UAE Abu Dhabi Commercial Bank (ADCB) has launched Meedaf, a pioneering Blockchain and AI enabled financial services venture designed to help banks and financial institutions across the UAE and GCC region enhance operational efficiency, reduce costs, and remain competitive through innovation and advanced technologies.

Operating as an independent entity within Abu Dhabi Global Market (ADGM), Meedaf focuses on providing specialized solutions to streamline financial operations, strengthen security, and improve customer experience. Key offerings include AI-driven automation for collections, risk assessment, and regulatory compliance, blockchain-enabled security to enhance fraud detection, as well as transaction security and predictive analytics to optimize financial processing and improve service efficiency.

As per the press release, Meedaf will also deliver customer-centric digital solutions, such as loyalty program management, designed to drive client engagement and improve overall service delivery.

Ala’a Eraiqat, Group CEO of ADCB, commented, “Meedaf marks a pivotal milestone in ADCB’s evolution beyond traditional banking, reinforcing our commitment to innovation and transformation. By delivering scalable, innovative solutions for institutions across the GCC, this initiative is a bold statement of our vision for an agile and efficient financial sector. Our objective is to help unleash the industry’s potential to drive significant positive impact across the wider economy.”

To drive its ambitious agenda, Eng. Abdulla Abdul Aziz AlShamsi, Managing Director and CEO of Meedaf, will lead the company’s strategic direction and growth while continuing his role as ADCB’s Group Chief Business Officer.

Eng. Abdulla Abdul Aziz AlShamsi, Managing Director and CEO at Meedaf, commented, “I am honored to lead Meedaf in shaping the future of financial services. By leveraging ADCB’s expertise and forming strategic partnerships, we are dedicated to building a regional hub for financial innovation, delivering world-class solutions that create tangible value for businesses and communities across the region.”

MANTRA Chain, a layer 1 blockchain purpose-built for tokenized real-world assets (RWAs), today announced the launch of the MANTRA Ecosystem Fund (MEF), a $108,888,888 million investment initiative designed to accelerate the growth and adoption of projects within the MANTRA ecosystem.

As per the press release the MEF arrives after MANTRA became the first DeFi platform to successfully obtain a Virtual Asset Service Provider (VASP) license from Dubai’s Virtual Assets Regulatory Authority (VARA), to operate as a Virtual Asset Exchange, as well as provide Broker-Dealer and Management and Investment Services. ‍

The MEF will deploy up to $108,888,888 million over the next four years to support high-potential blockchain projects around the world. The MEF will serve as a strategic growth engine, providing capital to startups alongside globally renowned investment firms.

Investment opportunities will be sourced through MANTRA’s vast partner network, including leading incubators and accelerators, and capital partners such as Laser Digital, Shorooq, Brevan Howard Digital, Valor Capital, Three Point Capital, Amber Group, Manifold, UoB Venture, DAMAC, Fuse, LVNA Capital, Forte, and many more. This extensive global reach will ensure that the MEF gains exposure to top-tier projects from around the world.

“In an era where blockchain technology is revolutionizing finance, the MEF will serve as a catalyst for groundbreaking projects that drive real-world adoption through a focus upon the tokenization of real world assets,” said John Patrick Mullin, CEO and founder of MANTRA.

“By aligning with top investors and incubators, we are opening doors for visionary founders and teams to join us in building and creating a thriving ecosystem and bringing more of the world on-chain.”

Gideon Daitz, partner at Three Point Capital, who will lead the MEF said, “Our primary mission with the MEF is to support the development of RWA tokenization globally, empowering teams with capital, network, and advice to put the world’s highest-quality assets on-chain. We are primarily focused on building out the MANTRA ecosystem, but we genuinely believe in playing a non-zero-sum game, where collaboration and a broad open-arms policy will serve our community and industry best.”

Further adding, “We are seeking to make high conviction, resource heavy developments into fewer more focused teams, ultimately fostering stronger and more ingrained ties through our diverse network of resources.”

Mantra Chain itself had previously raised $11 million led by Shorooq partners.

The Hashgraph Group (THG), a Swiss-based global business, venture capital, and technology firm dedicated to the Hedera ecosystem, has strategically invested in AgNext Technologies, a leading agritech company driving innovation in food quality and transparency. With operations spanning India, Europe, the Middle East, and the USA. AgNext leverages AI-driven quality assessment and blockchain-enabled traceability to enhance food safety and efficiency across the supply chain.

With this investment, THG joins AgNext’s recent financing round led by Novo Holdings, a holding and investment company headquartered in Denmark, with over US$150 billion in assets under management. Novo Holdings manages the wealth and assets of the Novo Nordisk Foundation.

Following its Series A funding in 2021, of $21 million led by Alpha Wave Incubation (AWI), AgNext opened its first international office in Abu Dhabi, UAE. AWI is backed by DisruptAD, which is managed by Falcon Edge and serves as the venture capital arm of Abu Dhabi’s sovereign wealth fund, ADQ. The funding at the time supported the view that AgNext is uniquely positioned to drive the digitization of quality-based food trade in the MENA region with its pioneering technologies.

Approximately a third of all food produced for human consumption is lost or wasted annually, leading to severe environmental, economic, and social consequences. This not only exacerbates food insecurity but also contributes to greenhouse gas emissions, waste of resources, and economic losses. Boston Consulting Group estimates global food wastage at $230 billion annually.

Traditional quality checks are slow, error prone, and costly which leads to recalls and loss of trust. AgNext solves this with its patented AI powered solutions, replacing subjective assessments and lab delays with instant on the spot analysis. The solution brings digitized trust to global food supply chains.

Following this strategic investment by THG, AgNext will integrate Hedera’s cutting-edge distributed ledger technology (DLT) into its assurance and traceability platforms and devices – ensuring 100% traceability, transparency, immutability, and efficiency through self-executing smart contracts, eliminating the need for multiple intermediaries that currently populate the supply chains and drive-up end prices. Hedera being the most scalable, cost-efficient, and energy-efficient among blockchain protocols is especially well-suited for food supply chains.

Taranjeet Bhamra, Founder and CEO of AgNext, commented on the investment, saying: “We are excited to welcome The Hashgraph Group as a valued partner in our mission to revolutionize food supply chains. With THG’s expertise and technology, we are poised to enhance our quality assurance frameworks and create robust transaction assurance systems that will foster transparency and trust in the global agriculture and food sectors. This partnership marks a pivotal step in delivering innovative, cutting-edge solutions to our clients.”

AgNext and THG will also collaborate on joint go-to-market initiatives, including co-branded, Hedera-powered embedded devices, which will be offered to clients globally through a new Web3-centric joint venture established in Switzerland.

Stefan Deiss, Co-Founder & CEO of The Hashgraph Group, said: “THG brings deep expertise in designing, developing, and deploying enterprise-grade solutions on the Hedera network, delivered by our team of highly skilled, Hedera-certified engineers. With this strategic co-investment alongside Novo Holdings, we look forward to embarking on the tech-enablement journey with AgNext to drive the convergence of AI and Blockchain/DLT, while jointly bringing to market Hedera-powered AgriTech solutions that will enhance AgNext’s competitive edge in the Web3 era.”

Hedera leverages its unique Hashgraph consensus algorithm to achieve unmatched speed, security, and scalability. With low, predictable fees and a carbon-negative footprint, Hedera is governed by over 30 Council Members from the world’s leading organizations such as Abrdn, Dell, EDF, Hitachi, Google, IBM, Mondelēz, Standard Bank, and TATA, Hedera provides a trusted, quantum-resistant infrastructure for businesses and institutions worldwide.

Anindya Roychowdhury, Head of Global Partnerships at The Hashgraph Group, stated: “I’ve been closely following AgNext’s remarkable growth since its inception, and I’m thrilled that THG is now partnering with them to leverage Hedera as the foundation for their assurance and traceability platforms. With Taranjeet’s visionary leadership and the capabilities of Hedera, we are confident in creating world-leading, Web3-enabled solutions for the AgriTech industry.”

After the Bitcoin MENA conference in December 2024, ADNEC Group & BTC Inc Group Bitcoin MENA is returning to Abu Dhabi for a second edition, set to take place on December 8-9, 2025. Scheduled to open the day after the Abu Dhabi Formula One Grand Prix, the event will once again take over the Marina Hall at ADNEC Centre — this time with expanded exhibition space, an enhanced outdoor area, world class speakers and premium networking experiences, including yachts berthed at the venue.

The 2024 debut established Bitcoin MENA as the premier Bitcoin gathering in the Middle East and North Africa, bringing together influential voices from government, business, and finance. Attracting over 10,000 visitors, 190 speakers, 100 exhibitors, and 500 brands.

The last year’s headline speakers included Eric Trump, Executive Vice President of the Trump Organization; Prince Filip of Serbia; Saifedean Ammous, author of The Bitcoin Standard; Abdulla Al Dhaheri of the Blockchain Centre Abu Dhabi; Paul Manafort, Former Campaign Manager for Trump 2016; and Steve Witkoff, Special Envoy to the Middle East under the Trump Administration.

Humaid Al Dhaheri, Managing Director and Group CEO of ADNEC Group, said, “The return of Bitcoin MENA to ADNEC Centre Abu Dhabi reflects the city’s growing influence as a global destination for digital asset dialogue and innovation. This event is a strategic addition to our dynamic calendar, reinforcing ADNEC Group’s role in convening cutting-edge conversations and fostering meaningful partnerships across emerging industries. As we expand the platform in 2025, we look forward to supporting BTC Inc. in delivering an even more impactful edition that connects global visionaries with the region’s forward-thinking ecosystem.”

“The Middle East is rapidly becoming a center of gravity for Bitcoin adoption and policy innovation,” said David Bailey, CEO of BTC Inc. “The response to last year’s event was overwhelming. In 2025, we’re scaling everything — from speaker programming and exhibition space to VIP experiences and side events — to match the global importance of this region.”

The Bitcoin Conference, organized by BTC Media (parent company of Bitcoin Magazine), is a global event series featuring notable industry speakers, policymakers, workshops, exhibitions, and entertainment. The flagship event took place in Nashville, Tennessee, in 2024, and Bitcoin 2025 is scheduled to be held in Las Vegas in May 2025. Its international events include Bitcoin Asia (Hong Kong, August 28-29, 2025), and Bitcoin MENA (Abu Dhabi, December 8-9, 2025).

As Own and Dinari partner to bring $1 billion worth of U.S. equities on-chain, increasing the current tokenized equities market by more than 66x by the end of 2025, its tokenized equities will be distributed through UAE regulated Fasset licensed token exchange platform in the UAE, Indonesia, Malaysia, the EU, Turkey and Pakistan.

Backed by Fasset, Own is the first Ethereum Layer 2 protocol built for the creation, management and distribution of tokenized real-world assets (RWAs). Dinari’s technology simplifies the issuance and distribution of fully-backed tokenized assets, offering access to over 100 stocks, ETFs, and REITs, including MSTR, TSLA, NVDA, SPY, META, AAPL, GOOGL, MSFT, and AMZN.

“U.S. equities have created trillions in wealth, but for most of the world, they remain effectively out of reach,” said José Fernando Pereira, Executive Director of Own. “This partnership creates direct access to these markets for global investors without the premium fees and extra steps that have limited participation.”

Own is incubated by the Own Foundation in partnership with Fasset, holding the largest portfolio of regulatory licenses and authorizations in high-growth markets. With Fasset’s support, Own has full permission to distribute and market virtual assets in rising economies, local banking rails for seamless transactions, fiat on/off-ramp infrastructure, and established trust with local regulators and central banks.


Through this partnership, investors can access fractional shares with lower fees, minimal entry barriers, and near-instant settlement, unlocking U.S. markets in ways that were previously out of reach.

“Tokenized real-world assets are one of the most in-demand digital asset use cases globally,” Mohammad Raafi Hossain, CEO and Co-Founder of Fasset, said. “We have already seen growing investor demand for these high-quality, compliant assets, and this partnership will fuel greater liquidity and market depth for tokenized assets.”

This follows a +1,000% month-on-month increase in tokenized US equities transactions on Fasset, driven by one of the largest on-chain equity settlements to date via Arbitrum and Dinari. The equities tokenized by Dinari on Own will be available for trading in conjunction with Own’s mainnet launch in Q4 of 2025.

“Dinari dShares enable investors around the world to access U.S. public markets without ever having to leave their preferred ecosystems and applications,” Gabriel Otte, Co-Founder of Dinari added. “We’re thrilled to partner with Fasset and Own Chain to deliver value to investors and grow the tokenized asset space together.”

UAE M2, crypto exchange has appointed James Greenwood as Chief Executive Officer, Bill Qian as Managing Director, while Bijan Alizadeh remains as Board Member and Shareholder Representative all committed to expanding their global userbase.

M2 is refocusing their strategy with consolidation driven by their earn product and the increasing demand for yield-oriented and financing solutions. As per the press release the company is doubling down on regulated financial services.
The crypto exchange has ambitions of building a one-stop digital asset financial service platform, serving global users from the Middle East. M2 has transformed its treasury division to cater to ultra-high-net-worth individuals (UHNWIs), family offices, and institutional clients, offering bespoke digital assets solutions tailored to their needs. The M2 team has also been bolstered with specialized expertise, further enhancing M2’s ability to deliver innovative investment options.

James Greenwood is an award-winning leader, with a proven track record in digital technology and financial services. He joins M2 from Bitstamp, the world’s longest-running cryptocurrency exchange, where he served as Chief Technology and Operations Officer. With an impressive career spanning Europe and the Middle East.

James has held several C-suite roles of pivotal importance, such as Co-Founder and Chief Technology Officer at Tandem Bank. Previously, he spearheaded digital transformation initiatives at organizations including Commercial Bank International and Zand Bank, bringing a deep understanding of fintech innovation to his leadership. In addition to his accomplishments in finance, James is a published author, the founder of an award-winning mobile games studio, and a sought-after speaker on digital disruption and innovation.

Bill Qian: Managing Director, M2, a seasoned investor and strategic leader in digital assets, AI, and financial technology, having overseen more than $30 billion in investments across the sector, previously served as Global Head of M&A and Binance Labs at Binance. Now, as Managing Director at M2, he is focused on enhancing the platform’s institutional offering, shaping bespoke investment products, structured yield opportunities, and advanced risk management solutions to serve the evolving needs of family offices, UHNWIs, and enterprises.

“This is a transformative time for M2, and we cannot wait to take on the opportunity,” said Bijan Alizadeh, Board member and Shareholder Representative. “Together with James and Bill, I look forward to re-energizing M2’s mission, while equipping the business with the tools and structures needed to drive innovation and deliver unmatched value to our customers. With a clear vision for sustainable growth and a strong foundation, M2 is poised to lead the next wave of digital asset transformation.”

The UAE governmental entity, the Dubai Land Department (DLD) has partnered with the Dubai Virtual Assets Regulatory Authority (VARA) to link the real estate registry to property tokenization through an advanced governance system. The collaboration aims to enable the fractional ownership of real estate assets, allowing a broader base of investors, particularly small investors, to enter Dubai’s real estate market. This contributes to greater economic inclusion and enhances the sector’s appeal to global investments.

This agreement follows the launch of the pilot phase of the “Real Estate Tokenization Project.” In line with the Dubai Real Estate Sector Strategy 2033, the Dubai Land Department (DLD) has launched the pilot phase of the ‘Real Estate Tokenization Project for property title deeds. As per the announcement, the initiative, introduced under the Real Estate Innovation Initiative ‘REES,’ establishes DLD as the first real estate registration entity in the Middle East to implement tokenization on property title deeds. The project is being implemented in collaboration with the Dubai Virtual Assets Regulatory Authority (VARA) and Dubai Future Foundation (DFF) through SandBox Real Estate.

It was signed in the presence of Helal Saeed Almarri, Director-General of the Department of Economy and Tourism, and Marwan bin Ghalita, Director-General of Dubai Land Department, alongside senior officials from both entities.

The project also supports the objectives of the “Dubai Real Estate Strategy 2033” to grow real estate transaction volume to $272 billion equivalent to AED1 trillion, and contributes to the goals of the “Dubai Economic Agenda D33,” which seeks to double the emirate’s GDP over the next decade.

Helal Almarri affirmed that the agreement reflects the spirit of innovation and integration between Dubai’s government and digital sectors, noting that real estate tokenisation represents a qualitative leap toward a more inclusive and transparent investment model.

For his part, Marwan bin Ghalita highlighted the importance of this step in driving real estate innovation, attracting technology companies, and enhancing the sector’s digital infrastructure.

UAE regulated M2, a cryptocurrency exchange and investment platform, has partnered with NiceHash, a global crypto mining solution provider and hashrate marketplace serving over one million miners globally.

Through this partnership, M2 Global Wealth Limited (M2GWL) will provide miners worldwide with seamless access to flexible lending solutions in USDT, allowing them to unlock the full potential of their Bitcoin holdings. By collateralizing their BTC, miners can now access convenient USDT loans, enabling them to scale their operations, cover expenses, and optimize profitability, without selling their valuable assets.

Miners can unlock liquidity by using their Bitcoin as collateral and enjoy flexible repayment options, including allocating a portion of their hash rate. With seamless integration to NiceHash’s technology, Bitcoin miners can effortlessly manage both their mining pool rewards and their open loans through a single intuitive dashboard, automatically directing earnings toward loan repayment—eliminating complexity and ensuring a hassle-free experience.

Sudhu Arumugam, Chief Product Officer, M2, added, “At M2, we understand the challenges miners face in maintaining liquidity while preserving their Bitcoin investments. Our partnership with NiceHash represents a shared vision of empowering miners with smarter financial solutions that allow them to grow their businesses without sacrificing their Bitcoin holdings. This is just the beginning—we are committed to continuously innovating and delivering financial services that support the crypto mining ecosystem in meaningful ways.”

By powering the tech behind M2’s lending solutions, NiceHash helps bring a world-first solution to financing big mining operations and expansion.

In February 2025, M2 partnered with Transak, a payments infrastructure provider for digital assets like cryptocurrencies, stablecoins and NFTs, integrating its solution with M2, UAE regulated crypto exchange. This streamlined integration seeks to lower barriers to market participation, while ensuring strict levels of security and compliance. Through Transak, verified M2 users will be able to conveniently make fiat-to-crypto purchases for 30+ of tokens and cryptocurrencies using their credit and debit cards, M2’S OTC service will continue to be available.

Tokinvest, Dubai VARA regulated tokenization platform for (RWA) investing, and Evolution Stables, an equine syndication platform based in New Zealand will bring to market a new asset class, the tokenized exposure to professionally leased racehorses, starting with a Summer 2025 launch. Investor rights are being outlined in the virtual asset whitepaper being filed with Dubai’s Virtual Asset Regulatory Authority (VARA).

Tokinvest and Evolution Stables have developed a platform that focuses on proven horses in the early stages of their racing careers—many with prior earnings—removing many of the pain points traditionally associated with traditional ownership and delivering the thrill of participation from day one. Investors purchase a token representing a fixed-term lease (typically 12 months) with a pre-defined share of any earnings from the horse’s racing activity.

Scott Thiel, CEO & Co-Founder of Tokinvest, said, “This partnership with Evolution Stables represents the next step in broadening the Tokinvest ecosystem. By turning elite equine performance into a regulated, tokenized financial product, we’re offering something totally new—fractional access to a market that’s historically been difficult to enter. This is about turning passion into investment opportunity in a way that’s secure, transparent, and forward-looking.”

Initial offerings will be based on racehorses in New Zealand, a region known for punching well above its weight in elite Group One racing. New Zealand-bred horses win 22% of Group One races in Australia despite making up just 7% of the field, and have also claimed 38% of Group One victories in Hong Kong over the past four years.

Deep ties with respected trainers, syndicators, studs, and breeders—such as Woburn Farm, who helped prepare Hong Kong superstar Lucky Sweynesse, and Forsman Racing, trainers of Group 1 winners Aegon, Legarto, and Mustang Valley—further reinforce the calibre of horses associated with the Tokinvest platform.

Digital-syndication enables racehorse owners to lease out stakes while retaining full control and ownership. Investors pay a fixed price that reflects the horse’s quality, form, and earning potential—removing complexity and eliminating the need for ongoing contracts or admin. Evolution Stables, an authorised syndicator under New Zealand Thoroughbred Racing (NZTR), manages compliance, payments, and performance tracking. Tokinvest delivers a seamless, secure investment experience through its regulated platform, ensuring every transaction is transparent and compliant.

Alex Baddeley, CEO of Evolution Stables, added, “Digital-syndication helps balance the needs of modern investors with those of existing owners—offering steady income to owners without giving up equity or control, while providing investors with a transparent, accessible entry point into an exciting asset class. Together with Tokinvest, we’re building a new model that unlocks opportunity on both sides of the track.”

Investors’ downside risk is mitigated through the fixed-price model, while still allowing them to participate in the upside potential of ownership over the lease term. If a horse is sold during the lease period, the investor is bought out at a predetermined, equitable value. If the horse is retired or deregistered due to unforeseen circumstances—such as injury—the lease is terminated. Returns are not guaranteed and remain subject to horse performance and other external factors, but this innovative ownership model helps reduce many of the risks traditionally associated with racehorse ownership.

Adrian Stanley, Owner of Woburn Farm, said, “Ownership models in this industry haven’t changed or advanced in years. They still work well for existing participants, but with an ageing ownership base and the next generation of investors looking for digital-first solutions, the time for change is now.

“The interest is there—people want to invest—and with New Zealand being the perfect breeding ground for world-class bloodstock, the opportunity is clear. But barriers like limited access, liquidity, and knowledge have always held back growth.

Evolution Stables’ model, which balances the needs of both buyers and sellers, has the potential to be a real game changer—not just for us, but for the wider industry. We’re proud to support it and excited to see where it goes.”

Stephen Gray, Group One-winning Trainer from Stephen Gray Racing, added, “We were lucky enough to compete at the 2018 Dubai Carnival, where one of our horses, Newlands, placed. We’d love to return one day, and we see Evolution Stables’ digital-syndication model as a great way to strengthen the connections between international racing and new investors. Giving people a chance to come along for the ride through this kind of model is a fantastic way to grow the sport and bring fresh energy into the game.”

Prior to this in March 2025, UAE Tokinvest, announced its participation with Dubai Land Department, Dubai’s Virtual Asset Regulatory Authority and Dubai Future Foundation, in the pilot for tokenizing property deeds and titles in Dubai.

Web3 is a Joke, founded by comedian Mona Shaikh, bridges the gap between comedy and blockchain technology. With sold-out events across the US, UK, Hong Kong, and beyond, the brand has become a global leader in making Web3 accessible through humor.
The event will turn blockchain into belly laughs in Dubai UAE during Token2049 on April 29th at The Kempinski Palm from 6-8pm.

“Web3 is a Joke” Crypto Roast Comedy Night at Token 2049 Dubai side event, will be a transformative experience featuring hilarious comedians, delicious libations and unparalleled networking opportunities designed for crypto, web3 and comedy lovers.

Mona Sheikh, Founder of Web3 is a Joke, notes, ” The mission is to help with mass adoption through comedy. “Web3 is a Joke”, serves as a platform to achieve two big goals: Build trust in crypto and educate through entertainment. We will bring together crypto, Web3 and comedy lovers for a day filled with hilarious crypto roast jokes, tearing down Web3 and rebuilding it with non-stop laughter. Sponsorship opportunities are available for companies in both Web2 and Web3 and in all industries. Media entities can also partner.”

Whether you’re looking to break away from the nerdy panels and need something new and exciting to laugh, learn and link, Web3 is a Joke Crypto Roast Comedy Night is where you need to be.

This year’s lineup includes Founder & Roast master Mona Shaikh followed by a hilarious crypto roast with comedians from the US, Dubai and South Asia. Each comedian offers unique insights into the world of crypto comedy. Attendees will have the chance to engage with comedians, network, and connect with sponsors with display booths all designed to entertain, learn and collaborate.

Web3 is a Joke is the perfect gathering for aspiring entrepreneurs, crypto, tech and web3 enthusiasts along with creative minds and
comedy lovers. Whether you’re looking to learn more about web3 and crypto, network with the best or just get some good laughs, you’ll find valuable opportunities to grow and learn.

Secure your spot at our exclusive event on our website by reserving your complimentary ticket today. Tickets are available at www.web3isajoke.io or on Luma. For Sponsorship and media partnership opportunities please email mona@web3isajoke.io.