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Crypto.com presents Bahrain’s Crown Prince and Prime Minister with new crypto Mastercard prototype

Crypto.com presents Bahrain’s Crown Prince and Prime Minister with new crypto Mastercard prototype

Bahrain’s Crown Prince and Prime Minister, His Royal Highness Prince Salman bin Hamad Al Khalifa, has met with the President and Chief Operating Officer of Crypto.com, Eric Anziani, at Gudaibiya Palace where he presented His Royal Highness with the company’s new Mastercard prototype and is regarded as the first of its kind in the Middle East.

Crypto.com which recently secured a crypto payment service provider license in Bahrain partnered with Mastercard to directly issue cards on Mastercard’s network. It is a principal license that allows Crypto.com to launch a card in Bahrain powered by Mastercard. The new program will leverage Mastercard’s trusted, scalable and secure payments network to enable the crypto exchange customers to use their card at over 150 million in-store and online locations worldwide. Users can easily fund their cards through the Crypto.com app using e-money wallets or third party-issued credit and debit cards.

The innovative payment product will be available across all five Crypto.com card tiers, including Black Obsidian, offering rewards up to 8% on spending and will be denominated in USD.

During the meeting, HRH Prince Salman bin Hamad emphasized the Kingdom’s commitment to advancing the financial services and digital technology sectors, both of which are priorities that contribute to supporting the Kingdom’s comprehensive development under the leadership of His Majesty King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa.

HRH the Crown Prince and Prime Minister highlighted the significance of digital transformation in driving progress across key economic sectors to realise the Kingdom’s aspirations. He also reaffirmed the Kingdom of Bahrain’s commitment to attracting international companies across promising sectors, strengthening its regional and international position, and expanding growth across various industries.

Crypto.com President, Anziani concluded by expressing his gratitude for the opportunity to meet His Royal Highness and extended his wishes for the Kingdom of Bahrain’s continued progress and prosperity.

The Minister of Finance and National Economy, HE Shaikh Salman bin Khalifa Al Khalifa, and the Governor of Central Bank of Bahrain (CBB), HE Khalid Ebrahim Humaidan, also attended the meeting.

Qatar Fintech Hub advance digital assets startups in acceleration program

Qatar Fintech Hub advance digital assets startups in acceleration program

Qatar Fintech Hub announced that Fintech and digital startups from 7countries showcased their solutions during the Demo Day which is the final milestone of the Wave 6 Incubation & Acceleration Program. These startups have advanced through the flagship program to develop their innovative solutions in line with the National FinTech Strategy focusing on two key themes of Islamic FinTech and Digital Assets.

The startups include names such as Alt DRX a B2B real Estate Marketplace for Indians to buy & sell tokenized properties 1 SQFT at a time; powered by algorithmic pricing, instant settlements & Blockchain ledgers.

The second startup to be pitching is ARCA X LLC which is building the bridge between Centralized Finance (CeFi) & Decentralized Finance (DeFi) Through Hard-Blockchain (HBC)™ our proprietary blockchain hardware infrastructure & software end-to-end solution.

The third is Blade Labs which combines AI, blockchain, and smart contracts to help financial institutions deploy Shariah-compliant capital more efficiently. Our embedded Islamic finance platform automates compliance, enhances transparency, and reduces processing time from weeks to minutes, providing secure and scalable solutions for the $3.9T Islamic finance market.

Also pitching is Credit Plus which is empowering SMEs by providing innovative supply chain finance solutions that enhance cash flow, promote financial inclusion, and drive economic growth, with a vision to be the leading digital platform for seamless collaboration between banks, buyers, and suppliers across the MENA region.

Other startups include

Dhahaby facilitates loans against gold, gold jewellery and luxury timepieces removing the friction in collateralized lending for borrowers and lenders.

Ehmini is a digital platform offering embedded Takaful insurance solutions tailored for low and middle income expatriates in Qatar and the GCC. We simplify access to affordable retirement and insurance products by integrating seamlessly with financial institutions and payment platforms.

Finrock is a B2B platform allowing any asset to be identified, verified, and transferred to the blockchain unlocking liquidity and creating a secondary market.

GreenVycto, which is a Carbon Credit Tokenization platform designed to accelerate sustainability through incentivizing eco-friendly actions and supporting a green economy.

Hemaayah is an Insuretech platform bringing insurance protection to 30 Million GCC employed blue-collar workers. Their remittance linked insurance product provides health and income protection benefit to 150 Million family members of migrant workers.

Kredflo is a Shariah-compliant anchor led supply chain finance which enhances cash flow for anchors/sellers by offering immediate payments, while providing buyers/borrowers with a cost-free credit line.

Sidra a tokenisation infrastructure service provider and finally Wafir which transforms traditional lending circles into a modern, digital experience, ensuring secure, transparent, and efficient community financing.

Nexera RWA tokenization platform interested in Qatar

Nexera RWA tokenization platform interested in Qatar

Nexera an infrastructure designed to enable the smooth integration of real-world assets into the digital space recently presented their solutions in Qatar at the Qatar Digital Assets Lab.

They have made trillions of dollars in tokenized assets accessible, transferable, and liquid across web3 by connecting platforms and marketplaces across multiple blockchains.

The company announced that so far in December it visited Qatar Digital Assets Lab to showcase their advanced real world assets tokenization solutions meeting with key players in the ecosystem. Their CEO and Founder Ajaja Rachid presented their real estate tokenization solutions there.

Nexera also recently partnered with modular blockchain powerhouse NULS. With over 1M+ cross-chain transactions, $NULS brings the firepower, and $NXRA opens the gateway to $100T+ in RWA tokenization.

Nexera’s founder and CEO, Rachid Ajaja, shared insights on the synergy between AI agents and tokenization. This is a must-read for anyone following the intersection of blockchain and AI.

The company has also participated at the Plug and Play Tech Center Türkiye Expo 2024, Rachid presented “Scaling AI Infrastructure Through Tokenization,” showcasing the potential of AI and blockchain convergence.

In addition the company joined forces with Bitlayer, bringing tokenization infrastructure to Bitcoin. Bitlayer, an EVM-compatible Bitcoin L2, combines Bitcoin’s security with Ethereum’s flexibility.

More and more DLT, Blockchain entities are entering Qatar Digital Assets Lab.

For example Indian headquartered, Ryzer a blockchain-based (Token Service Provider) real estate investment platform, has been accepted into Qatar Digital Labs within the Qatar Financial Centre (QFC) digital asset tokenization regulatory framework

In addition to others such as Singaporean Blockchain fintech company DMZ Finance which has been chosen by Qatar QFC as well as Blade Labs which tokenizes financial productions and services.

ChainLink Labs sets up office in ADGM to serve DeFi in MENA

ChainLink Labs sets up office in ADGM to serve DeFi in MENA

Chainlink Labs, one of the primary contributing developers of Chainlink, the standard for DeFi and onchain finance, has expanded its presence in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region, and set up an office and an entity in Abu Dhabi under the Registration Authority of ADGM.

Global finance is moving onchain. Chainlink Labs is at the center of this massive shift, working with everyone from financial market infrastructures to asset managers to top DeFi protocols. As per their website they offer a world-class team of over 600 developers, researchers, and capital markets experts with deep experience in cryptography and decentralized systems and a singular vision to build Chainlink into the global standard for onchain finance.

Chainlink Labs plans to utilize its local presence in ADGM to expand its network of strategic partnerships with financial market infrastructures and financial institutions, better serve its global ecosystem, and continue to build key relationships in the region as demand for tokenized assets surges.

Angie Walker, Global Head of Banking and Capital Markets at Chainlink Labs. Senior Executive Officer at Chainlink Labs Abu Dhabi said, “The MENA region has become a global destination for innovators from around the world and a hub for the adoption of onchain finance. We are excited to expand the global footprint of the Chainlink standard by establishing a presence in Abu Dhabi and working closely with key financial market infrastructures and financial institutions in the region to bring tokenized assets to production.”

Hamad Sayah Al Mazrouei, Registration Authority CEO at ADGM noted, “We welcome Chainlink Labs, one of the primary contributing developers of Chainlink—the standard for onchain finance—on its recent expansion with a dedicated presence within ADGM. Chainlink Labs’ increased presence in the region underscores the growing demand for blockchain-based onchain finance solutions and tokenized assets, with Abu Dhabi, the ‘Capital of Capital’, providing the ideal environment for further expanding the global footprint of the Chainlink standard. We look forward to the innovative solutions that the Chainlink standard will enable in Abu Dhabi and beyond.”

Zodia markets crypto broker receives UAE license

Zodia markets crypto broker receives UAE license

Zodia Markets, a crypto and digital asset brokerage, has been granted a Financial Services Permission (FSP) by the Financial Services Regulatory Authority (FSRA) of ADGM. The license grants Zodia Markets (AME) Limited permission to operate a regulated virtual asset brokerage in ADGM.

This marks the fourth operating entity for the Standard Chartered-backed firm, following Jersey (July 2024), Ireland (2023) and the United Kingdom (2022).

The new entity which will be led by Ayad Butt will offer the same comprehensive digital asset solutions for clients, while leveraging domestic banking systems to enable faster local settlement.

As per the press release, the firm plans to deepen its capital market solutions, further bridging traditional finance with digital assets, to cater to the diverse needs of its growing client base around the world.

Ayad Butt, Senior Executive Officer for Zodia Markets (AME) Limited commented, “Abu Dhabi and the UAE is one of the fastest growing digital asset ecosystems. Digital asset adoption continues to accelerate across Africa and Middle East (AME) which makes this the ideal time to deepen our presence in the region, while reiterating our commitment to building in major financial hubs worldwide. It’s an exciting growth phase for us as new and existing clients alike will benefit from our global network, connectivity and capability. Under the robust regulatory framework in ADGM, we envision building a trading and innovation hub, to not only serve clients in the AME region, but also in other major markets around the world.

Arvind Ramamurthy, Chief Market Development Officer at ADGM noted, “We are pleased to welcome Zodia Markets to ADGM’s growing digital asset ecosystem, further cementing its reputation as a global financial hub and its growing prominence as a leading wealth management hub. Their decision to establish a presence in ADGM underscores our commitment to fostering a vibrant, yet regulated environment for innovative financial services companies. The robust regulatory framework at ADGM is designed to support firms like Zodia Markets, ensuring that their clients benefit from the highest levels of trust, security and governance.”

In 2023, Standard Chartered’s backed digital asset platform, Zodia markets, received an In-Principal Approval (IPA) fulfilling the pre-requisites to receive a Financial Services Permission (FSP) for OTC broker-dealer in virtual assets by Abu Dhabi Global Market (ADGM), Abu Dhabi’s international financial center.

Zodia Custody has shown interest in offering its services not only in the UAE but in Qatar as well. Recently, Gerry Afentakis, Head of Europe & MENA Sales at Zodia Custody visited the Qatar Development Bank along with members from the Qatar Financial Authority.

UAE ADGM partners with Polygon Labs for token disclosure process

UAE ADGM partners with Polygon Labs for token disclosure process

Abu Dhabi Global Market (ADGM), a leading International Financial Centre (IFC), and Polygon Labs, developing a network of aggregated blockchains via the AggLayer, are collaborating to develop an international token disclosure process that ensures transparency, security, and trust within the Web3 ecosystem.

This initiative builds on ADGM’s pioneering Distributed Ledger Technology (DLT) Foundations Regulations to create a robust framework for Blockchain Foundations and Decentralized Autonomous Organizations (DAOs). The partnership aligns with ADGM’s vision of positioning Abu Dhabi as a global hub for technology-driven financial services, setting new standards for regulatory clarity and fostering innovation in the blockchain space.

Hamad Al Mazrouei, CEO of ADGM Registration Authority, stated, “Our collaboration with Polygon Labs underscores ADGM’s commitment to shaping the future of blockchain through innovation and regulatory leadership. By establishing a standardized token disclosure process, we aim to promote transparency and build confidence in blockchain technologies while reinforcing Abu Dhabi’s position as a hub for blockchain and Web3 innovation. Polygon Labs brings unparalleled expertise in blockchain scaling and adoption, and together we look forward to driving transformative change in the global blockchain landscape.”

Sandeep Nailwal, Polygon Founder, commented, “Polygon’s mission has always been to make blockchain technology accessible and impactful on a global scale, empowering users and institutions to shape a more open and equitable internet. ADGM’s forward thinking regulatory approach and unwavering support for innovation align perfectly with this vision. Together, we’re not only establishing new benchmarks for transparency and disclosure but also creating a foundation for trust that allows users, developers, and institutions worldwide to engage with blockchain systems confidently. This collaboration is a critical step forward in advancing the global adoption of Web3 technologies.”

Prior to this ADGM partnered and added Solana, Finschia and IOTA to its DLT Foundation members.

Web3 Bank Klickl headquartered in UAE raises $25 million

Web3 Bank Klickl headquartered in UAE raises $25 million

UAE regulated Klickl International offering Web3 banking services, has closed an oversubscribed $25 million Series A funding round. This latest achievement brings Klickl’s valuation to $125 million.

The round was co-led by prominent Web3 investors Web3Port Foundation and Aptos Labs, joined by notable participants including Summer Ventures, Heritage Horizon Capital, V2 Capital, Alpha Square Group, Heng Feng Group, Trend Investment, and Bond Group.

This funding milestone positions the Web3 Blockchain enabled bank for accelerated growth in the burgeoning global Web3 banking space. Klickl Labs will spearhead strategic joint ventures leveraging its Web3 banking services, virtual asset servicing, and crypto payments/brokerage platform, targeting high-growth markets in the Middle East and Africa and act as an incubator for high-impact ventures, fostering scalable solutions in cross-border remittance and digital payment infrastructure.

Meanwhile, Klickl Foundation will channel investments into the Klickl Web3 ecosystem, setting new benchmarks for the PayFi industry.

Web3Port Foundation, a renowned investment and accelerator platform supporting over 1,000 Web3 projects, will play a pivotal role in Klickl’s expansion. As a founding strategic partner, Web3Port will serve as a Limited Partner for the Klickl Foundation’s Web3 Fund and leverage its expertise in tokenomics to drive mass adoption of Web3 technologies.

Bobby Zhou, Chairman of Web3Port UAE, commented, “We are thrilled to support Klickl in its journey to redefine global Web3 banking services. This partnership also marks a significant step in our UAE expansion strategy. In 2024, Web3Port has partnered with RPG Holdings in Abu Dhabi and 19 leading VC firms to establish a stronger Web3 presence in the UAE. Together with local government and regulators, we aim to foster rapid innovation and community growth in the Web3 ecosystem.”

The Aptos Network is a Layer 1 blockchain, renowned for its breakthrough technology and Move programming language. Aptos Network is designed to continuously evolve, deliver exceptional performance, and reinforce user security safeguards. It is the first blockchain to achieve sub-second end-to-end (E2E) latency, setting a new standard in blockchain performance.

Michael Zhao, Founder and CEO of Klickl, stated,“The support from Web3Port Foundation, Aptos Labs, and our long-term investors — including Summer Ventures, Heritage Horizon Capital, V2 Capital, Alpha Square Group, Heng Feng Group, Trend Investment, and Bond Group— highlights the strength of our vision. This funding empowers us to expand our Web3 banking services, focusing on emerging markets across MENA and beyond. We are especially grateful to the local authorities for their forward-thinking regulatory support under ADGM, which has been instrumental in positioning Klickl as the region’s first fully licensed Web3 banking service, offering crypto custody and brokerage solutions.”

Zand Bank now a licensed crypto custodian in UAE

Zand Bank now a licensed crypto custodian in UAE

UAE based Zand Bank, an AI powered digital bank, has received a full VASP license from Dubai’s virtual assets regulatory authority (VARA) allowing it to offer crypto custodial services. The license allows Zand to offer crypto and digital asset custodial services to institutional investors and qualified investors.

Zand, the AI-powered bank for the digital economy and first fully licensed all-digital bank in the United Arab Emirates was founded to support the digital economy and bridge the gap between Traditional Finance (TradFi) and Decentralized Finance (DeFi).

Mohamed Alabbar, Chairman of Zand, commented: “This approval from VARA is a milestone for Zand and the UAE’s digital economy. It reflects our commitment to bold innovation and sustainable growth. Our mission is to establish Zand as a cornerstone of the UAE’s evolving financial landscape, contributing to the nation’s ambition to be a global financial powerhouse.”

Michael Chan, CEO of Zand, added: “We would like to extend a heartfelt token of appreciation to VARA for their continued support of Zand. Our Digital Asset Custody service is a significant step in UAE banking. By providing institutional-grade security for digital assets, we are equipping our clients with the tools they need to thrive in the digital economy. The upcoming launch of Zand’s AED-backed stablecoin will further enhance our ability to integrate TradFi and DeFi, reinforcing our leadership in this space.”

Zand Bank has been chosen by several crypto exchanges and brokers who are working in the UAE as their digital banking partner. With Zand’s new crypto custodial license, VARA would have licensed three crypto custodians, Zand, Hex Trust, and Komainu.

Zand Bank has been growing its presence and offering within the UAE and GCC region. It has signed several partnerships over the past year, the last being with Paymentology.

Paymentology and Zand will enable fintech entities to thrive by offering a range of specialized services, including BIN-sponsorship, virtual IBANs, and Client Money Accounts. These services are designed to help fintech entities launch and scale faster, providing them with the infrastructure to bring their solutions to market efficiently.

The timing aligns with the UAE government’s push to establish a strong digital economy through the UAE Digital Economy Strategy, which aims to double the sector’s contribution to the nation’s GDP from 9.7% (April 2022) to 19.4% over the next decade.

Additionally, IDA, a Hong Kong-based stablecoin issuer, also partnered with UAE Zand Bank, to offer cost-effective and efficient cross-border transactions across the Belt and Road regions and BRICS Plus. As per the press release both entities aim to provide businesses with streamlined 24/7 digital payments.

Updated Dec 14th with quotes

First Abu Dhabi Bank to use RWA tokens as collateral for stablecoin lending

First Abu Dhabi Bank to use RWA tokens as collateral for stablecoin lending

First Abu Dhabi Bank (FAB), a leading UAE bank with asset of $335 billion, has partnered with UAE based Libre Capital to offer digital tokens as collateral for its blockchain based lending program.

As per the article in CoinDesk, the new initiative enables approved lenders to use real world asset (RWA) tokens as collateral for stablecoin lending. These tokens represent digitized versions of traditional investment products, including funds from established firms like Brevan Howard, Hamilton Lane, and BlackRock.

Libre Capital, which began operations in March 2024, has already issued approximately $150 million worth of tokenized assets. These include various investment vehicles, such as Brevan Howard funds, Hamilton Lane’s fixed-income products, and a BlackRock money-market fund.

The program operates across multiple blockchain networks, demonstrating its broad technological reach. These networks include Ethereum, Polygon, Solana, NEAR, Aptos, and Coinbase’s layer-2 network BASE, providing flexibility and accessibility for users.

The initiative falls under Libre’s “Project HODL,” which stands for High-Yield Optimized Decentralized Liquidity. This project aims to create new utility for assets under management through collateralized lending mechanisms.

Dr. Avtar Sehra, founder and CEO of Libre, explained the technical aspects of the program stating, “We’ve been working on adding utility to our AUM in the form of collateralized lending,” he said. “It’s an on-chain infrastructure that allows these RWAs to be used as collateral.”

The lending process operates exclusively in stablecoins rather than traditional fiat currency. T

Sameh Al Qubaisi, group head of global markets at FAB, emphasized the bank’s commitment to innovation through this initiative. The program includes automated processes designed to ensure proper risk management and regulatory compliance.

The partnership creates new opportunities for holders of crypto assets who want to use their tokens as collateral. This practice has become increasingly popular in the cryptocurrency space, and First Abu Dhabi Bank involvement brings traditional banking infrastructure to support it.

The technical implementation includes credit lines provided through existing lenders, such as broker dealers and Laser Digital. FAB’s role involves handling liquidity through lending credit lines on Libre’s assets across various blockchain networks.

Prior to that MANTRA, a layer 1 blockchain purpose-built for tokenized real-world assets (RWAs) partnered with Libre Capital, a UAE-headquartered financial instruments tokenization and issuance platform, to provide investors with onchain access to a diverse range of attractive investment funds.

As per the partnership Libre Capital will provide those MANTRA users that are institutional or accredited investors with investment opportunities across a number of notable onchain funds, including leading hedge funds, private credit funds and money market funds.

UAE gets its first AED stablecoin approved

UAE gets its first AED stablecoin approved

The first AED (UAE Dirham) stablecoin has been approved by the Central Bank of the UAE and is set to launch soon according to AE Coin’s X post. The AE Coin will be the first AED ( Dirham backed) stablecoin to be licensed in the UAE. While Tether who announced early on its intention to launch its AED stablecoin has not yet even received initial approval.

The AE Coin promises an instant, secure, stable, innovative, low-cost, and efficient payment experience that will reshape the future of the digital economy. A few months earlier the AE Coin had announced it received preliminary approval from the Central Bank.

AE Coin aims to empower individuals and businesses to access modern financial tools, fostering financial inclusion, and supporting innovation in industries such as e-commerce, remittances, and decentralized finance (DeFi).

Ramez Rafeek, General Manager of AED stablecoin, remarked, “AE Coin harnesses the speed and efficiency of blockchain technology, offering instant, secure, and cost-effective transactions. It simplifies transfers, making them faster and more seamless. In a rapidly evolving digital world, AE Coin sets a new standard for trust, security, and innovation in digital currency.”


According to Chainalysis, the stablecoin market in the UAE has grown significantly in 2024. Through the first half of the year, the value of stablecoins received by services (particularly CEX and DEX) in UAE totaled over US$9.8billion, a 55% spike over the US$6.3billion received over H1 2023.

Stablecoins now account for the largest share of crypto activity in the UAE (51%), which stands significantly higher than both Bitcoin (19%) and Ether (9%), which are typically considered to be the most recognized and popular cryptocurrencies.

Also Circle the issuer of the USDC stablecoin just announced the opening of its offices in ADGM and its partnership with Lu Lu Fin.