U.S. based DTCC to acquire Abu Dhabi digital asset infrastructure provider Securrency

U.S. based DTCC to acquire Abu Dhabi digital asset infrastructure provider Securrency

The Depository Trust & Clearing Corporation, an American post-trade financial services company providing clearing and settlement services to the financial markets known as DTCC, has signed a definitive agreement to acquire Abu Dhabi based Securrency Inc. (“Securrency”), a leading developer of institutional-grade, digital asset infrastructure invested in by Mubadala sovereign Fund.

Securrency will become a fully-owned subsidiary of DTCC and will operate under the name DTCC Digital Assets. Nadine Chakar, CEO of Securrency, will join DTCC as Managing Director, Global Head of DTCC Digital Assets, reporting to Lynn Bishop, DTCC Managing Director and Chief Information Officer. Chakar will also join the DTCC Management Committee. In addition, Dan Doney, CTO and founder of Securrency, John Hensel, COO and co-founder, and other members of the Securrency leadership team, as well as roughly 100 Securrency staff of full-time employees or contractors, will become DTCC employees.

Securrency is a blockchain-based financial and regulatory technology developer that raised $30 million in 2021 from State Street, US Bank, WisdomTree Investments and others. It has worked with WisdomTree to help the asset manager launch “blockchain-enabled” funds that keep a secondary record of share ownership on the Stellar or Ethereum blockchains.

Frank La Salla, President, CEO and Director, DTCC, said, “Securrency is an important strategic acquisition that will give us the technology to drive market-wide transformation by enabling end-to-end digital lifecycle processing for tokenized assets, digital currencies and other financial instruments. By bringing together DTCC’s commitment to providing market stability and our unparalleled network of financial market participants with the sophistication of the Securrency technology, we will be in a leading position to unlock the value of digital assets and help guide the industry through its digital transformation journey. We believe this next generation of financial market infrastructure will further reduce settlement times, facilitate market transparency and risk management, enhance regulatory oversight and controls, and unlock efficiency and innovation to create an improved investor experience.”

By combining DTCC’s digital capabilities and Securrency’s technology, DTCC will fast-track development of its enterprise digital asset platform to unlock the power of institutional DeFi. DTCC will leverage the technology over time to embed digital assets within its existing products and services, develop new, regulatory-compliant blockchain-based offerings and explore use cases with the industry, including buyside asset managers, broker-dealers and custodians, to collaborate on new DTCC blockchain-based solutions.

In addition, DTCC will lead the industry’s development of a robust, global digital infrastructure by licensing the Securrency technology and offering professional services. Firms will be able to leverage the technology to transform and evolve their operating models and to create innovative, new digital asset services alone or in collaboration with other market participants – similar to how WisdomTree licenses Securrency’s software as part of the infrastructure for its WisdomTree Prime™ offering that provides tokenized assets and funds via digital wallets for retail investors and consumers.

Chakar said, “As we join forces with DTCC, we are excited to bring together DTCC’s infrastructure capabilities with Securrency’s technology to embrace a future where the digitization of capital markets is at the forefront of innovation. These capabilities will allow DTCC to partner with the industry to build a resilient and scalable infrastructure critical to the mass adoption of digital assets. Together, we will unlock opportunities to reimagine compliance, liquidity, efficiency and interoperability in trading real-world assets on the blockchain.”

DTCC also plans to provide global leadership to foster industry-wide collaboration to help avoid fragmentation with different digital technologies and standards. Securrency’s technology can address this issue by acting as a DLT-agnostic harmonization layer that promotes interoperability, liquidity, transparency and security.

La Salla said, “We look forward to building on our past work to drive consensus around the standards, controls and frameworks necessary to support regulatory-compliant digital asset solutions and development of the right architecture and infrastructure to ensure widespread interoperability. We’re excited to welcome our new colleagues to the DTCC team and to begin collaborating as a group to strengthen market stability and resilience and drive greater efficiencies, productivity, risk mitigation and liquidity in the global financial markets.”

This announcement comes as John Hensel, Chief Operating Officer and Senior Executive Officer, MENA, Securrency told IBS intelligence, “The UAE is ramping up its efforts to become a global blockchain hub.” In his interview he commented on why they chose UAE out of all the other countries globally including, USA, Switzerland, Hong Kong and Singapore.

According to Hensel, SEC ( Securities and Exchange Commission) in the USA has portrayed a conservative approach to the regulation of digital assets, so exploring other regulatory jurisdictions they found that the UAE was a credible, well positioned young financial center that embraced technology with experienced regulatory experts from the USA, Australia, Singapore and others.

He explains, “ After being here for 6 years we have seen the landscape change and become more favorable for investors partnering under FSRA and who are benefiting from the protection of ADGM which will grow opportunities locally for us given we were first movers and have strong relations with sovereign wealth entities, broker dealers, fund managers as key stakeholders.”

Securrency entered the ADGM FSRA regulatory sandbox in 2017 and secured a Financial Services Permission (FSP) from ADGM’s Financial Services Regulatory Authority (FSRA) to deal in investments as a matched principal and provide custody for those investments in 2022. The license enabled Securrency Capital to provide trading of digital assets to a variety of clients, including retail clients.

Securrency had raised $30 million in its latest funding round. The funds were used to roll out the company’s expansion plans. The Series B funding round included existing investor WisdomTree Investment along with Abu Dhabi state fund Mubadala-backed Abu Dhabi Catalyst Partners, State Street and U.S. Bank. Prior to that in 202, The Abu Dhabi Investment Office (ADIO) had invested in Securrency, a US-based developer of blockchain-based financial and regulatory technology through its ventures fund.

The company also signed a strategic partnership with leading investment management and banking firm, Musharaka Capital in KSA, to develop a compliant platform for issuing digital securities in Saudi Arabia in 2020.

Zodia Custody acquires UAE crypto custodian Tungsten

Zodia Custody acquires UAE crypto custodian Tungsten

Backed by Standard Chartered Bank, and SBI Group, Zodia Custody, a global crypto asset custodian has completed its acquisition of UAE regulated Tungsten Custody Solutions, crypto custodian. In April of 2025, Zodia Custody had announced it was seeking to acquire Tungsten.

As per the X post, Zodia custody noted that this is a strong step in their expansion plans into the MENA region as they will benefit from the license that Tungsten already has within Abu Dhabi’s ADGM.

“Zodia Custody’s acquisition of Tungsten reflects our long-standing and ongoing commitment to the UAE,” said Dominic Longman, Global Head of Markets at Zodia Custody. “We are excited to deepen our presence in a market that is leading digital asset regulation through meaningful collaboration and revenue synergies with businesses operating under its authority. We hope to replicate this type of relationship across the markets in which we operate.”

“From day one, our ambition with Tungsten was to help build a custody platform that meets the highest global standards while being deeply rooted in the UAE’s regulatory frameworks,” said Mohamed Hamdy, Managing Partner at Further Ventures. “Zodia Custody’s acquisition is a validation of that vision and a major step forward for institutional digital asset infrastructure in the region. We’re proud to join forces with a partner that shares our conviction in the future of compliant, secure, and borderless finance.”

This announcement comes on the same day that Figment partnered with Tungsten to offer digital asset staking services for institutional clients in the region.

1 out of 10 tech startups in MENA are crypto startups

1 out of 10 tech startups in MENA are crypto startups

The ClearWorld 2025 MENA Early Stage Handbook has come out showcasing that there are 480 crypto startups in MENA with one in every 20 startups in MENA being a crypto one, and one in every 10 startups being a crypto one if you filter out non-tech startups. As such within the tech startup ecosystem, one in every 10 tech startup is a crypto startup. As of April 2025 15% of active ventures in MENA are crypto startups.

Of the total of 3,600 startups in MENA, half of them are in the UAE, with 65% of the 3,600 startups in pre-seed phase. There has been a multi-year downtrend in new startup formation, coupled with increased investment activity, which is aging the structure of the market.
With less new startups coming to the market, and investor demand remaining high, older startups are getting a better chance for a “second look” from the investors.

The ClearWorld Handbook also notes that by 2026, 21% of pre-seed startups will be written off and join the pool of zombie startups. This means 209 pre seed startups who would have spend significant time without funding that is becomes extremely unlikely for them to get new VC Funding.

The report also adds that MENA Venture Market’s Middle of the Funnel Seems Stuck. The number of Series A startups in MENA
remained unchanged since 2024. In fact, it dropped everywhere outside Saudi. In Saudi, Series A showed the smallest growth out of all stages. Only 26% of startups make it to seed stage with Saudi startups enjoy funding coverage much higher than MENA (41% vs 29%)
Egypt’s high survival rate at Pre-seed stage is in large due to accelerators who are affiliated with VCs and corporations, though it would
come back to hurt Egypt’s survival rates when time is due for these startups to raise Series A as per the report.

However if nothing moves, 30% of MENA’s Viable Series A Startups Will Be Written Off By 2026. As more Series A startups spend more
years stuck in the system, their prospects of raising growth capital diminish. At the current rate, a sizable move affecting 10-27 Series A startups might be expected soon, either progressing to Growth Stage or being written off in relatively ‘large’ quantities.

MENA now has more active investors than it has new startups. MENA is going through a critical and unique phase. The report states that this could be resolved if there is an easing of classic conditions placed on tech founder such as stop requesting founders quit their day job and take immense risk during a global macro economic challenge. Another solution is utilizing AI for more efficient early stage cutting short prototype development time and combining Seed stage with Series A stage in a single step. The report states, “For this, accelerators and incubators can take the lead and train a new wave of founder-friendly AI-empowered entrepreneurship.”

Currently 80 percent of AI startups are in UAE and KSA, 150 in UAE, and 110 in KSA. AI startups grew between 2024 and 2025 because according to report, many startups rebranded to AI startups with 12% of Egypt’s AI startups relocating to UAE and Saudi Arabia.

Seed round raises are usually between 500K to $3M with only 15% of seed companies getting funding between $3M to $7M. The report goes into more detail on each round and the funding offered in each.

In conclusion, while the MENA region has grown in terms of investors, startups are still small in numbers in comparison. Yet we are seeing more incentives for startups to build in the region with deep tech studioss being launched, governmental investment in AI, Blockchain, digital assets and more.

Aria Ventures launches $1 million Deep tech venture studio in Egypt

Aria Ventures launches $1 million Deep tech venture studio in Egypt

Egypto based Aria Ventures, a specialized venture studio focused on building startups, launches a $1 million (50 million EGP) investment to support promising companies in the Deep-Technology sector between 2025 and 2026, which it then aims to grow to a $4 million ( 200 million EGP).

As per the press release, the initiative aims to bridge the gap between pioneering research and market applications, enabling deep technological innovations to grow and flourish. The sectors include industry, agriculture, healthcare, Artificial Intelligence (AI) and machine learning, Biotechnology, industrial digitalization, Internet of Things (IoT), Nanotechnology, robotics, and other fields that rely on profound scientific and technical innovation. 

Dr Amr Al-Awamry, CEO of Aria Ventures, stated, “We work on building startups from the ground up by validating ideas, assembling teams, providing technical and commercial infrastructure, and supporting projects through early growth stages.”  He added, “The company’s model combines strategic capital deployment with direct involvement to bridge the gap between pioneering research and market-ready startups.” 

In line with its commitment to fostering innovation, Aria Ventures recently launched the DeepTecher competition.  This competition aims to discover and nurture technological research and transform it into promising Deep-Technology projects.  The competition provides a platform for innovators to showcase their technologies and receive the necessary support to turn them into successful startups.  It includes several evaluation and mentoring stages and offers valuable prizes and funding opportunities for winning projects through Aria Ventures. 

Al-Awamry added that this step underscores Aria Ventures’ commitment to supporting deep technological innovation in the region, contributing to a knowledge-based economy driven by advanced technologies, and enhancing the position of Egyptian startups in the global Deep-Technology landscape. 

Earlier The Hashgraph Association also launched the Africa Hedera Hackathon with prizes over $1 million, as well as a deeptech studio in Saudi Arabia in 2024.

Institutional digital asset staking now in UAE with Figment

Institutional digital asset staking now in UAE with Figment

Figment, a provider of digital asset staking infrastructure for over 700 institutional clients, including asset managers, exchanges, wallets, foundations, custodians, and large token holders, allowing them to earn rewards on their digital assets has entered the UAE in partnership with Tungsten, crypto custodian and exchange as part of its broader entrance into the Middle East.

Figment is the largest non-custodial staking provider of staked ETH ( Ethereum). Institutional staking services from Figment include seamless point-and-click staking, portfolio reward tracking, API integrations, audited infrastructure, and slashing protection.

Figment has appointed Christoph Richter as its first Head of Business Development in the Middle East while announcing its partnership with UAE regulated crypto custody provider Tungsten. Figment will leverage Tungsten’s well-established industry position and existing licensing within the Abu Dhabi Global Market (ADGM), enabling them to offer enhanced, non-custodial staking options to clients via Figment’s infrastructure.

“Staking can be understood as earning the risk-free rate on proof-of-stake networks like ETH and SOL,” said Christoph Richter. “With inflation beating rewards and rising institutional digital asset allocations, staking is becoming a core strategy and the MENA region is ready.”

Christoph Richter

“The Middle East is uniquely positioned to benefit from institutional staking,” said Eva Lawrence, Figment’s Head of EMEA & Regional MD. “With Christoph’s deep background in traditional finance and digital assets, he’s perfectly placed to lead our growth in this high-potential market.”

Christoph will lead business development and strategic partnerships, reporting to Eva Lawrence, the Head of EMEA. He brings nearly two decades of TradFi derivatives experience, including senior roles at JP Morgan, Barclays, BNP Paribas, and UBS. In his most recent TradFi role, he led derivative solutions for Southern Europe and DACH at MUFG. Since entering the digital asset industry in 2017, he has advised top-tier firms and co-founded the proprietary BTC & ETH trading venture Vol Capital, building market neutral quantitative investment strategies. He has also worked on n major infrastructure Public Private Partnerships transactions across the Middle East, particularly in Saudi, building strong ties to the region’s major players and capital markets.

In June 2025, Figment, partnered with Crypto.com, crypto exchange with over 140 million users. This collaboration enabled Crypto.com users to access Figment’s institutional-grade staking services through the platform’s robust custody offering, delivering optimized rewards for mutual institutional clients. Through this integration, users can now stake their digital assets directly on the platform while maintaining complete control and security via Crypto.com’s secure custody solutions. Crypto.com Custody Trust Company, the regulated digital asset custody arm of Crypto.com, is supervised by the New Hampshire Banking Department and offers robust asset protection.

Binance Connect and Trust Wallet make crypto access easier

Binance Connect and Trust Wallet make crypto access easier

Trust Wallet, a leading self-custody Web3 wallet trusted by over 200 million users, has launched Buy+, a new feature powered by Binance Connect, to simplify crypto access for users worldwide and make onboarding easier for newcomers.

As per the press release, the feature allows anyone to purchase tokens on BNB Chain, Base and Solana using fiat, without needing to own crypto assets, or to understand complex crypto workflows.


Before this improvement, buying a new or trending token often meant a multi-step process, including manual swaps and switching between platforms. For many this was confusing, time-consuming, and carried the risk of mistakes. Now, with Buy+, Trust Wallet simplifies everything into one seamless flow ,making it possible to go from card, Apple/Google Pay and more, to a user’s desired token in just a few taps, all without leaving the app or giving up self-custody.

“The first step to onboard a fiat asset into the desired crypto asset directly is often the hardest. And that’s what we’re improving as part of the effort to bring web2 user experience to web3 tech,” said Eowyn Chen, CEO of Trust Wallet. “When people discover a good crypto asset, they want to be able to buy it quickly, securely, and easily. Increasingly, these assets are not the major coins but rather smaller, trending tokens. So, we seamlessly integrate fiat onboarding with on-chain crypto swapping with the fewest steps. With this new capability, we’re giving users a simpler, safer, and smarter way to get their desired tokens —without compromising on self-custody or experience.”


Buy+ works by intelligently routing transactions based on token availability. If a token is directly supported by Binance Connect, the purchase is completed in one seamless fiat-to-crypto flow. If not, the feature automatically facilitates a two-step process — first acquiring the required native token and then swapping it within the Trust Wallet app — all while maintaining full self-custody and minimizing complexity for the user.

This feature pairs Binance Connect’s fiat-to-crypto infrastructure with Trust Wallet’s smart routing and swap capabilities to deliver a uniquely seamless experience that balances speed, flexibility, and full ownership.

“At Binance, we’re focused on breaking down barriers to crypto adoption, and the launch of the Buy+ feature in Trust Wallet — powered by Binance Connect — is a major step in that direction,” said Thomas Gregory, Vice President of Fiat at Binance. “By removing the complexity of chains, swaps, and token transfers, we’re giving users — especially those new to crypto — a faster, simpler way to access the tokens and communities they care about. Binance Connect is proud to power this experience and enable our partners to deliver seamless fiat-to-crypto journeys.”

Other blockchain networks will be supported in the future as Binance Connect expands access to Web3 tokens.

The feature however is currently not available in the UK, US, Canada, Nigeria, Netherlands, Russia, Belarus, Cape Verde, Cuba, Syria and Iran. This communication is not intended for audiences within the United Kingdom. If you are accessing this content from within the United Kingdom, please exit immediately.

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Saudi Arabian NTDP invests in UAE tokenization platform Byzanlink

Saudi Arabian NTDP invests in UAE tokenization platform Byzanlink

Saudi Arabian NTDP ( National Technology Development Program), an entity aimed to transform Saudi Arabia into a tech leader by fostering sustainable development and innovation has invested along with Outlier Ventures, Smart IT Frame, Sensei Capital as well as angel investors Murali Kulala (CEO, Smart IT Frame), Salman Butt (Co-founder, Salla), and Christopher, a seasoned fintech investor, along with several other prominent angel backers, a sum of $1 million in UAE based Byzanlink, a Blockchain enabled real-world asset (RWA) tokenization platform bridging traditional finance and decentralized finance (DeFi), in a private funding round.

Byzanlink, operating our of Dubai DMCC is building an infrastructure to modernize access to institutional grade investment opportunities using blockchain tokenization.

The platform is designed to bring greater transparency, operational efficiency, and broader accessibility to financial assets that have traditionally remained out of reach for many investors.

“Support from such a diverse and forward-thinking group of partners is a strong signal for what we’re building,” said Anbu Kannappan, Founder and CEO of Byzanlink. “We believe the next generation of financial infrastructure will be powered by transparency, automation, and access. We’re committed to building that foundation.”

As per the press release, the recent funding will be used to accelerate product development, deepen ecosystem integration and strengthen the operational frameworks to support regulatory alignment and institutional adoption.

The platform aims to align traditional investment structures with modern financial rails, creating a foundation where capital moves faster, more openly, and with greater programmability. The company is positioning itself as a core infrastructure layer supporting compliant, yield-bearing financial products for institutions, fintech, and digital-native treasuries.

This comes as both Saudi Arabia and UAE develop tokenization solutions in both countries. Recently DroppRWA, a sister company of Web3 technology provider DroppGroup, partnered with Saudi Arabia’s real estate developer RAFAL Real Estate Co, to execute a Saudi Arabian pilot that would (RWA) tokenization real estate transaction. The pilot will serve as a national feasibility benchmark for the future of tokenized property markets in KSA.

Additionally in the UAE EmCoin, recently regulated by UAE’s Securities and Commodities Authority, will launch an investment platform that brings together digital assets and traditional finance all within a single, seamless mobile experience. Users will be able to trade Virtual Assets, invest in UAE and global equities, buy commodities, and access expert-managed portfolios with full transparency and trust.

Chainalysis expects that illicit crypto volume in 2024 will reach $51 billion

Chainalysis expects that illicit crypto volume in 2024 will reach $51 billion

In a recent Chainalysis 2025 Crypto Crime Report, the firm notes that while it may look like illicit cryptocurrency volumes are lower than 2024, their data has shown that year over year illicit crypto activity has grown at an average 25%. As such assuming a similar growth rate between now and next year’s Crypto Crime Report, their annual totals for 2024 could surpass the $51 billion threshold.

They noted, “At the time of this publication, we see a reduction in absolute value of illicit activity year-over-year (YoY); however, based on historical growth rates, we suspect that this number will eventually exceed last year’s total as our data attributions improve. In addition, our estimate for the share of all attributed crypto transaction volume associated with illicit activity, depicted below, also fell to 0.14% from 0.61% in 2023.1 Similarly, we expect this share to rise over time, although historically these rates consistently remain below 1%.”

The report also noted that usage of BTC for cyber criminals has decreased, replaced by stablecoins which now occupy the majority of all illicit transaction volume (63% of all illicit transactions). This is expected given that stablecoins occupy a sizable percentage of crypto activity which is around 77%.

In their 2024 Geography of Cryptocurrency report, Chainalysis covered the wide array of practical use cases for stablecoins in a range of markets, such as storing value, sending remittances, facilitating cross-border payments, and international trade.

Additionally, stablecoin issuers often freeze funds if they are made aware of their use by illicit actors. For example, Tether has frozen addresses of concern linked to scams, terrorist financing, and sanctions evasion, which can make stablecoins a poor tool for the transfer of value by illicit actors. Nonetheless, despite these ecosystem-wide trends, some forms of crypto crime, such as ransomware and darknet market (DNM) sales, remain BTC-dominated.

Stolen funds increased by approximately 21% YoY to $2.2 billion. Although the largest share of stolen funds was robbed from decentralized finance (DeFi) services, centralized services were the most targeted in Q2 and Q3.

Private key compromises accounted for the largest share (43.8%) of stolen crypto in 2024, with North Korean hackers stealing more from crypto platforms than ever before: $1.34 billion, representing 61% of the total amount stolen for the year. Some of these events appear to be linked to North Korean IT workers, who have been increasingly infiltrating crypto and web3 companies, compromising their networks, and using sophisticated tactics, techniques, and procedures (TTPs).

UAE Web3 Fund Aqua 1 invests in World Liberty Financial tokens

UAE Web3 Fund Aqua 1 invests in World Liberty Financial tokens

Aqua 1, Web3-native fund which seems to have been created recently, and on its website does not state who its team is announced it invested $100 million into Trump’s World Liberty Financial (WLFI) token, as a means to participate in the governance of the DeFi platform. The partnership will seek to synergize USD1 infrastructure to ignite adoption across commercial payment gateways and treasury management systems.

As per the announcement, the commitment will help accelerate the creation of a blockchain powered financial ecosystem centered on blockchain, Real World Asset (RWA) tokenization, and stablecoin integration.

The authors go on to noted, together, WLFI and Aqua 1 are building the definitive bridge between legacy systems and blockchain innovation, an institutional-grade marketplace delivering unparalleled access to traditional assets.

“We’re excited to work hand-in-hand with the team at Aqua 1,” said Zak Folkman, Co-Founder of World Liberty Financial. “Aligning with Aqua 1 validates our blueprint for global financial innovation, as we have a joint mission to bring digital assets to the masses and strengthen our nation’s standing as a champion and leader of cryptocurrency and blockchain technology.”

“WLFI and Aqua 1 will jointly identify and nurture high-potential blockchain projects together,” stated Dave Lee, Founding Partner of Aqua 1. ( no LinkedIn profile available)“WLFI’s USD1 ecosystem and RWA pipeline embody the trillion-dollar structural pivot opportunity we seek to catalyze, where architects merge traditional capital markets with decentralized primitives to redefine global financial infrastructure.”

Beyond the U.S. market, Aqua 1’s global investment and compliance teams will assist WLFI in expanding across South America, Europe, Asia, and emerging markets to accelerate digital asset ecosystem development.

Strategically, WLFI also plans to support the launch of Aqua 1’s Aqua Fund, a UAE-domiciled investment fund developed in partnership with leading regional stakeholders. The fund will be dedicated to accelerating the Middle East’s digital economy transformation through advanced blockchain infrastructure, artificial intelligence integration, and global Web3 adoption.

Aqua Fund aims to serve as a gateway for capital, talent, and technology to converge, positioning the region at the forefront of the next digital wave. Aqua Fund intends to partner with a secondary trading venue within ADGM to list the fund and facilitate secondary market liquidity for investors.

Furthermore, both parties plan to jointly develop and incubate BlockRock (https://x.com/BlockRock_rwa), an institutional RWA tokenization platform, focused on digitizing and integrating premium traditional assets into the Web3 ecosystem.

This is not the first time a UAE entity engaged with World Liberty Financial when it was announced that MGX, an Abu Dhabi tech company invested $2 billion in Binance crypto exchange, using the USD1 stablecoin. Binance listed World Liberty Financial USD (USD1) and opened trading for the following spot trading pair USD1/USDT.

UAE Omining crypto mining entity expands operations to Kenya

UAE Omining crypto mining entity expands operations to Kenya

UAE based Omining, the crypto mining infrastructure company operating under the DMCC ecosystem, has expanded operations into Kenya with new established facility in the Kenyan Special Economic Zone (SEZ) makes it one of the first large-scale Web3 deployments in East Africa by a UAE-based entity.

The company’s entry comes as global technology players, including Microsoft, expand into Kenya’s SEZ framework, with Google and Amazon reportedly completing due diligence for future presence in the region. Omining’s new facility will serve as its operational hub, with a 90-megawatt capacity currently being expanded to 200 megawatts.

It leverages Kenya’s stable electricity costs, investor-friendly regulation, and growing global relevance. Naivasha, where the plant will run, offers other key advantages: a year-round temperate climate ranging from 6 to 30 degrees Celsius, a 100% tax-free regime within the SEZ, and a currency whose value is closely aligned with the US dollar – much like Dubai.

“We’re witnessing the beginning of a revolutionary era – the democratization of cryptocurrency mining. By enabling anyone to mine a currency without government control, we’re participating in a groundbreaking movement that’s reshaping the world’s financial landscape,” said Francesco Colucci, Managing Partner at Omining.

In under-electrified markets, crypto mining operations can play a broader role. Kenya has made significant strides in renewable energy generation, yet in rural areas, grid expansion often remains economically infeasible due to low demand. Omining’s consistent, large-scale energy consumption and investments in the region can help stabilize long-term revenue for utility providers. This, in turn, adds to the long-term health of both infrastructure and access.

“The infrastructure we’re building is about more than just scale,” said Lorenzo Calligaris, CTO at Omining. “You need to be in environments that understand what you’re doing and let you move fast, but responsibly. That’s what we’ve had in Dubai, and now we’re applying that playbook in Kenya.”

Kenya’s positioning as an SEZ destination is rapidly gaining traction across multiple industries because of a skilled labor pool, and growing integration with global digital trade systems. Recent public commentary from Kenneth Chelule, CEO of the SEZ Authority, referenced the potential of crypto mining firms like Omining to contribute to SEZ employment and energy monetization.

Recently Phoenix Group also entered the African continent with operations in Ethiopia. expanded its operations into the burgeoning African market with the acquisition of an 80-megawatt (MW) power purchase agreement (PPA) in Ethiopia. This landmark deal, forged in partnership with Abu Dhabi-based cybersecurity firm Data7, marks a significant step in Phoenix Group’s global diversification strategy.

A new crypto fiat digital Bank to be launched out of Abu Dhabi

A new crypto fiat digital Bank to be launched out of Abu Dhabi

BipTap a global banking offering crypto and fiat banking services, has partnered UAE Al Fardan Ventures to launch an Abu Dhabi based Digital Bank BipTop.

BiTop offers complete solution integrating traditional banking with blockchain and cryptocurrency for using, managing and transferring crypto and fiat internationally using cards, offshore bank accounts, and wallets. The digital bank as per the press release will be both a wholesale and retail bank with B2B digital banking solutions.

The two parties are in the process of securing the required licenses to set up the operations in UAE.

As part of this development, the board has appointed Mr. Mohammed Ebrahim Al Fardan as Regional Managing Director, responsible for all Middle East operations and Global Technology Operations (GTO). Mr. Al Fardan brings decades of leadership in high-tech investments and innovation strategy, ensuring the digital bank will be positioned at the forefront of financial evolution.

Al Fardan noted that this is a significant partnership as it helps to reimaging global banking. He stated, “It aligns with our broader vision and upcoming investments in a global crypto liquidity platform and an AI-powered crypto trading ecosystem, which we plan to announce separately at the appropriate time.”

“This isn’t just a digital bank,” Jonathan Low shared. “It’s a financial revolution. By combining Abu Dhabi’s strategic location and Al Fardan Venture’s legacy in high-tech innovation and banking relationships all across the UAE and Middle East, with Biptap’s plug-and-play scalable infrastructure, we are democratizing banking access for the 21st century and beyond.”

Jonathan Low, CEO and Founder of Biptap, spearheaded the creation of the world’s first true Omni Banka modular, borderless system designed to be the ‘Airbnb of Banking,’ connecting users and businesses with the banks worldwide.

Already the UAE has several digital banks that are working in the crypto domain, including Zand Bank, Liv Bank, MBank, and Wio Bank. This announcement comes as the United States opens up its banking sector to crypto directly. The USA Federal Reserve Bank recently killed “Reputational Risk” rule that banks used to block crypto companies.

FED Chair Jerome Powell said, “Banks are perfectly able to serve crypto customers, as long as they manage the risks.”