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UAE Mubadala Sovereign wealth fund invests close to half a billion dollars in Bitcoin

UAE Mubadala Sovereign wealth fund invests close to half a billion dollars in Bitcoin

UAE Mubadala, a sovereign investment fund, has revealed in an SEC Filing that in late 2024 it invested $436,895,026 in BlackRock’s Ishares Bitcoin Trust ETF. The disclosure was made through a 13F filing with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC).

Mubadala’s investment in Bitcoin while not directly but through an ETF is a significant departure from the usual investments made by Sovereign funds in the Middle East and GCC region.

It reflects a growing interest in the UAE in Bitcoin and crypto assets.

The UAE in particular has been showcased as having 30% of its population owning crypto.

Prior to this announcement another UAE sovereign wealth fund, through one of its subsidiaries FSI ( FS Innovation) agreed with US based Marathon digital holdings, a digital asset mining company establishing and operating facilities for digital asset mining in Abu Dhabi.

The initial phase consisted of two digital asset mining sites comprising 250 MW (megawatts) in Abu Dhabi UAE. Marathon Holdings will own 20% of the joint company in UAE only. The cost of the project being $406 million.

ADQ in addition also registered Zero Two, to launch its digital assets business in Abu Dhabi UAE to offer latest generation technologies. Zero Two aimed to build and operate data center and offer digital asset management services as part of ADQ’s digital asset strategy. The name “Zero Two” is derived from the significance of the numerals 0 and 2 in Web3 technology.

Then in September 2022, Abu Dhabi’s ADQ and Further Ventures, an investment firm back by ADQ launched a $200 million fund focused on Fintech, digital assets and supplychain.

Prior to that rumors circulated in 2024 that a Qatar sovereign fund was investing in Bitcoin, but nothing was ever verified.

Recently as well, Wisconsin’s investment board increased its holdings in BlackRock’s iShares Bitcoin Trust (IBIT) to over 6 million shares. The state fund was the first of its kind to report a bitcoin ETF purchase in 2024.

UAE’s AD Ports to operate Jordanian Blockchain enabled customs center

UAE’s AD Ports to operate Jordanian Blockchain enabled customs center

UAE AD Ports Group, an enabler of integrated trade, transport and logistics solutions, has been contracted to manage and operate the cutting-edge IOT and Blockchain enabled Al Madouneh Customs Centre in Amman, Jordan.

The 1.3 million m2 state-of-the-art facility was inaugurated last June to elevate Jordan’s trade competitiveness through AI-driven customs solutions, blockchain-enabled transparency, and Internet of Things (IoT)-powered logistics optimisation. The centre will streamline cross-border trade, reduce clearance times, and enhance supply chain efficiency, aligning with global standards for trade facilitation.

By integrating advanced technologies and sustainable practices, AD Ports Group collaboration with Jordan Customs Department aims to position the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan as a regional leader in next-generation logistics and customs operations.

The Al Madouneh facility, with features such as automated inspection ramps, smart warehouses, and predictive analytics, will empower businesses with faster cargo processing, robust security protocols, and a seamless digital trade experience with AD Ports Group deploying its expertise in smart logistics and trade digitalization to maximize operational efficiency and economic returns while running the facility.

The Group’s partnership with Jordan Customs is projected to deliver significant benefits through the Al Madouneh Centre, including a 20% reduction in clearance times, enhanced cargo security, and a scalable infrastructure capable of handling around 1,000 trucks in the import and transit yard, with plans for future expansion.

Captain Mohamed Juma Al Shamisi, Managing Director and Group CEO, AD Ports Group, said: “This collaboration highlights AD Ports Group’s commitment to advancing regional trade ecosystems, in line with our wise leadership’s vision. It gives the Group the opportunity to support Jordan’s vision of becoming a regional logistics hub contributing to economic growth and jobs creation for the people of Jordan. We look forward to realising this important trade enhancement project with our partner Jordan Customs Department. By leveraging cutting-edge technologies and fostering economic growth, the Al Madouneh Customs Centre is poised to unlock new opportunities for businesses and reinforce the Middle East’s position in the global supply chain landscape.”

Customs Major General Ahmed Al-Akalik, Director General of the Jordan Customs Department, said: “Our collaboration with AD Ports Group is based on the referral decision issued by the Government Tenders Department, aimed at enhancing customs procedures at the centre and streamlining processes to save time and effort, while improving the investment environment. This will be achieved through the development operations that AD Ports Group will undertake to support customs operations at the centre, in accordance with the stated tender.”

Al-Akaleek reaffirmed Jordan Customs Department’s commitment to working closely with AD Ports Group to serve traders and investors, in addition to enhancing operations at the centre, in line with the Kingdom’s economic modernisation vision, and overcome all obstacles that may hinder development and modernisation efforts in service of the national economy.

MasterCard, Notabene and UAE crypto exchange M2 to pilot securing metadata in crypto trading

MasterCard, Notabene and UAE crypto exchange M2 to pilot securing metadata in crypto trading

Notabene, a provider of crypto compliance solutions, has partnered with Mastercard to bring simplicity and enhanced safety to their powerful crypto compliance tools. Through a pilot program with M2,a regulated crypto exchange in UAE, Notabene will integrate Mastercard Crypto Credential into its SafeTransact platform, facilitating the secure and privacy-preserving exchange of transaction metadata for M2’s digital asset trading services.

As per the press release, the pilot aims to showcase how VASPs and traditional financial institutions can come together to mitigate risks associated with digital asset transfers while maintaining operational simplicity for institutions and their retail customers.


Mastercard Crypto Credential verifies transactions among consumers and businesses using blockchain networks, providing the assurance that a user has met a set of verification standards and confirming that the recipient’s wallet supports the transferred asset. The solution simplifies the consumer experience by allowing crypto exchange users to send and receive digital assets – such as stablecoins being leveraged for remittances, a growing use case – using simple aliases, instead of the typically long and complex blockchain addresses.

This integration between Notabene, M2 and Mastercard aims to significantly improve counterparty identification rates, ensuring compliance with the Travel Rule while reducing friction in VASP-to-VASP and cross-border transactions. By employing advanced encryption and data minimization practices, the integration will help ensure that sensitive information is protected while also enabling convenient and compliant transactions.

Pelle Braendgaard, CEO of Notabene, commented on the partnership,”Our collaboration with Mastercard represents a significant leap forward in making crypto transactions as safe and straightforward as traditional financial operations. By combining our expertise in crypto compliance with Mastercard’s global reach and digital assets capabilities, we’re setting a new standard for consumer trust in crypto payments. This partnership is not just about solving today’s compliance challenges but also lays the groundwork for supporting innovations such as self-hosted wallet integrations, further expanding the scope of secure and trusted crypto transactions.”

“As the digital assets ecosystem matures, Mastercard is continuing to innovate to stay ahead while ensuring safe, compliant, and trusted interactions,” said Raj Dhamodharan, executive vice president, Blockchain & Digital Assets at Mastercard. “By integrating Mastercard Crypto Credential with Notabene’s industry-leading compliance solutions, we’re enhancing connectivity and trust to foster the adoption and integration of a range of digital assets – from Bitcoin to stablecoins – into the global financial ecosystem. This partnership with Notabene and M2 expands our reach and interoperability across the crypto landscape.”

In collaboration with M2, Mastercard and Notabene are demonstrating practical applications of this joint solution. Deepak Garg, Chief Compliance Officer at M2, adds: “As a leading virtual assets service provider, we are committed to staying aligned with global regulatory standards while enhancing the user experience for our customers. By partnering with Notabene and Mastercard, we can bring even more secure and compliant digital asset transactions to a global audience. This approach not only strengthens trust with our customers, but also opens new opportunities for growth by expanding the network of reliable counterparties for safe and secure transactions.”

The pilot program is currently limited to select regions, including the United States, Brazil, Mexico, Argentina, and several European countries, with plans for expansion in the near future.

A new Web3 Alliance is formed in KSA

A new Web3 Alliance is formed in KSA

A new Web3 alliance has been formed in KSA . Animoca Brands, SandBox, and Outlier Ventures announced that they have united key Blockchain and digital innovation players towards to goal of driving adoption and Web3 technologies aligning with Saudi Arabia’s Vision 2030.

The non-profit association aims to create a collaborative ecosystem that empowers businesses and drives sustainable growth within Saudi Arabia by building on their previous initiatives and investments to advance the region’s digital landscape.

The alliance’s board is composed of industry leaders and experts based in Saudi Arabia, actively driving the Kingdom’s digital transformation. Supported by both international and local companies, these experts – including Dr. Abeer Al Humaimeedy, Yasser Alobaidan, Omar Elassar, Dr. Majid Almansouri, Wajd Badawi, Billal Yamak, Vincent Li, Bandar Altunisi, Ali Alasiri, and Stephan Apel – are deeply engaged in advancing innovation within the country.

“The Web3 Alliance of Saudi Arabia represents a crucial step forward in realizing the Kingdom’s vision for a digital future,” said Billal Yamak. “By bringing together expertise from both local and international leaders in the blockchain space, we’re creating a powerful platform for innovation and growth.”

On LinkedIn Bandar AlTunisi a Former Binance executive in MENA, stated, “Extremely excited to be a founding Board Member of the newly launched Web3 Alliance of Saudi Arabia (WASA)! WASA aims to accelerate the adoption and integration of blockchain technology and Web3 innovations in the Kingdom, through education, awareness, collaboration and policy support.”

The alliance will focus on four key pillars which include awareness and education, standards and best practice development, as well as research and development including networking and collaboration opportunities.

WASA will serve as the primary advocate for Web3 technology in the region, working independently to promote innovation rather than individual companies or entities.

The alliance’s governance structure includes a General Assembly and an Executive Committee, ensuring transparent and effective leadership. A comprehensive digital infrastructure and marketing strategy will support the alliance’s mission to connect and empower the Web3 community throughout Saudi Arabia.

Web3 enthusiasts, corporations, and industry leaders are invited to join the alliance and have a say in shaping the future of the Web3 ecosystem in Saudi Arabia.

NEOM and Outlier Ventures launched Web3 accelerator

In January of 2025, Neom, Saudi Arabia’s futuristic city being built on the shores of the Red Sea partnered with Saudi Arabian NTDP ( National Technology Development Program) and Outlier Ventures, a global Web3 accelerator, to launch the first Web3 accelerator and the FutureSpark Base Camp Demo Day.

Naif Abu Saida, Director of Web3 at Neom stated in a LinkedIn post, ” The future is here, and it’s powered by Web3. Since the beginning of our Web3 journey at NEOM, we’ve been working tirelessly to bring innovation to the forefront, and today, we’re proud to unveil the Kingdom’s first Web3 accelerator!”

KSA based Oumla signs agreement with Saudi Bank SAB

KSA based Oumla signs agreement with Saudi Bank SAB

KSA based Oumla, a Layer 1 Blockchain platform for easy blockchain integration and digital asset storage, has signed an innovation agreement with Saudi Awwal Bank (SAB Bank), a Riyadh-based Saudi joint stock company in which global banking group HSBC owns a minority stake.

The collaboration agreement will seek to explore Blockchain technology and its application to advance financial innovation. As per the announcement on LinkedIn, the partnership reflects both parties’ commitment to driving digital transformation in the banking sector and strengthening Saudi Arabia’s position as a leading hub for modern financial services.

This comes days after the Layer 1 blockchain company signed announced its partnership with Chainlink Blockchain, best known for solutions in onchain finance and cross-chain interoperability.

Major financial market infrastructures and institutions, such as Swift, Fidelity International, and ANZ Bank, as well as top DeFi protocols including Aave, GMX, and Lido, use Chainlink to power next-generation applications for banking, asset management, and other major sectors.

In an X post Oumla stated, “We are pleased to announce that Oumla is partnering with chainlink and adopting the Chainlink standard on OumlaChain, a compliance-focused, permissioned blockchain in Saudi Arabia.”

Limited a premium global banking service for stablecoin holders has raised $3 million

Limited a premium global banking service for stablecoin holders has raised $3 million

Founded by Hussein Ahmed originally from Egypt, Limited, a next-generation fintech startup offering stablecoin-based premium global banking services, has raised a $3 million pre-seed funding round led by Third Prime, with participation from The House Fund and Arche Capital.

As per the press release, the company, aims to transform how businesses and consumers worldwide interact with money by merging the best of crypto technology with the familiarity of traditional banking—minus the institutional vulnerabilities seen in failing banks or centralized exchanges.
Stablecoins have seen meteoric growth in recent years, with on-chain transaction volumes exceeding $12 trillion in 2024, far outpacing major payment networks like Visa. By placing assets in self-custody wallets, Limited users retain complete control of their funds—safeguarding them from the risks of bank collapses or platform failures.

“We believe financial services, while sometimes perceived as boring or soulless, are deeply personal,” said Hussein Ahmed, Limited’s founder and CEO. “Money is a huge part of our lives—both for businesses and individuals—and should be managed thoughtfully and elegantly. We took the best aspects of stablecoins—speed, low cost, self-custody—and merged them with a user experience similar to, and even better than, traditional banks, so our customers can stay protected, enjoy global access, and avoid the pitfalls of failed institutions.”

Third Prime, a New York and Nashville-based venture capital firm whose portfolio includes prominent fintech and crypto players like Circle, Chime, Octane, Kafene and Yellow Card led the $3 million round.

Its Co-founder and General Partner, Wes Barton, underscored the timing, “Limited’s unique approach—secure self-custody stablecoins, global banking accessibility, and a frictionless user experience—aligns perfectly with our thesis that the future of finance is decentralized, trusted, and user-centric. We have seen Hussein’s track record in building great products, and we’re convinced Limited can reshape global financial services.”

Co-leading the round with Third Prime is The House Fund, a UC Berkeley–focused venture firm founded by Jeremy Fiance—who was also an early investor in Hussein’s previous venture, Oxygen—alongside other prominent crypto and FinTech founders. Hussein originally founded Oxygen and grew it to over one million accounts. While Oxygen focused on the U.S. market leveraging traditional banking rails, Limited takes that vision a step further by integrating stablecoins and self-custody into the day-to-day global banking experience.

“We’ve witnessed Hussein’s drive to simplify complex finance solutions throughout his time at UC Berkeley Haas and with Oxygen,” said Jeremy. “Limited brings accessibility, security, and speed to a global audience.” The House Fund has also backed leading AI and FinTech infrastructure innovators, including Databricks, Perplexity, and Flexport.

Arche Capital, backed by major LPs with a focus on the intersection of crypto and fintech, also participated in the raise.

“Limited combines stability, transparency, and practical innovation to solve a critical challenge in global finance,” said Vanessa Grellet. “While many solutions remain fragmented and complicated, Limited stands out by making cross-border transactions faster, more affordable, and truly self-directed,” added William Wolf.

Inspired in part by the American Express model, Limited offers premium Visa and MasterCard options worldwide, their own, spanning White, Silver, and Gold tiers, and also enables co-branded card programs for brands seeking a global footprint. This approach lets partners easily design, launch, and fully manage customized cards that significantly boost customer engagement and loyalty—unlike typical co-branded offerings that are restricted to local or regional deployments.

Limited caters to high-end users. The Limited Gold Card comes with 24/7 global concierge services, exclusive perks like complimentary breakfasts at luxury hotels (including the Ritz-Carlton and Mandarin Oriental), free rental days at Hertz, and top-tier travel experiences that rival the best in the market. Simultaneously, the company supports instant, near-zero-fee cross-border payments in over 140 countries, using more than 300 local payment methods (such as WeChat, Pix, SPEI, GrabPay, and others) across 80 currencies.

Limited operates globally—excluding sanctioned and restricted jurisdictions—and aims to position itself as the go-to solution for businesses, entrepreneurs, and individual customers seeking a stable and efficient alternative to conventional banking.

UAE Mantra tokenization platform integrates Bitget Wallet

UAE Mantra tokenization platform integrates Bitget Wallet

Bitget Wallet, a leading Web3 non-custodial wallet, is now fully supporting the UAE based Mantra Mainnet, a Layer 1 blockchain focused on the tokenization of real-world assets (RWA).

As per the press release, with this integration, Bitget Wallet users can easily access Mantra’s network to transfer and receive $OM tokens, participate in cross-chain transactions, and explore staking opportunities through Mantra’s DApp.

The Mantra Mainnet is designed to enable the onchain representation of real-world assets, bridging the gap between traditional finance and blockchain ecosystems. Through tokenization, Mantra aims to provide a scalable and flexible foundation for integrating RWAs within decentralized finance (DeFi). By offering a compliant-ready framework, it positions itself as a key player in unlocking RWA potential.

Bitget Wallet’s integration with Mantra highlights its commitment to expanding user access to emerging on-chain asset ecosystems. Users can interact seamlessly with Mantra’s DApp, which offers $OM token staking, cross-chain functions, and official rewards programs. This integration aligns with the growing trend of bringing real-world asset exposure to the decentralized world.

Looking ahead, Bitget Wallet plans to deepen its collaboration with Mantra through upcoming reward programs designed to encourage user participation in the evolving RWA ecosystem. “As real-world assets move on-chain, wallets become gateways to a new era of finance,” said Alvin Kan, COO of Bitget Wallet. “Our partnership with Mantra accelerates this shift by providing users with direct access to tokenized assets, reshaping how value is stored, transferred, and grown in the digital world.”

UAE Tungsten Custody also announced support for Mantra

Earlier this week, UAE regulated, digital asset custodian, Tungsten Custody Solutions Ltd, also announced its support for UAE MANTRA (OM) Blockchain with its custodial services.

The collaboration would enable institutional clients to securely custody OM tokens while leveraging Tungsten’s regulated framework, ensuring the highest levels of security, transparency, and compliance. Tungsten Custody’s collaboration with MANTRA reinforces its commitment to supporting the broader MANTRA blockchain ecosystem that empowers developers and institutions to seamlessly participate in the evolving real world asset (RWA) tokenization space.

Mantra Blockchain to tokenize $1 billion worth of Assets for DAMAC

The support Mantra Blockchain for real world tokenization comes weeks after Mantra announced it would be tokenizing $1 billion worth of assets for DAMAC Group in the UAE.

Saudi based Oumla Blockchain has partnered with Chainlink

Saudi based Oumla Blockchain has partnered with Chainlink

Oumla, a Layer 1 blockchain platform that allows applications to be built on any blockchain with ease, as well as offers a secure vault infrastructure for storing digital assets has announced its partnership with Chainlink.

Chainlink Labs is one of the primary contributing developers of Chainlink, the standard for onchain finance, verifiable data, and cross-chain interoperability. Chainlink is unifying liquidity across global markets and has enabled over $17 trillion in transaction value across the blockchain economy. Major financial market infrastructures and institutions, such as Swift, Fidelity International, and ANZ Bank, as well as top DeFi protocols including Aave, GMX, and Lido, use Chainlink to power next-generation applications for banking, asset management, and other major sectors.

In an X post Oumla stated, “We are pleased to announce that Oumla is partnering with chainlink and adopting the Chainlink standard on OumlaChain, a compliance-focused, permissioned blockchain in Saudi Arabia.”

The post adds, ” Bringing Chainlink SmartData to OumlaChain empowers enterprises, financial institutions, and government entities to move onchain, supporting the Kingdom’s blockchain innovation and digital transformation.”

Oumla in KSA, offers an intuitive infrastructure that caters to both businesses and government entities. The platform offers a suite of APIs and SDKs, enabling developers to build applications on top of any blockchain, including Ethereum Virtual Machine (EVM)-based networks, without the need to master complex, low-level blockchain-specific protocols.

Oumla already partnered with Avalanche Blockchain

Prior to this announcement, Oumla partnered with Avalanche Blockchain to create Saudi Arabia’s first Layer on Blockchain fully hosted in the country.

At the time Oumla stated, “This collaboration will support startups and SMEs, driving technological innovation across Saudi Arabia and the MENA region. It will bring a secure, locally-hosted blockchain platform closer to home, we’re paving the way for growth and innovation aligned with Saudi Vision 2030. This partnership is part of our larger mission to develop the products the region needs to thrive in Web3 and blockchain technology, preparing the MENA market for a seamless transition into the digital future.
We’re excited to bring this vision to life and drive the next wave of technological transformation!”

Adaverce, the venture capital fund and Web3 accelerator with a base in KSA, invested in Oumla. In 2024 Adaverse published its first Web3 ecosystem report for the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia showcasing growth, opportunities, as well as challenges. Since its inception, Adaverse has funded 54+ startups across Asia, the Middle East and Africa.

In addition Outlier Ventures has also chosen Oumla for its Spark accelerator program.

Chainlink has a presence in the UAE

In December 2024, Chainlink Labs, 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.

At the same time, UAE Emirates NBD, a leading banking group in the Middle East, North Africa, and Türkiye (MENAT) region, added a fifth council member of its Digital Asset Lab – Chainlink.

CEO of QFC believes AI and Blockchain broaden access to alternative investments

CEO of QFC believes AI and Blockchain broaden access to alternative investments

The CEO of Qatar Financial Center made some interesting remarks during The third edition of the annual Qatar Financial Market Forum 2025 themed ‘Public Growth and Private Capital’ was hosted by Qatar Financial Centre (QFC), in collaboration with Bloomberg Intelligence (BI), the research division of Bloomberg LP. He noted that emerging technologies are evolving at an unprecedented pace and no industry is untouched especially the financial markets, and that AI and Blockchain are broadening access to alternative investments

Yousuf Mohamed Al Jaida, Chief Executive Officer, QFC in his opening speech noted that disruptive technologies like AI and Blockchain are enhancing efficiency and creating new financial products.

He also added that advances in AI and data analytics are enhancing private lending efficiency, improving risk assessments and opening new opportunities for private credit providers, while digital platforms, leveraging blockchain and AI are broadening access to alternative investments, attracting a more diverse range of investors, he said.

As public markets become more volatile due to geopolitical tensions, trade disputes and rising debt levels, investors are increasingly diversifying into alternative investments, such as private equity and credit to hedge against financial uncertainty while seeking higher returns and reduced exposure to market fluctuations.

QFC has been at the forefront of bringing Blockchain and AI technologies into the financial sector. Their focus is on tokenization of real estate securities, and bonds. QFC has already not only created the digital assets lab, but also a DLT and digital assets framework. Companies such as R3, The Hashgraph Association and SettleMint have joined the ranks as partners to support the digital asset and tokenization goals set by QFC.

Qareeb data centers and bitcoin miner Pantheon to rollout Bitcoin mining data centers in MENA

Qareeb data centers and bitcoin miner Pantheon to rollout Bitcoin mining data centers in MENA

Bahrain based Qareeb Data Centres, a Middle East edge data center provider, and Pantheon, a full-service global Bitcoin mining service provider, have partnered to cover the rollout of Pantheon Bitcoin mining data centers across the Middle East region.

Pantheon is a global Bitcoin mining company dedicated to building efficient, profitable mining operations. Through its Mining as a Service (MaaS) model, Pantheon offers clients tailored solutions that simplify Bitcoin mining for HNWI and financial institutions which aims to enter the MENA region.

As per the press release, Qareeb will act on behalf of Pantheon to secure sites adjacent to locations where Qareeb has secured, or is in the process of securing, sites to build its own colocation facilities. In addition, the Qareeb team will deliver fully-fitted and operational solutions for Pantheon as part of its build process as well as provide a full suite of engineering, operations, security and FM services.

“Partnering with Pantheon represents a significant opportunity for Qareeb, as we collaborate with one of the most exciting visionaries in the Bitcoin mining industry,” said Annemarie van Zadelhoff, Chief Strategy Officer at Qareeb. “Pantheon’s dedication to innovation and operational excellence aligns perfectly with our mission to deliver state-of-the-art data centre solutions across the Middle East. This partnership reflects our shared commitment to building a future-ready digital infrastructure and setting new standards for innovation and resilience in the region.”

Nick van Houtrijve, COO and Founder of Pantheon, added, “Pantheon’s expansion into the GCC is a strategic milestone as we continue to set new benchmarks for operational efficiency and performance. This partnership with Qareeb enables us to establish robust infrastructure in one of the fastest-growing Bitcoin mining markets globally.”