of the UAE government. On this occasion, I can only commend the partners of the first phase of the platform, namely the Ministry of Interior, the Ministry of Education, the Ministry of Health and Prevention, the Ministry of Justice, the Ministry of Community Development, the Ministry of Climate Change and Environment, the General Authority of Civil Aviation, the Federal Authority for Identity, Citizenship, Customs and Ports Security, and the Dubai Land Department. I extend thanks to the rest of the authorities that have expressed their willingness to participate in the development of the “UAE Verify” platform to serve all customers.”

As per the news post, TDRA introduced the UAE Verify platform to enable government and private entities to verify the authenticity of digital documents issued by government authorities on an immediate basis and without the need for original hard copy or true copy.

The TDRA Blockchain platform continues to play a vital role in advancing the UAE’s comprehensive digital transformation. It now supports verification for 55 types of digital documents, issued by 22 federal and local government entities. Verification can be done instantly without the need to review the content of the document, or examining the original hard copy or its true copy. Users can convert their documents to trusted digital documents with a high level of privacy and security. Check how you can obtain, verify and validate a trusted digital document.

UAE Verify employs blockchain technology, which helps regulate data and digital documents, verify authenticity, facilitate information sharing and ensure privacy protection. The platform enables users to convert their documents into authenticated digital versions with high levels of privacy and security.

In 2023, the UAE Ministry of Education (MoE) launched the blockchain enabled “automated attestation” service to make it easier for university graduates to get their certificates verified quickly. All attested university certificates will be provided through the blockchain-powered UAE Pass app, in cooperation with the Telecommunications and Digital Government Regulatory Authority (TDRA), enabling students to access their attested certificates in a faster and more reliable manner.

Qatar Financial Centre (QFC) CEO Yousuf Al Jaida made it clear during the Qatar Economic Forum hosted by Bloomberg, that while Qatar was big on digital assets in the realm of tokenization, it was a no no for crypto, but actually a yes for stablecoins.

In a panel discussion entitled MENA & Crypto: What Comes Next?, Al Jaida stated, ” While crypto is a no no ” and is often the first thing regulators and the public associate with digital assets, it is just one vertical, there are other types of digital assets which could be any type of value transferred over the blockchain including stablecoins, central bank digital currencies (CBDCs), security tokens, and utility tokens.”

The statement eludes to the fact that while Qatar Financial authority which offers an onshore legal environment where businesses can set up and are taxed with no physical boundaries, crypto might not be in play, but stablecoins which he mentioned are one of the digital assets that he sees could be part of the ecosystem.

Already Qatar has regulated DLT and Blockchain infrastructure, digital assets for tokenization including security tokens and utility tokens. It has even been working on its own CBDC, so with the inclusion of stablecoins as part of what Qatar calls digital assets, their regulation might not be that far away.

He emphasized that the focus is on building a robust, regulated framework to digitize real-world assets and unlock new economic opportunities, particularly in real estate and Islamic finance.

Al-Jaida explained that given Qatar Central Bank’s strict stance on crypto with bank trading being heavily regulated, QFC has taken a different route.“Our entire focus, resources, and investment have gone into tokenization. Tokenization solves a real problem in the economy. It democratizes access to illiquid real assets like real estate and private securities.”

With global tokenized assets expected to hit $30 trillion by 2030, including $15 trillion in illiquid assets and $1 trillion in security tokens, the CEO sees a clear opportunity.“This is where our regulations are focused. We launched our Digital Asset Regulations in 2024, along with the Investment Token Rulebook and security token guidelines. These allow us to license digital asset firms swiftly and efficiently within the QFC framework,” he said.

One key priority for QFC is unlocking liquidity in Qatar’s oversupplied real estate sector.“There’s a huge concentration of ownership in towers across West Bay and Lusail, often held by just a few landlords with ticket sizes of $500m and upwards,” said Al-Jaida. He mentioned that tokenizing even one or two towers could bring tremendous economic benefit and access.

However, to manage risk and ensure regulatory confidence, QFC is deploying a“laboratory” approach. Tokenizing private shares within its own corporate registry, Special Purpose Vehicles (SPVs) or holding companies are then created to hold tokenized assets, beginning with real estate.

“This approach allows us to experiment within a controlled environment. If anything goes wrong, the risk is contained within the QFC – not the broader economy,” he stressed. QFC also sees potential in securitizing other asset classes, including Islamic financial products, corporate bonds, and eventually, energy infrastructure.“ We’re looking to use tokenization to drive inclusive access and financial innovation,” said Al-Jaida.

Why stablecoins and tokenization go hand in hand

At the same event, in a panel on ” Striking the Balance Crypto and Regulation”, stablecoins was also one of the topics of the hour. It was also noted that stablecoins would be needed for tokenized assets. Lucy Gazmararian, Founder & Managing Partner, Token Bay Capital, noted that stablecoins which are effectively fiat money essentially on blockchains is the final piece of the crypto puzzle because it completes the entire trading cycle.” She notes that as more real world assets are issued and traded on blockchain with players like BlackRock, Franklin Tempelton

She explained, ” As we see more real world tokenizing treasuries you need that cash leg of the trade to settle on blockchain transition to move finance onto blockchain. By putting USDT on chain you are driving new demand for collateral that backs those stablecoins.
Each USD is backed short term US treasury debt, because stablecoins getting into hands of new participants, non US people couldn’t get banks accounts in dollars, demand for US dollar.”

Anatoly Crachilov, CEO & Founding Partner, Nickel Digital Asset Management also noted that while traditional banking were overcharging clients, stablecoins do it for a fraction of a cent.

Usman Ahmed, Co-Founder and CEO of Zodia Markets believes that Tether will remain dominant because of the high adoption. He notes that stablecoin market capital is expected to increase from 230 billion USD in 2025 to over 2 trillion USD in 2028, a 10 fold increase in the next two years. He notes, ” I don’t see a bank stablecoin or government one coming in and overtaking Tether, but stablecoins will need to get into the banking system because why wait for dollar market to open, sometimes in seven hours, that is 7 hours of capital not being utilized.”

Binance the number one crypto exchange globally in terms of market share, with licenses in both UAE and Bahrain within the MENA region, has launched partnering with Riyadh Chamber and Gulf Colleges.

A year ago As per the X post, Binance Academy held their first workshop on Blockchain and crypto fundamentals was held at AlYamamah University in Riyadh KSA.

This time, more than 60 participants attended the event include Chief Marketing Officer of Binance, Rachel Conlan.

At the event the Binance Academy team and Gulf Colleges and Riyadh Chamber signed a partnership that includes expanding Blockchain education program in Saudi.

The Binance Academy offers courses on Web3, Crypto, blockchain. It is one of the largest educational hubs in the blockchain industry. and its mission is to teach everyone about blockchain technology.

In Jordan for example, the Blockchain Center, which seeks to embed blockchain education into academic curricula across the globe by offering training programs for university educators, partnered with the Academy; to expand its Global University Outreach program to included Jordan based Al Ahliyya Amman University. The Blockchain Center and its initiatives across the glove aim to revolutionize blockchain education by integrating Blockchain Compliance and Blockchain Engineering into the curriculum of universities worldwide.