U.S. based Sustainable Bitcoin Protocol (SBP), which aims to unlock Bitcoin’s potential to become the most transparent and sustainable asset has appointed UAE national, an entrepreneur and pioneer in nuclear energy technology, space industry and digital assets Ali AlNuaimi.

Ali Alnuaimi, will hold the position of advisor at Sustainable Bitcoin Protocol. As per the Xpost of SBP, “Ali brings a wealth of experience to Sustainable Bitcoin Protocol. His visionary leadership in launching the UAE’s 1st nuclear reactor & integrating blockchain technology into the energy & financial sectors is a testament to his expertise in sustainable #energy & technological innovation.”

The post adds, “Ali’s pioneering work in leveraging blockchain for energy sustainability aligns perfectly with the company’s objectives, promising to accelerate the adoption of #cleanenergy solutions in bitcoin mining.”

AlNuaimi holds other advisory roles in well renowned entities in the digital asset, AI and Blockchain fields. He is an advisor at Buildr.ai, Marathon Digital, Gigaenergy, and Mysten Labs, the creators of Sui Blockchain.

He is also the Founder and Managing Director of AI firm Shafra.

SBP enables investors to hold verifiably sustainable BTC through the introduction of a new environmental commodity derived from clean energy bitcoin mining, called the Sustainable Bitcoin Certificate (SBC). SBC are paired with BTC 1 for 1 by investors. SBC financially incentivizes Bitcoin miners to use verified clean energy sources.

Finally, SBP’s certificate allows Bitcoin to become fully sustainable with transparent clean energy use without disrupting the fungibility of BTC.

Sustainable Bitcoin Protocol is turning environmental sustainability into an appreciating commodity, in turn supporting clean energy bitcoin miners and helping investors reach their ESG goals.

SBC are a new environmental commodity specifically designed to align Bitcoin mining with climate action. SBC incentivize verified clean energy use and waste methane mitigation, as well as mobilize capital from investors toward the energy transition.

The SBP aims to bring in new revenue and energy transparency by mining Bitcoin with clean energy.

UAE has become a hub for Bitcoin mining, whether with Marathon Digital in Abu Dhabi, or Phoenix Technology, could this be the starting point for digital assets mining, using nuclear energy available in Abu Dhabi?

During the Paris Blockchain Week, at the Global regulatory Landscape Panel session, Mathew White, CEO of Dubai’s VARA (Virtual Asset Regulatory Authority) discussed the cost of compliance for smaller crypto and Blockchain firms and the solution he is proposing where big players sponsor the cost of compliance for smaller ones.

White in his contribution during the panel made several points with regards to how he views VARA’s regulatory standpoint.

Firstly, VARA wants to regulate without damaging the presence of nearly 2000 Web3 and crypto companies already present in Dubai UAE. He states, “We seek to set a regulation that we feel anybody can be part of and is not exclusive by nature. We engage with the industry, governments, and continue to do that. While it is still not perfect, there are a number of things we are looking into to make the regime fit for everybody, one of which is how we deal with cost of compliance for small entities.”

According to White, compliance is a costly exercise and not many players have the resources to go and get regulated. His proposal is “looking towards a structure where larger market participants host smaller ones, where the cost of compliance can be borne by the large players.” He adds, “We are on this journey of allowing innovation whilst being able to regulate it.”

White explains that two years ago when he was part of the team building VARA, the Dubai government decided as part of their economic diversification project to prioritize technology and in specific virtual assets.

VARA was established to be able to position Dubai as a hub with financial stability and investor protection in mind.

When the topic of self-regulation through technology came up White acknowledge that he believes that this will one day be possible. He also stated he would be looking into piloting this idea at VARA.

He stated, “No doubt some point in the future it will be available. For the short to medium there will be regulation and it will be significant.”

Earlier this week, Crypto.com became the first international crypto exchange to receive a full license from VARA, while OKX is still awaiting final requirements to receive its full VASP operational license.

In the last week of March 2024, The U.S. Department of the Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) announced sanctions against six entities based in Lebanon, Liberia, India, Vietnam, and Kuwait.

As per the OFAC announcement, among those targeted was a Syrian national money exchanger Tawfiq Muhammad Sa’id al-Law based out of Lebanon. The Treasury Department stated that Sa’id al-Law provided Hezbollah with digital wallets to receive funds from IRGC-QF commodity sales and conduct crypto transfers.

Sa’id al-Law was also accused of facilitating financial transactions for sanctioned Hezbollah officials and providing financial services to Sa’id al-Jamal and his network.

As per the announcement, the sanctioned entities were implicated in facilitating commodity shipments and financial transactions, including cryptocurrencies for the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps-Qods Force (IRGC-QF), the Houthis, and Hezbollah.

Furthermore, two Kuwait-based companies, Orchidia Regional for General Trading and Contracting Company and Mass Com Group General Trading and Contracting Company WLL, were also implicated in transferring money to support Sa’id al-Jamal’s network.

Under Secretary of the Treasury for Terrorism and Financial Intelligence Brian E. Nelson said, “Treasury remains resolute in our commitment to deploy our tools against those who seek to fund illicit activities. The United States will continue to take action to disrupt the abuse of international energy markets to facilitate terrorist activities.”

On June 27, 2023, Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant announced that Israel’s National Bureau for Counter Terror Financing (NBCTF) seized cryptocurrency from Hezbollah, and from Iran’s Quds Force. In total, the agency seized roughly $1.7 million worth of cryptocurrency and disrupted crypto “terrorism financing” infrastructure jointly run by the two organizations.

As per Chainalysis article, The NBCTF seizure focused on wallets controlled by Tawfiq Muhammad Said Al-Law, who “supposedly” worked with senior Hezbollah operators like Muhammad Qasim Al-Bazzal and Muhammad Ja’far Qasir, both of whom are sanctioned by OFAC, to operate Hezbollah’s crypto funding infrastructure.

In March 2024 as well, OFAC sanctioned a UAE registered business entity and its subsidiary for helping to build or operate blockchain based services to facilitate potential sanctions evasion on behalf of Russian nationals.

UAE based Humanity International Investments (HII), social impact fund, has created a watchdog index for the crypto and blockchain ecosystem. The index will serve as a barometer for assessing the socio-economic impact of cryptocurrencies and blockchain projects worldwide, with a keen focus on Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) impact.

In a push for ethical investment within the crypto sector, HII’s initiative introduces a rigorous ESG framework. The index is designed to evaluate and rate blockchain entities, crypto tokens and crypto funds based on a multifaceted methodology, incorporating market performance, technology robustness, regulatory compliance, and community engagement, alongside a keen ESG analysis.

The HII index will guide investors towards sustainable, responsible, and socially beneficial crypto ventures.

The HII Blockchain Index recognizes the essential role ESG considerations play within the investment landscape. The aim is to encourage investment in projects that align with sustainability goals and have a meaningful impact, particularly for those at the bottom of the economic pyramid.

“By prioritizing investments that align with broader sustainability goals, the Humanity Blockchain Index will direct the crypto industry towards a future where it holds a sustainable and socially responsible modus operandi”, said Mr. Marcus Dukes, President of HII.

The launch of this index demonstrates HII’s unwavering dedication to closing the income gap for the unbanked and ultra-poor, particularly in Africa.

HII is championing a new investment paradigm – one that values humanity’s future as much as immediate financial returns. This initiative is set to catalyze a shift towards more sustainable business practices in the crypto industry and foster an inclusive and ethically robust digital economy.

“Through our pioneering Blockchain Index, we are setting a new standard for responsible investment in the crypto world. By factoring in a token’s environmental impact, societal contribution, and governance quality, the index ensures investors have a clear understanding of which crypto enterprises are contributing positively to society and which may be falling short,” said Dukes.

The HII Blockchain Index will measure the impact of crypto and blockchain companies on individuals at the bottom of the pyramid, with a particular emphasis on the unbanked population. The index will evaluate how these companies are leveraging technology to provide financial services, increase accessibility, and foster economic empowerment for those who have historically been excluded from the traditional banking system. By focusing on key metrics such as accessibility, usability, and the implementation of projects that directly benefit the unbanked, the HII Blockchain Index aims to highlight and support those entities making tangible strides towards financial inclusion.

Dubai International Financial Centre (DIFC), the leading global financial center in the Middle East, Africa and South Asia (MEASA) region, enacts the world’s first Digital Assets Law, a new Law of Security and related amendments to select existing legislation to cater for the consequences of the new digital assets regime and revised security regime. The legislative enactments aim to ensure DIFC Laws keep pace with the rapid developments in international trade and financial markets arising from technological developments, and to provide legal certainty for investors in, and users of, Digital Assets.

Digital Assets Law – DIFC Law No. 2 of 2024

Digital Assets represent a trillion-dollar asset class and the scope for future innovation and market opportunities within it are considerable. Thus far, the primary focus in many jurisdictions has been to regulate and impose enforcement related sanctions on some of the practical applications of this asset class from a regulated financial services perspective. However, the fundamental benefits brought about by blockchain technology, the digital assets that can be created thereby, and their application across a wide spectrum of use cases will grow and become of increasing importance in a much wider context. In this regard, the broader legal questions as to the exact nature of the legal features and consequences of digital assets has very much remained open for debate on a number of key issues. International legal developments and judgments across the common law world have begun to provide some clarity in this regard but have not yet provided a comprehensive legal framework mapping out the full extent of the legal characteristics of a digital asset and how users and investors within this asset class may interact with digital assets and each other.  

Following extensive review of the legal approaches taken to digital assets in multiple jurisdictions, and a period of public consultation in 2023, DIFC is now enacting its own Digital Assets Law. 

Existing DIFC laws such as the Contracts Law, Law of Obligations, Law of Security, Law of Damages and Remedies, Trust Law and Foundations Law have also been updated through DIFC Amendment Law, No. 3 of 2024, to cater to specific issues arising in relation to this asset class. 

Updates to the Law of Obligations also provide for the use of electronic transferable records. Electronic transferable records are functionally equivalent to paper trade documents or instruments such as bills of lading, bills of exchange, promissory notes and warehouse receipts. Recognition of such documents in electronic form facilitates greater efficiencies within cross-border digital trade by increasing the speed and security of transmission of documentation and allowing for the automation of certain transactions through smart contracts.

Similarly, a great deal of innovation has taken place in secured transactions regimes internationally – particularly since the DIFC Law of Security was enacted in 2005. This includes the emergence of businesses and platforms that enable the extension of credit in, and secured or covered by, digital asset collateral arrangements, and an increasing drive to digitise international trade.  

Following consideration of regimes in other jurisdictions and, in particular, UNCITRAL’s Model Law on Secured Transaction, in conjunction with the new Digital Assets Law, DIFC is repealing the 2005 Law of Security, and replacing it with a new Law of Security to significantly amend and enhance DIFC’s securities regime. This will align the regime with international best practice and provide clarity in relation to taking security over digital assets.  In doing so, DIFC is also repealing the Financial Collateral Regulations, amalgamating the financial collateral provisions into a new chapter of the new Law of Security. 

Jacques Visser, Chief Legal Officer at DIFC Authority, said: “DIFC is excited to announce the enactment of its Digital Assets Law. We consider this legislation to be groundbreaking as the first legislative enactment to comprehensively set out the legal characteristics of digital assets as a matter of property law, and to provide for how digital assets may be controlled, transferred and dealt with by interested parties. At the same time, we are also enacting a new Law of Security, replacing the 2005 law. The revised regime is modelled on the UNCITRAL Model of Secured Transactions and significantly enhances DIFC’s securities regime to keep pace with international developments in this field and to ensure DIFC remains at the forefront of best practice.”

The new legislation came into effect on 8 March 2024 and can be accessed via DIFC’s Legislative Database: here.
The new laws reflect the Centre’s commitment to maintaining a transparent and robust legal and regulatory framework aligned with global best practice.
 

U.S. based Web3Firewall founded by Lebanese born Dr. Samer Fayssal has raised $2.5 million pre-seed investment round led by Laser Digital, Nomura’s digital asset subsidiary, which is licensed in Dubai UAE, gumi Cryptos Capital (gCC), and SPEILLLP, a member of Susquehanna International Group.

We3Firewall has developed an intelligence-driven risk and compliance platform specifically to meet the evolving challenges of companies engaged in blockchain technology and digital assets.

The company was founded in 2023 by Dr. Samer Fayssal, who was previously CISO and Head of Security at digital asset custodian BitGo. Fayssal and team recognized that Web3 and blockchain technology companies require a next-generation cybersecurity product rather than the fragmented solutions currently available. The product, Web3Firewall Enterprise, addresses increasingly sophisticated risk and compliance demands in one seamless platform, which is equipped to handle the unique risk profiles of DeFi, NFTs, DAOs, and other emerging Web3 applications, providing a security layer that will be able to keep pace as the tokenized economy develops.

Web3Firewall Enterprise can be easily integrated with and tailored to security infrastructure through APIs, which can detect, protect, and respond to malicious transactions and AML/KYC-related incidents even before they occur. Furthermore, the platform simulates transaction outcomes with artificial intelligence to enhance actionable insights. Additional accuracy and precision are delivered by machine learning to self-correct false negative and false positive results. Web3Firewall Enterprise is currently in a beta testing phase and is due to launch onto the market in Q2 this year.

Dr. Samer Fayssal, CEO of Web3Firewall, commented, “We are grateful to have the support of our investors, who are aligned with our vision to bring intelligence-driven security to blockchain-enabled companies. As a proactive risk and compliance platform, Web3Firewall Enterprise provides actionable insights so that these companies can better protect themselves and stay compliant.”

Olivier Dang, Head of Ventures, Laser Digital, added “Laser Digital is delighted to support this exciting project — The uniquely heightened security and compliance of Web3Firewall’s product, which proactively protects against malicious transactions, will allow institutional engagement in tokenized and digital assets to grow and progress.”

Miko Matsumura; Managing Partner of gumi Cryptos Capital, said, “One of the greatest dissatisfactions with web3 is ensuring strong cybersecurity measures. Web3Firewall has the strongest team and vision for how to strengthen this key area”

Vir Anand, Investor, Susquehanna Private Equity Investments, said, “As the crypto industry matures AML, compliance, detection and prevention become paramount. Samer and his team have developed tools to assist companies in creating custom compliance parameters, which adhere to the regulatory framework in which the company operates, as well as cutting edge, self-learning solutions that promise to provide unparalleled protection against malicious transactions in real-time to ensure a protocol’s integrity.”

As per Invest Qatar report The Ministry of Communications and Information Technology (MCIT), Tasmu Smart Qatar invested $1.65 billion in digital technologies, and expects this number to reach $5.7 billion by 2026.

Qatar’s digital investments across different priority technologies, such as Internet of Things (IoT) sensors, cybersecurity systems integration, hardware & software deploy and support, cloud computing, big data analytics, enterprise resource planning, AR & VR, drones, IT consulting, Blockchain, custom application design, and artificial intelligence (AI), is expected to grow from “$1.65bn” in 2022 to “$5.7bn” in 2026.

Invest Qatar revealed this in its report, ‘Smarter Qatar: Embracing Emerging Technologies and Innovation, Improving Lives and Driving a Sustainable Digital Economy’, which it prepared in collaboration with the MCIT.

The report also stated that Tasmu is leveraging emerging technology to drive the Smarter Qatar Strategy.

As per the report, “Key functionality focus areas and microservices are identified based on alignment with national strategies, scan of global smart city/nation platforms, and relevance to proposed platform role,” the report stated.

The functionality focus areas include IoT, cloud, analytics, and AI, while the potential microservices are IoT sensors, marketplace, generative Al, multi-cloud, operation command centre, chatbots, predictive analytics, payment gateway, voice interface, and hybrid-cloud, among many others.

According to the report, the integration of emerging technologies in a smart country landscape leads to transformative changes, enhancing sustainability and the quality of life of citizens, ensuring seamless connectivity, and data-driven decision-making.

Additionally, the integration of IoT with AI-powered traffic management helps analyze real time traffic data and coordinates signals leading to a decrease in congestion, enhanced transit efficiency, and lowered greenhouse gas emissions. On data analytics, the report stated that gathering big data from people, infrastructure, and vehicles empowers city planners to optimize buildings, enhance energy efficiency.

Qatar recently launched its digital asset lab which includes blockchain technology at its core, with companies joining in from around the globe.

Diment, with a presence in UAE, within DMCC ( Dubai Multi Commodities Centre), a virtual asset service provider that is issuing a stablecoin backed by diamonds, has received an initial approval for a license from Dubai’s virtual asset regulatory authority (VARA). Diment will act both as a digital currency and a digital asset for store of value.

As per Diment website, the Diment Dollar is a digital product that redefines the concept of “value-security” in the financial world by reinventing the present stablecoin model. As the first Stablecoin with a fixed price of 1 USD and a token supply fully backed by the underlying diamond reserve value in USD, Diment Dollar operates in a reverse mode compared to present stablecoins by creating value first.

In a press release, Diment VA Exchange Services DMCC announced its Initial Approval from the Virtual Asset Regulatory Authority of Dubai – VARA. As per the press release, “This Initial Approval marks a significant milestone for Diment, setting the stage for future regional growth and development in the Crypto Space. While the Initial Approval is a pivotal achievement, it does not yet allow the commencement of any virtual asset activity in or from Dubai. Diment emphasizes that it is still in the process of working towards receiving the full VASP license and approval from VARA.”

“Receiving VARA’s initial approval is a testament to our dedication to regulatory compliance” said Max Weiland, CEO at Diment. “Diment is determined to launch with strict adherence to VARA’s requirements, ushering in a new era of secure and seamless access to the world of virtual assets and build a robust ecosystem that not only meets but exceeds industry standards, seeking to establish a safe and efficient gateway to virtual assets for users Locally and Globally.”

Diment VA Exchange Services DMCC is a setting up as a Broker-Dealer platform in Dubai with the aim to establish a safe and efficient gateway to virtual assets both locally and globally.

VARA has included stablecoin regulations amidst its framework, so it would seem that VARA could become the first regulatory authority to regulate a stablecoin VASP.

The supply of stablecoins circulating on blockchains is increasing, with investors adding $4.2 billion worth of dollar-pegged cryptocurrencies since the start of the month. April 2 was the biggest day for stablecoin inflows with $1.38 billion worth added, data from DefiLlama shows. It’s the biggest single-day increase since March 11 2023.

This article was updated at 13:11 GMT+3 based on information that Diment applied for a broker dealer license.

NorthStake a firm which offers safe, compliant and secure investment in Digital Assets for institutional investors as well as crypto staking and trading services has applied and received a preliminary approval for a license from Dubai’s virtual asset regulatory authority (VARA) for a license.

The news which came out on “Block Works” noted that such a license would allow the company to offer crypto custody services, custodial staking to institutional investors in the UAE.

Northstake CEO and Founder Jesper Johansen told the Block,” UAE is becoming a global frontrunner in virtual assets. Our ambition is to contribute to the growth of the crypto ecosystem in the UAE, leveraging our expertise and innovative solutions in digital asset investments to support the region’s financial institutions and our local partners on innovative digital asset products.”

Johansen also made the announcement on LinkedIn, “NORTHSTAKE has gained initial approval from Dubai’s Virtual Asset Regulatory Authority. Our ambition is to contribute to the growth of the crypto ecosystem in the UAE, leveraging our expertise and innovative solutions in digital asset investments to support the region’s financial institutions and our local partners on innovative digital asset products.”

The move comes after Northstake raised about $3 million to bolster its staking products for institutions. The company, also partnered with Coinify to serve the firm’s institutional and high net worth clients.

In a LinkedIn post made 11 months ago, Jesper Johansen stated, “We continue to develop NORTHSTAKE in Abu Dhabi and Dubai by building partnerships in the region. Today we met Mubadala and we are very excited to see how digital assets will continue to grow in the region. At NORTHSTAKE, we are committed to serve institutional clients on their digital asset portfolio.”

Over the past months VARA has licensed over 21 VASPs including Komainu, HexTrust and others. Most recently Crypto.com became the first global crypto exchange to receive a full license. The UAE has become one of the leading hubs for regulated VASP entities.

BACS ( Blockchain Arbitration and Commerce Society) has launched its operations in the Middle East with the opening of an office in Dubai, at Dubai International Financial Centre (DIFC). As per the press release, Dubai has become a vibrant ecosystem for blockchain companies, crypto assets, and artificial intelligence, offering significant opportunities for innovation, growth, and global expansion.

As Ignacio Ferrer-Bonsoms, President of BACS, points out, “Dubai is a strategic location for us. As a Digital Chamber of Commerce, we must be here. We want to bring our associates to Dubai and, conversely, we want to accompany Middle Eastern technology companies to the rest of the world. BACS’s presence within the DIFC reinforces its reputation as a world-class financial centre that attracts cutting-edge organizations.

BACS encompasses a global network with deep industry knowledge and a commitment to responsible innovation.

BACS aims to further elevate Dubai’s profile as a destination for blockchain projects seeking a reputable and well-regulated environment. The arbitration and dispute resolution focus, carried out by the association not by BACS Dubai, will strengthen the DIFC’s legal framework, especially for complex cases involving emerging technologies.

Peter Hulks, CBDO of BACS Dubai, believes that “Dubai is making significant contributions to the world. Dubai is an Innovation Hub. Dubai is actively fostering a culture of innovation and experimentation. They invest in blockchain, AI, and other cutting-edge technologies, which in turn attracts global talent, entrepreneurs, and forward-thinking businesses. This pushes the boundaries of what’s possible and shapes how we think about the future economy.”

He also highlights its strategic location. “Dubai is a bridge between worlds. Located at the crossroads of East and West, Dubai is uniquely positioned as a connector. It facilitates trade, fosters international collaboration, and promotes cultural exchange. This connectivity plays a critical role in breaking down barriers and driving global progress. Overall, Dubai is contributing a fresh perspective, a spirit of innovation, and a commitment to a long-term vision, something increasingly lacking in countries once seen as leaders in these areas. There are many reasons why I call Dubai home, my answer barely scratches the surface.”

Levan Bodzashvili, COO of BACS Dubai, considers Dubai to be a model of tolerance. “Dubai’s diverse, multicultural society is a true melting pot. They’ve created an environment where people from all walks of life can work and live together. This promotes understanding and cooperation in an increasingly interconnected world, serving as an encouraging example.”

He also highlights Dubai’s visionary leadership. “Dubai’s leadership is clear. Their vision is grand and transformative. They’re not afraid to take risks and invest boldly in ambitious projects, often related to sustainability and technology. This drive pushes the limits and inspires others to strive for ambitious goals that can benefit all of humanity.”

The future of BACS is focused on contributing to a healthy and mature blockchain ecosystem. For BACS, reliability and accessibility are key: our arbitration services offer a clear path for dispute resolution, essential as this industry grows. 

Our goal is to simplify things, helping businesses understand and confidently explore blockchain’s potential. BACS is actively working on expanding its network to key markets, forging new alliances, and learning. BACS will be a practical force for good, advocating for responsible adoption and ethical practices within the blockchain space.

Some of the key advantages BACS offers to companies working with new technologies include:

Risk Mitigation: New technology, especially in the blockchain space, carries inherent risks. We help companies understand those risks, both legal and technical, and implement strategies to mitigate them. This can save them from costly mistakes and protect their reputation.

Dispute Resolution: When conflicts arise (and they inevitably will), BACS offers a specialized arbitration platform. This provides a faster, more cost-effective, and often more private alternative to traditional litigation, keeping projects on track and avoiding public disputes.

Knowledge & Expertise: The BACS team has deep experience in blockchain, crypto assets, and AI. Companies venturing into these areas benefit from our insights, practical guidance, and connections to a global network of experts.

Trust Factor: Working with BACS adds legitimacy to a project. It shows a commitment to transparency, fair play, and responsible innovation. This can be crucial for attracting investors, partners, and building a positive reputation in the industry.


BACS is like the steady hand on the wheel. Companies can focus on innovation, knowing that BACS has their back in managing the challenges that come with using cutting-edge technologies.

The announcement comes as more Blockchain, AI and Web3 startups gravitate towards DIFC.