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Australian NotCentralised to develop Blockchain certification attestation process for Qatar Government

Australian NotCentralised to develop Blockchain certification attestation process for Qatar Government

NotCentralised, an Australian based tech company that utilizes blockchain technology to offer solutions, has been selected by the Qatar Research, Development, and Innovation Council (QRDI), acting through Qatar Foundation, to lead and deliver a blockchain Optimization of Certification Attestation Process project.

As per the announcement, this initiative aims to design a state-of-the-art attestation flow leveraging emerging technologies for the benefit of Qatar in partnership with RedBelly Network a premier blockchain team and Microsoft. The team will use blockchain technology in certification attestation for Qatar.

As a specialist in emerging technologies, NotCentralised has deep expertise in Blockchain, Tokenization, and Generative AI. Our team has contributed to high-profile projects, including CBDC pilots for the Reserve Bank of Australia and Generative AI implementations for Sydney’s largest Primary Healthcare Network.

NotCentralised won the the first challenge, titled “Certification Attestation Process – Optimization through Blockchain Technology,” which aimed to address various issues associated with the current manual certification verification process, such as workforce requirements, extended processing times, semi-automated university and government systems, high costs, intricate procedures, susceptibility to errors, degree forgery, and unauthorized verification.

The initiative is supported by The Qatar Research, Development, and Innovation (QRDI) Council’s flagship program, Qatar Open Innovation (QOI), launched the Open Innovation Opportunities in partnership with the Ministry of Labour (MoL) in Qatar.

This collaboration represents a significant milestone to enrich the technology sector and promote innovation. QRDI’s QOI program, known for its dedication to fostering innovation, introduces an Innovation Opportunity geared towards transforming the certification attestation process and document analysis for Qatar’s Ministry of Labour.

There was also a second challenge, titled “Artificial Intelligence Driven Document Analysis for Qatar’s Ministry of Labour,” focuses on improving the efficiency of the Ministry of Labour’s operations. Manual document analysis has been time-consuming, labour-intensive, and error prone. By adopting AI-driven solutions, MoL aims to modernize its processes, reduce manual labour, and enhance efficiency, with a primary focus on contract analysis in the Arabic language.

UAE Cequire Capital invests half a million in crypto trading platform TX24

UAE Cequire Capital invests half a million in crypto trading platform TX24

Cequire Capital, a UAE-based investment firm specializing in blockchain and digital asset ventures, has announced a capital injection of $500,000 into digital asset platform TX24.

As per the press release, this capital injection is part of Cequire’s mission to empower cutting edge crypto ventures. The investment will support TX24’s global expansion to offer secure and accessible digital asset services.

TX24 is a secure and scalable cryptocurrency platform offering fast, low-fee digital asset transactions for users around the globe. Designed for both beginners and advanced traders. It provides tools for buying, selling, storing, and managing cryptocurrencies delivered through a simple and powerful interface.

“We invest in platforms that are building tomorrow’s crypto experience–not just riding hype cycles,” said the CEO of Cequire Capital. “TX24 demonstrates a rare mix of usability, innovation, and readiness to scale. Our investment reflects our belief in their long-term potential and our shared commitment to a decentralized financial future.”

TX24 isn’t just a trading venue, it’s a flexible digital finance ecosystem. Funding options include credit cards, bank transfers, and instant deposit methods, making it easy for first-timers to get started. Once funded, users can buy, sell, and manage assets like Bitcoin, Ethereum, and a wide range of altcoins. For advanced users and institutional traders, TX24 Pro unlocks a host of additional features: customizable dashboards, API access, low latency for high-volume execution, and transparent, flat-fee pricing structures.

Using the investment TX24 will make major platform enhancements, such as additional trading pairs streamlined performance, and improved mobile capabilities. It will also expand its liquidity to enable more stable trading markets as well as focus on growing its footprint in emerging markets.


Abu Dhabi Inovartic to launch tokenized real estate investment platform with Brikyland

Abu Dhabi Inovartic to launch tokenized real estate investment platform with Brikyland

Brikyland Technologies, a blockchain-based real estate tokenization platform, and Abu Dhabi based Inovartic Investments, an innovation and technologies driven investment firm, have signed joint venture partnership aimed at jointly exploring, developing, and implementing tokenized real estate and green asset backed investment technologies in UAE. The venture is expected to roll out projects in key real estate developments and green asset backed initiatives across the UAE, with further announcements to follow in the coming months.

As per the press release, the collaboration is set to leverage blockchain, smart contract infrastructure, and digital asset frameworks to unlock new models of fractional ownership, liquidity, and transparency in the real estate and sustainable investment space. The joint venture will operate in full compliance with ADGM’s evolving regulatory environment governing virtual assets and digital finance.

The two parties seek to develop a UAE based tokenization platform for premium real estate and green assets that will enable compliant fractional ownership structures using blockchain and smart contracts. They will also work to introduce innovative investment vehicles aligned with ESG principles and sustainability mandates and collaborate with regulatory bodies to ensure alignment with national digital asset policies.

The agreement follows the UAE–Vietnam Business Forum held on April 10, 2025, at the Abu Dhabi Chamber of Commerce, where both entities reaffirmed their commitment to advancing technology cooperation. This partnership reflects that vision by strengthening cross-border collaboration in emerging technologies and green finance.

“This partnership with Brikyland Technologies is a natural extension of our vision to drive the next generation of asset backed investment solutions rooted in transparency, sustainability, and technological advancement,” said Anwar Hussein, Managing Partner and Co Founder of Inovartic Investments. “Together, we are laying the foundation for a new era of real estate investment and green asset monetization in the UAE.”

Dr. Dang Ha Lam, Founder Chairman and CEO of Brikyland Technologies, added, “Our technology is designed to make real estate and green assets more accessible and tradable. Partnering with Inovartic opens up strategic opportunities to expand our footprint in the UAE with a focus on institutional grade solutions and compliance-first innovation.”

Saif Aldarmaki Chairman and Co Founder of Inovartic Investments, also noted that the partnership reflects the share commitment to advancing cross-border innovation and sustainable investment. He notes, “By integrating Brikyland’s blockchain technology, we aim to pioneer next-generation asset-backed financial solutions that align with the UAE’s digital economy vision and deepen our commercial ties with Vietnam.”

Founding Advisor of Brikyland Technologies Dr Phillip Thai Pham (BA MIT, Dr. Standford) commented, “We welcome this strategic joint venture as a timely and progressive step that aligns with Vietnam’s commitment to fostering global partnerships in innovation and sustainable development. The collaboration between Brickyland and Inovartic reflects the spirit of cooperation highlighted during the UAE–Vietnam Business Forum. We believe this initiative will open new investment channels, create high impact technological applications, and strengthen the economic bridge between our two nations.”

The Hayvn digital asset saga ends with $8.85 million in fines

The Hayvn digital asset saga ends with $8.85 million in fines

The saga that has engrossed UAE based HAYVN, a digital asset focused financial institution, providing trading, asset Management, custody, and payments previously regulated in ADGM UAE, has ended after more than a year with fines of over $8 million.

The saga which started in December 2023, when Hayvn announced the so called resignation of its CEO Christopher Flinos and the request to make its status inactive in Abu Dhabi ADGM ( Abu Dhabi Global Market), insinuated that the CEO had carried out a huge misconduct, has come to a conclusion with the The Financial Services Regulatory Authority (“FSRA”) regulatory arm of ADGM taking enforcement action following an investigation into serious regulatory breaches and misconduct related to the Hayvn Group of Companies, which operated under the name ‘HAYVN’, its former CEO, Christopher Flinos and related entities. 

In February 2024, Deus X Capital, a $1 billion family office agreed to buy out HAYVN and appointed Richard Crook as new CEO. Deus X Capital purchased the business brand, technology, clients and staff from other HAYVN shareholders.

Today, and as per ADGM FSRA press release, the FSRA’s investigation found serious breaches and misconduct concerning the operations of three related party companies and Christopher Flinos.  As part of its investigation, the FSRA took steps to ensure that no ADGM client assets or money were lost as a result of the relevant misconduct.  

The enforcement action has resulted in the cancellation of Hayvn ADGM’s Financial Services Permission (“FSP”), the prohibition of Christopher Flinos indefinitely from performing any function in a financial services business in ADGM, as well as financial penalties totalling $8.85 million being imposed across the four parties involved.  Details of the total fines imposed are as follows:

  • USD 3.6 million against AC Holding Limited registered in the Cayman Islands (“Hayvn Cayman”), the parent company of a group of entities operating under the name ‘HAYVN’ that provided financial services related to Virtual Assets.
  • USD 3 million against AC Limited (Hayvn) (“Hayvn ADGM”), an ADGM-based subsidiary of Hayvn Cayman, licensed and regulated by the FSRA to conduct specific financial services activities in relation to Virtual Assets.
  • USD 1.5 million against AC Holding Limited (“AC Holding”), a Special Purpose Vehicle (“SPV”) registered with the Registration Authority (“RA”) of ADGM and not licensed by the FSRA to carry out any form of financial services activity in ADGM; unconnected to Hayvn Cayman and Hayvn ADGM.
  • USD 750,000 against Christopher Flinos, the former Senior Executive Officer (“SEO”) of Hayvn ADGM, Chief Executive Officer (“CEO”) of Hayvn Cayman, sole owner and director of AC Holding.

The misconduct and breaches were related to Hayvn ADGM exceeding the scope of its FSP by allowing client transactions to be routed through accounts held by AC Holding, the unregulated SPV entity registered in ADGM, without any appropriate protections being in place.  It failed to establish and maintain adequate systems and controls to manage its operations and risks, as well as to recognize and record all of its client relationships, breaching the FSRA’s Anti-Money Laundering (“AML”) requirements.

The company Hayvn Cayman and AC Holding also carried out significant unlicensed financial services activity in relation to Virtual Assets in ADGM from around October 2018 to around May 2024. 

Hayvn Cayman routed client transactions related to the conversion of Virtual Assets to fiat currency and vice versa through the accounts held and controlled by AC Holding, the SPV that was not licensed by the FSRA and therefore prohibited from conducting any form of financial services activity in ADGM.

 As a result, both Hayvn Cayman and AC Holding were found to have carried out unlicensed payments and arranging services in relation to Virtual Asset activities in ADGM.

 Christopher Flinos played a central role in directing and controlling the unlicensed activity in ADGM and as SEO of Hayvn ADGM and CEO of Hayvn Cayman and as the sole director of AC Holding was found to have been centrally involved in the breaches and misconduct. 

The report notes that Christopher Flinos lacked integrity and failed to take reasonable care to ensure that Hayvn ADGM operated in compliance with the applicable rules and regulations of ADGM, for which he was ultimately responsible as SEO.

Hayvn Cayman, AC Holding and Christopher Flinos created and disseminated false and misleading information about the nature of the transactions related to Virtual Assets routed through AC Holding’s accounts.  This included the provision of over 200 false and misleading documents on AC Holding letterheads to AC Holding’s banking partners to open and then maintain the operation of these accounts.  These documents were produced under the direction of Christopher Flinos with the involvement of both Hayvn Cayman and AC Holding.

Hayvn ADGM, Hayvn Cayman and Christopher Flinos provided false and misleading information to the FSRA in response to requests for information including the nature and scope of the business operations associated with each entity above and specifically AC Holding undermining the integrity of the regulatory process. 

Emmanuel Givanakis, CEO of the FSRA of ADGM, said, “The FSRA will take robust and appropriate enforcement action against individuals and entities that violate our regulatory framework.  In this case, the actions of the entities and individuals involved were particularly serious, as they conducted unauthorised Virtual Asset activities through an unregulated entity based in ADGM.  Furthermore, Christopher Flinos was found to have provided false and misleading information and statements during the investigation.  Such misconduct will not be tolerated and warrants strong regulatory penalties which send a strong message of deterrence. ”

Givanakis added, “To address this serious misconduct, the licence of Hayvn ADGM has been cancelled, significant fines have been imposed on the entities involved, and Christopher Flinos has been prohibited from holding any functions in relation to financial services in ADGM.  The FSRA remains ever-vigilant and committed to holding entities and individuals accountable for their actions and ensuring the integrity of the financial system in ADGM.”

The FSRA of ADGM acknowledges and thanks ADGM’s Registration Authority and the Cayman Islands Monetary Authority (“CIMA”) for their cooperation during its investigation in relation to this matter.

Who is the culprit in Mantra Chain OM token loss

Who is the culprit in Mantra Chain OM token loss

Mantra Chain, the Layer one tokenization platform, regulated in the UAE by Dubai’s Virtual Asset Regulatory Authority, has shed almost $10 billion dollars in less than 24 hours on April 13th 2025. The OM token price dropped from around $6 dollars to 0.37 in a matter of hours.

The incident reminded many of FTX, Luna, and other failed projects that were either ponzy scams or worse, but until now there are many sides to the story and many fingers assigning blame and culprit status.

So what has happened?

The Mantra Chain side of story

John Patrick Mullin, the CEO and Co-Founder of Mantra was quick to make a statement on X and LinkedIn what happened. He noted that they had determined that the $OM Token market movements were triggered by reckless force closures initiated by centralized exchanges on OM account holders.

He stated, “The timing and depth of the crash suggest that a very sudden closure of account positions was initiated without sufficient warning or notice. That this happened during low-liquidity hours on a Sunday evening UTC (early morning Asia time) points to a degree of negligence at best, or possibly intentional market positioning taken by centralized exchanges.”

He noted that Centralized exchange partners play an important role in providing liquidity to projects like ours. He explained, “We work closely with them; however they continue to exercise enormously high levels of discretion. When discretionary powers are exercised without due internal and external oversight, dislocations like what recently happened can and will occur, hurting both projects and investors alike.”

He was adamant that the dislocation was not caused by the team, or Mantra Association, or advisors or investors. He explained, “Tokens remain locked and subject to the published vesting periods. OM’s Tokenomics remain intact, as shared last week in our latest token report. Our token wallet addresses are online and visible.”

He added that in the coming hours there will be a community meeting on X to discuss the events.

Crypto exchanges side of story

The Founder and CEO of OKX sees it quite differently, on X he noted, “ It’s a big scandal to the whole crypto industry. All of the onchain unlock and deposit data is public, all major exchanges’ collateral and liquidation data can be investigated. OKX will make all of the reports ready!”

He also shared a post which noted that before the $OM token crash, 17 wallets deposited $277 million ( 43.6 million $OM) to exchanges, which is 4.5% of circulating supply. Two of those wallets are linked to Laser Digital an investor and partner of Mantra Chain.

In March 2024 MANTRA Chain raised $11 million led by UAE based Shorooq Partners with investors including Three-point capital, Forte Securities, VirtuZone, Hex Trust and GameFi Ventures

While it seems the CEO of Mantra Chain mostly blames Binance. Binance issued a statement stating that the $OM Token had experienced price volatilities and their initial findings indicate that the development are a result of cross-exchange liquidations. Since October 2024 Binance had implemented various risk control measures including reducing leverage levels with regards to $OM Token.

Additionally, since January 2025, Binance introduced a pop-up warning on the OM spot trading page to inform users of major changes in the token’s Tokenomics, particularly a significant increase in supply. That warning has now been updated to emphasize that OM’s price is subject to very high volatility.

The Community take on the Story

Being_maximus expressed what he believes is the community take on the events with $OM Token, he explained that the community believes this could be linked to a team Shake-Up: Rumors of key “Kabal team” resignations rocked investor confidence, triggering panic selling,  Tokenomics Concerns, allegations surfaced that the team controls up to 90% of the token supply, raising fears of insider selling and manipulation. A proposal for supply inflation only added fuel to the fire, and Airdrop Discontent: Community members (“Omies”) expressed frustration over poor airdrop allocations and vesting terms. OTC sales by insiders may have worsened the sell pressure.

Investors have reached out to Mantra Chain and Binance, with one stating on X “I invested $3,500,000 into your RWA token, $OM. That investment is now worth barely $200,000, a drop of over 90%. My intention was to support the future of RWAs. I conducted thorough due diligence, and the supposed partnership with a leading UAE property company was a key factor in my investment decision — a claim that gave the illusion of credibility and legitimacy.”

He added that it is clear that these funds were funneled into the pockets of the Binance and $OM Teams. As he stated,, “It’s now clear that those funds were funneled into the pockets of the Binance and $OM teams in what looks like a well orchestrated liquidity exit. Had I known that my investment would be used to subsidize insiders instead of advancing the RWA ecosystem, I never would’ve engaged with this project. If this situation is not acknowledged and addressed appropriately, I will have no choice but to escalate this through formal legal channels. My crypto legal representatives at Burwick Law will be in touch.”

The Dubai Virtual Asset Regulatory Authority take

The most important take will be that of the UAE regulator VARA given that Mantra Chain is regulated in the UAE. Lara on the Block reached out, and was advised that no comments could be made at this time as investigations are ongoing.

The whole situation reminds us of a recent spat that took place in the UAE, a few weeks back between UAE based Dohrnii Labs, and Blynex crypto exchange.

But it could also be a reminder to the sagas of FTX, when VARA had to suspend its license.

Alps Blockchain expands Oman mining operation to 150 Megawatt

Alps Blockchain expands Oman mining operation to 150 Megawatt

Alps Blockchain, an Italian company that builds and operates mining farms to contribute to the development of new technologies and support the evolution of the energy sector, combining innovation and efficiency, has announced that it has expanded its mining operation from 10 Megawatt to 150 Megawatt in Oman.

As per the post, this scale up follows their successful completion of the first phase. The company notes that this growth represents a key strategic milestone in the company’s path toward international expansion, reaffirming its commitment to investing in high-efficiency infrastructure and in markets with strong growth potential.

Launched in 2024, the project initially involved a 10-Megawatt phase, successfully completed in the first half of last year. The second phase is now taking shape: with the arrival of new containerized units, the site has been significantly upgraded to support a much broader operational capacity of 150 Megawatts, making it the largest in the country.

In July 2024, Azimut, an independent, global group in asset management, wealth management, investment banking and fintech, completed a new club deal to invest in Alps Blockchain totaling $156 million to be used for Alp Blockchain growth initiatives of which Oman was one.

The 150 MGW phase has been under construction since January 2025 in Salalah through the subsidiary Alps Middle East SPC in partnership with Green Data City.

Morocco Web3Fest will bring together Web3 leaders during Gitex Africa 2025

Morocco Web3Fest will bring together Web3 leaders during Gitex Africa 2025

Morocco WEB3FEST GITEX Edition, a global conference series focused on technology and innovation in AI, Blockchain, and sustainability, will be held during Gitex Africa in Marrakech Morocco from April 14-16th. The event is organized by InactaVentures and co-hosted by The Hashgraph Association, and will bring together the world’s foremost Web3 leaders, innovators, and investors at the intersection of technology, finance, and sustainability.

Hosted in Marrakech during GITEX Africa, the event serves as a critical bridge linking the vibrant ecosystems of Africa, the Middle East, and Europe. With a strong commitment to advancing decentralized technologies and sustainable innovation, Morocco WEB3FEST GITEX Edition is poised to drive meaningful dialogue and collaboration among industry pioneers, enterprises, and policymakers.

Kamal Youssefi – President of The Hashgraph Association noted, “We are honored to be co- hosting the WEB3FEST in Morocco during GITEX Africa given that one of the aims of THA is to empower entrepreneurs, enterprises and governments with the technologies and knowhow needed to foray into Web3 while keepingsustainability at the heart of their endeavors. This is why Hedera network, considered one of the most sustainable in the world, is at the center of our conversations.”

Ralf Glabischnig – Founder of Inacta Ventures, added, “Switzerland has always been a hub for Blockchaininnovation, and our Layer 1 technology is solving real-world challenges in developing countries. With Morocco as the perfect gateway to Africa, we are connecting European expertise with Africa’s immense potential for Blockchain adoption.”

Event Highlights:
The Green Block Talks
April 14, 2025
Sofitel Marrakech Palais Imperial

A high-impact evening bringing together thought leaders and industry experts to discuss the role of AI and Web3 in driving sustainability. Featuring insightful panels, networking opportunities, and meaningful discussions.

Featured Speakers:

  • Ian Putter – Head of Blockchain COE, Standard Bank
  • Tom Rieder – Director Marketplace, The Green Block
  • Abdelaziz Benyahya – Chief Transformation Officer, AXA Morocco
  • Kamal Youssefi – President of The Board, The Hashgraph Association
  • Ralf Glabischnig – Founder, Inacta Ventures

WEB3 Investor Dinner (Co-hosted by NEO AI)
April 15, 2025
Private Villa, Marrakech

An exclusive, invitation-only gathering for venture capitalists, fund managers, and private equity professionals. This intimate setting will facilitate high-level discussions on investment opportunities, portfolio strategies, and the evolving digital asset landscape.

UAE regulated OKX pilots crypto collateral mirroring with Standard Chartered

UAE regulated OKX pilots crypto collateral mirroring with Standard Chartered

Standard Chartered and UAE regulated OKX, a cryptocurrency exchange have launched collateral mirroring program, enabling institutional clients to utilize cryptocurrencies and tokenized money market funds as off-exchange collateral for trading under a pilot overseen by the Dubai Virtual Asset Regulatory Authority (VARA).

As per the press release, the initiative significantly enhances security and capital efficiency for institutional clients by using a Globally Systemically Important Bank (G-SIB) as the custodian for their collateral.

Margaret Harwood-Jones, Global Head of Financing and Securities Services at Standard Chartered said: “We understand the critical importance of robust and secure custody solutions, especially in the evolving digital asset landscape, and our collaboration with OKX to enable the use of cryptocurrencies and tokenised money market funds as collateral represents a significant step forward in providing institutional clients with the confidence and efficiency they need. By leveraging our established custody infrastructure, we are ensuring the highest standards of security and regulatory compliance, fostering greater trust in the digital asset ecosystem.”

The collateral mirroring capability has been launched as a Pilot within the Dubai Virtual Asset Regulatory Authority’s (VARA) regulatory framework, and it allows clients to benefit from enhanced protection against counterparty risk, a significant concern in the current digital asset markets.

Standard Chartered acts as the independent, regulated custodian in the Dubai International Financial Centre (DIFC), regulated by the Dubai Financial Services Authority, ensuring the safe storage of the assets used as collateral, while OKX through its VARA regulated entity, manages collateral and facilitates transactions. Franklin Templeton will be the first in a series of money market funds that will be offered under the OKX-SCB program.

Hong Fang, President of OKX, added, “As the digital assets ecosystem becomes more ingrained within traditional finance, we strive to both drive growth and safeguard client assets in the most capital efficient manner. By leveraging Standard Chartered’s position as a top custodian globally, as well as OKX’s market leadership in cryptocurrency trading, the partnership sets an industry standard for current and potential institutional clients to deploy trading capital at scale in a trusted environment.

Franklin Templeton, a recognised leader in tokenisation and real world assets (RWA), continues to innovate by leveraging blockchain technology to deliver cutting-edge solutions to customers and clients. Through this collaboration, OKX clients will gain access to on-chain assets developed by Franklin Templeton’s Digital Assets Team, seamlessly integrating them into their financial and operational structures.

Roger Bayston, Franklin Templeton Head of Digital Assets, says “Leveraging blockchain technology, our platform is built to support the dynamic and ever-evolving financial ecosystem. We take an authentic approach, from directly investing in blockchain assets to developing innovative solutions with our in-house team. By ensuring assets are minted on-chain, we enable true ownership, allowing them to move and settle at blockchain speed – eliminating the need for traditional infrastructure.”

Brevan Howard Digital, the dedicated crypto and digital asset division of Brevan Howard, a leading global alternative investment manager, is among the first few institutions to onboard onto this pioneering programme, highlighting the importance of such capabilities being offered by a leading international cross-border bank and a highly reputable global exchange.

Ryan Taylor, Group Head of Compliance at Brevan Howard and CAO of Brevan Howard Digital, commented: “This program is the latest example of the continued innovation and institutionalization of the industry. As a significant investor in the digital assets space, we are thrilled to partner with industry leaders to further grow and evolve the crypto ecosystem globally.”

UAE Zand Bank launches its crypto custodial services

UAE Zand Bank launches its crypto custodial services

UAE regulated digital Bank Zand has announced that it the first UAE bank to provide its institutional-grade Digital Asset Custody services under its banking license.

According to the LinkedIn post, “The groundbreaking offering which has been designed for corporate and institutional clients, ensures top-tier security, with private keys protected in onshore UAE Hardware Security Modules (HSMs) to meet the highest global standards.”

Zand is also offering the Zand Vault Cold Wallet crypto custody solution.

The digital Bank is also offering insurance coverage, multi signature and threshold signature schemes as well as regulatory oversight from the UAE Central Bank as well as Dubai Virtual Asset Regulatory Authority.

Zand is already well established in the UAE crypto ecosystem, as it offers crypto exchanges banking services.

In January 2025, Zand Bank partnered with Klickl after they announced they would be launching their digital asset custodial services. The Bank has also noted that it will be launching an AED stablecoin in the future while it enhances the bank’s ability to integrate TradFi and DeFi.

Other digital banks in the UAE are entering the crypto foray. Already Mbank has launched its first regulated AED stablecoin, while Liv Bank is now offering crypto trading services.

Mbank also launched Jaywan Cards, the UAE’s first National Debit Card, on its blockchain enabled Mbank Wallet platform.

Binance payment service company BPay receives license in Bahrain

Binance payment service company BPay receives license in Bahrain

The Central Bank of Bahrain (CBB) has granted BPay Global B.S.C.(c) (BPay Global), a Binance Group payment services company, a Payment Service Provider (PSP) license to operate in the Kingdom of Bahrain. Binance customers will be able to top up and withdraw on an e-wallet fiat currency, as well as custody their fiat and crypto and make payments.

As per the press release, the PSP license will allow BPAY to offer fiat services to Binance customers globally, including fiat top ups and withdrawals, custody and other payment services. This will enable Binance customers to open an e-wallet and make fiat top ups on the Binance platform through bank transfers and debit/credit card payments. The license will also allow BPay Global to custody fiat on behalf of customers.

Commenting on this announcement, Mr. Abdulla Haji, Director of Licensing Directorate at CBB, said “We are pleased to announce the issuance of a license to a new payment service provider in Bahrain. This license represents a positive step in enhancing Bahrain’s digital payments ecosystem, particularly in its support for crypto-related sector as well as fiat payment solutions. The CBB remains committed to enabling a dynamic and progressive payment landscape that aligns with global advancements in financial technology.”

Mr. Tameem Almoosawi, General Manager of Binance Bahrain and BPay Global, commented: “We are glad to announce the launch of BPay Global and the first Payment Service Provider license received by a Binance company, allowing it to act as a payment service provider and e-wallet provider for users around the world. With this license, BPay Global will provide Binance users with further choice of low-cost fiat on- and off-ramps.”

Binance had previously received a license from the Central Bank of Bahrain back in 2023 and was able to offer crypto payments through Binance Pay.