Blockchain AI real estate DAO sets up in UAE

Blockchain AI real estate DAO sets up in UAE

BrickLayer DAO a tokenized RWA platform built on Blockchain, and AI, for real estate has set up in the UAE and is seeking a license from FSRA in ADGM (Abu Dhabi Global Market) as well as a license in VARA (Dubai’s virtual asset regulatory Authority).

According to their website, Bricklayer platform is fueled by AI and virtual assets, providing a decentralized Blockchain access to institutional grade real estate. It also offers over-leverage crypto holders with access to institutional real estate without sacrificing the speculative gains, providing consistent change to real yield dividends in ‘$MORTAR’.

As per their website and linkedIn post, Bricklayer DAO is in the process of being regulating under FRSA, VARA and UAE common law, giving a legal layer of protection to investors.

Nick Prescott one of the founders who was a former executive at Amazon and now the co-founder of BrickLayer explored blockchain but faced uncertainty in picking genuine projects. Nick’s frustration with corporate hierarchies fueleda quest for a blended solution—a platform combining blockchain’s speculative nature with REIT’s stability, all while giving investors a voice.

Nick delved into DAOs, decentralized environments where everyone’s voice matters. After completing a cryptocurrency course at MIT, he left Amazon and founded Bricklayer. This real estate fund, powered by Ethereum blockchain, adopted a decentralized strategy influenced by $BRICKS token holders. It offered a unique blend of speculation, hedged with one of the safest of asset classes.

Bricklayer is now incorporated the UAE. Bricklayer aspires to become the Robinhood of real estate, reshaping the traditional landlord-occupier dynamic. As stated, “We’re committed to increasing leasehold flexibility and reducing occupational costs, forging partnerships with occupiers to create a more equitable and flexible real estate ecosystem. Bricklayer is dedicated to advancing blockchain adoption within the real estate industry. We’re on a mission to persuade vendors to embrace virtual assets as a valid form of exchange in real estate transactions, ushering in a new era of efficiency and transparency.”

Tokenization of real estate in UAE is picking up with recent Desert Pearl project.

Crypto derivative exchange BioFin sponsors Token2049 event in Dubai

Crypto derivative exchange BioFin sponsors Token2049 event in Dubai

BioFin, a crypto derivatives exchange is sponsoring the Token2049 event in Dubai UAE. As per the press release, this sponsorship marks a significant milestone for BloFin, following its successful participation as a Gold Sponsor at TOKEN2049, in Singapore in 2023. It is dedicated to furthering the blockchain industry’s growth and development by partnering once again with TOKEN2049.

As a Platinum Sponsor, BloFin aims to showcase its commitment to innovation, technology, and community engagement within the blockchain ecosystem. TOKEN2049 Dubai 2024 promises to be a gathering of industry leaders, innovators, and enthusiasts from around the world, and BloFin’s sponsorship underscores its position as a key player in shaping the future of blockchain technology and digital asset trading.

BloFin’s exclusive WhalesNight AfterParty is poised to make waves. Scheduled to be held at the scenic Sobe Dubai Rooftop Sundowner, the event will commence at 19:30 (UTC+4) on April 18, 2024.

The BloFin WhalesNight AfterParty will bring together industry leaders, BloFin Whales (influencers), and BloFin VIPs from around the world. Attendees can look forward to engaging discussions, exciting news, and valuable networking opportunities in a vibrant and dynamic atmosphere. It will serve as a platform for participants to connect, share insights, and explore new opportunities in the ever-evolving cryptocurrency landscape.

With years of experience in the blockchain industry, Matt Hu, the CEO of Blofin, is anticipating this opportunity and recognizes the significance of attending TOKEN 2049 in Dubai as a platinum sponsor for his product: 

“Bitcoin is being heralded as the modern-day gold, while Dubai is on the rise as the world’s new financial epicenter. Dubai Token2049 presents an unparalleled platform for dialogue, not just for us, but for global users as well. As one of the most rapidly expanding exchanges, BloFin is excited to showcase our breakthroughs in product innovation, cutting-edge technology, and unparalleled security  measures. We’re not stopping there; BloFin is committed to ongoing investment in our product suite, technological advancements, security protocols, and operational efficiencies to ensure our users receive nothing but the most exceptional and dependable services. Join us at Dubai Token2049 to witness the future of finance, today.” 

Attendees at TOKEN2049 in Dubai will have the opportunity to delve into the diverse features of the Blofin ecosystem, spanning fiutures trading, copy trading, and more. Through interactions with experts, Web3 builders, thought leaders, and enthusiasts at TOKEN2049, BloFin aims to forge a robust foundation for the advancement and maturation of the blockchain ecosystem.

Bitget crypto exchange reveals crypto statistics as it courts the MENA region

Bitget crypto exchange reveals crypto statistics as it courts the MENA region

Bitget crypto exchange released some statistics on how MENA investors anticipate Bitcoin halving on its price as well as information from Bitget’s managing Director on crypto mining in the region as it courts MENA crypto traders, investors, and regulators.

As per the Bitget study 80% of MENA investors believe that bitcoin halving will lead to price fluctuations between $30,000 and $60,000 at the time of halving.

In addition, 82% of crypto investors residing in MENA who were surveyed intend to augment their investments in 2024 with merely 4% planning to reduce their crypto holdings.

Bitget Managing Director Gracy Chen has revealed that the MENA region bitcoin mining hashrate now exceeds 8 percent and is expected to grow as miners migrate from countries with regulatory instability towards low-cost reliable surplus of energy.

She notes that in Oman for example $1.1 billion of investment has gone into crypto mining, she expects as such the share of bitcoin mining in MENA to go over 15%.

Crypto exchange Bitget, with roots in India has been courting the MENA region for some time. While the crypto exchange has yet to receive a license from any GCC or MENA regulator, it has launched a Ramadan campaign to celebrate the holy month with its Arabic speaking audience. The campaign includes daily token giveaways along with the chance to win airpods, headsets, laptop, smartwatch and more.

As per the release, to make this program inclusive, Bitget will be donating $1 towards charity for each winner during the campaign timeline. Users who follow Bitget MENA on Twitter can utilize #BitgetRamadanChallenge to get noticed and win exciting rewards. Giveaways will be settled every Saturday and requires users to complete a set of challenges to be eligible for the event.

“Middle east and North African regions have increased its crypto adoption drastically in recent times. At Bitget we plan to leverage our resources to strengthen this growth. With regional specific campaigns, language support, crypto conversion and trading choices, we’ve tailored our app for our MENA users. The region is bound to grow and increase its adoption, and we’re here to fuel it,” says Vugar Usi Zade, COO at Bitget.

Back in November 2023, Bitget, even expanded its support for fiat gateways in the Middle East region. The crypto exchange announced that users can now utilize the platform’s peer-to-peer trading for seven currencies: DZD (Algerian Dinars), BHD (Bahraini Dinars), TND (Tunisian Dinars), JOD (Jordanian Dinars), QAR (Qatari Rials), MRU (Mauritanian Ouguiyas), and OMR (Omani Rials).

With the newly added fiat support, Bitget users can start buying and selling crypto with zero fees on Bitget P2P. Users can purchase USDT with integrated local currencies using local payment methods from anywhere globally via Bitget P2P. The exchange also launched Arabic lingual support for its website and mobile application.

At the time Chen noted, “Our products are aligned with Bitget’s expansion plans in the Middle East. We want to enable our traders to trade in their preferred fiat currencies. With Bitget P2P we’re enabling a seamless and convenient trading experience for our valued users in the region. We’re focused on driving financial sovereignty as we make crypto accessible and user-friendly throughout the globe.”

Bitget confirmed that it had begun exploring license applications in order to operate in target Middle East markets. In the same press release it stated, gaining proper licenses and regulatory approval is a top priority to support expansion and allow the company to open regional offices. Bitget has been scaling its operational reach globally in recent months, including the registration as VASP (Virtual Asset Service Provider) in Poland and similar crypto registration in Lithuania. The new expansion plan in the Middle East region aligns with Bitget’s vision of spreading crypto’s mass adoption.

In 2023 Bitget announced opening of operations in Dubai UAE, and recruiting over 60 new staff members to fill back-office positions.

Bitget even has its own X channel for the MENA region where it is posting competitions and challenges.

Bitget is now rated as the number 12th crypto exchange in world, with more than $2 billion worth of trading as per CoinMarketCap.

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Again Saudi Arabia is barred from an AI investment

Again Saudi Arabia is barred from an AI investment

Once again Saudi Arabia has not been allowed to invest in an AI entity out of the United States. This time the company is Anthropic partly owned by the fallen FTX crypto exchange. As per CNBC, while sovereign wealth funds are among the investors eyeing to buy into Anthropic, including UAE Mubadala, Saudi Arabia is not one of them.

Anthropic according to sources speaking to CNBC, has ruled out taking money from investors or sovereign wealth fund in KSA. Anthropic executives cited national security, one of the sources told CNBC.

The stake in Anthropic is for sale because it belongs to FTX, the failed cryptocurrency exchange started by Sam Bankman-Fried, and is being unloaded as part of the company’s bankruptcy proceedings. FTX bought the shares three years ago for $500 million. The 8% stake is now worth more than $1 billion due to the recent boom in AI.

As per the article proceeds from the sale will be used to repay FTX customers. The transaction is ongoing and is on track to wrap up in the next couple weeks, said people with knowledge of the talks who asked not to be named because the negotiations are private.

The class B shares, which don’t come with voting rights, are being sold at Anthropic’s last valuation of $18.4 billion, sources said. Anthropic has raised roughly $7 billion in the last few years from tech giants like Amazon, Alphabet and Salesforce

While Anthropic’s founders told bankers they wouldn’t accept Saudi money, they don’t plan to challenge funding from other sovereign wealth funds, including United Arab Emirates fund Mubadala. The UAE-based firm is actively looking at investing, according to one of the sources.

In November 2023, The Biden administration forced a Saudi Aramco-backed venture capital firm to sell its shares in a Silicon Valley AI chip startup backed by OpenAI co-founder Sam Altman, as per Bloomberg

Altman-backed Rain Neuromorphics, a startup designing chips that mimic the way the brain works and aims to serve companies using artificial intelligence algorithms, raised $25 million in 2022.

Aramco’s Prosperity7, a lead investor in the $25 million round for Rain AI, sold its shares in the startup after a review by the Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States, people familiar with the matter said, according to the Bloomberg report.

The agency, a U.S. watchdog for deals with national security implications, told the Saudi fund to unwind that deal sometime over the past year, the report said.

This comes as Saudi Arabia plans to create a fund of about $40 billion to invest in artificial intelligence. In recent weeks, representatives of Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund have discussed a potential partnership with Andreessen Horowitz, one of Silicon Valley’s top venture capital firms.

Swiss Vonom to hold Sustainable Blockchain conference in UAE

Swiss Vonom to hold Sustainable Blockchain conference in UAE

 Swiss based Vonom Academic AG, which is transforming scientific publishing through blockchain technology to elevate research publication standards will be holding the Vonom Academic premier academic conference, “Proof of Green: The Future of Blockchain and Sustainability”. The conference will be held in Dubai on May 7th – 8th at the Address Downtown hotel.

The conference fosters dialogue on blockchain for sustainability, key for tackling environmental issues.

A wide range of topics will be covered , including ESG (Environmental, Social, and Governance), renewable energy, environmental conservation, carbon credits, and social policies. Key discussions will focus on blockchain’s impact on Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), its influence on emerging industries and regions, and community involvement in sustainable blockchain solutions.

“We chose sustainability as our focus because, now more than ever, it’s crucial to change our behaviors toward the environment. Blockchain’s wide reach can amplify these efforts, making it pivotal in our mission for positive change,” says Philip Blazdell, CEO of Vonom Academic.

Featuring speaker panels, workshops, and more, “Proof of Green” offers a comprehensive exploration of blockchain’s role in shaping a sustainable future. Announcements regarding keynote and session topics will be released in the days ahead.

The conference will also unveil a glimpse of their cutting-edge blockchain-powered publishing platform. Through blockchain technology, researchers can meticulously record every step of the publication journey, from data aggregation and analysis to peer evaluation and revisions, all in an immutable and auditable fashion. This decentralized platform not only safeguards copyright entitlements and equitable compensation but also facilitates universal accessibility to published materials, thereby championing the principles of open access.

“Our blockchain-powered publishing platform heralds a new era of trust in academic research and revolutionizing the way knowledge is shared,” adds Mr. Blazdell.

UAE IHC to list its $27 billion 2PointZero holding company

UAE IHC to list its $27 billion 2PointZero holding company

UAE IHC Holding company with crypto and Blockchain holding entities is seeking to list more than $27 billion worth in 2025, under 2PointZero.

The statement was made in an interview with IHC’s CEO Syed Basar Shueb on Bloomberg. He noted that the newly created holding firm 2PointZero will be going to the market sometime next year. UAE based International Holding Company (IHC), had approved the initiation of the transfer of 2PointZero, a next generation Holding Company comprising several diverse and dynamic companies, which would invest in several industries including crypto ecosystem.

IHC consolidated existing and newly created firms from Royal Group to form 2PointZero earlier this year. 2PointZero spans sectors from financial services to crypto mining. These firms include Lunate, Abu Dhabi’s newest fund, International Resources Holding, which invested more than $1 billion in Zambia’s Mopani copper mine, and private investment firm Chimera.

Citadel is a leading player in the cryptocurrency mining industry and operates a state-of-the-art crypto mining facility in Abu Dhabi, UAE. The company specializes in Bitcoin extraction and is committed to sustainable and efficient mining practices. Citadel’s strategic location in the UAE allows it to leverage the region’s advanced infrastructure. In FY22, Citadel reported a revenue of AED100 million and an asset size of AED2.7 billion. IHC recently acquired a 10% stake in Phoenix Group, which manages the ‘Citadel Project’. Citadel’s facility is recognized as the Middle East’s largest crypto-mining facility.

It was decided these companies should come into a “separate ecosystem so that when we list the business, it’ll get the significant capital injection and that will help the growth of these businesses,” the CEO said. Its valuation will be “north of 100 billion dirhams.”

IHC and Royal Group are chaired by Sheikh Tahnoon bin Zayed Al Nahyan, a brother of the United Arab Emirates’ ruler and the country’s national security adviser. 2PointZero named Mariam Almheiri, the UAE’s former minister of climate change and environment, as CEO. Sheikh Tahnoon is already linked to firms that, by weighting, make up more than two thirds of the Abu Dhabi index. 

IHC is also looking to list International Technology Holding, a combination of all information technology firms overseen by the conglomerate, and Sirius International Holding which is focused on green technology, digital transformation, and health tech. ITH is slated for this year while Sirius is likely to list in 2025.

IHC according to its CEO will be pursuing new sectors in 2024. The company will be developing the mining and energy, asset management, micro-finance and reinsurance sectors. It’s also pursuing investments in artificial intelligence. IRH, a firm folded under 2PointZero, will be the vehicle for investing in mining, focusing on copper, cobalt, tin, tungsten, tantalum and nickel. It’s having negotiations in Asia, Africa and South America, he said.

UAE ADGM registers its second DLT Foundation

UAE ADGM registers its second DLT Foundation

UAE financial freezone center, based out of Abu Dhabi, ADGM ( Abu Dhabi Global Market) has registered its second DLT Foundation.The Finschia DLT Foundation, chaired by Youngsu Ko, has been registered as a Distributed Ledger Technology (DLT) Foundation with the ADGM.

IOTA DLT Foundation announced its registration as the first foundation under the DLT Foundations Regulations at ADGM in November 2023.

First established in March 2023 by LINE Tech Plus, a blockchain subsidiary of LINE, the Finschia DLT Foundation is a foundation dedicated to developing sustainable token models in collaboration with global Web3 users. The Finschia Foundation aims to accelerate expansion into global Web3 business initiatives.

The Finschia Foundation has registered as the first Asian blockchain project under the Distributed Ledger Technology (DLT) Foundations Regulations of ADGM. Additionally, the Finschia Foundation is set to develop accessible Web3 services for global users in collaboration with various enterprises in Abu Dhabi, based on its public blockchain ‘Finschia’.

Youngsu Ko, Chairman of the Finschia Foundation Council, stated, “ADGM is advancing as one of the most blockchain-friendly and leading digital asset regulatory environments globally. We anticipate significant progress through our collaboration with ADGM.”

The Finschia Foundation is also focused on creating an open blockchain platform, designed for easy accessibility by partners and users from various sectors. In addition, they are actively working to expand the availability of their digital asset, ‘FINSCHIA (FNSA),’ across more exchanges, aiming to continually enhance its liquidity and usability.

Inheriting the philosophy of LINE Blockchain, “Blockchain for All”, the Finschia Foundation operates its third-generation public blockchain mainnet “Finschia” and crypto asset FINSCHIA (FNSA), and aims to achieve a sustainable token model with Web3 users around the world.

In January 2024 Finschia announced the merger with Klaytn Foundation, to form a new blockchain mainnet. The two foundations have submitted their proposals to their respective governance members for open discussion, with voting scheduled from 26 January till 2 February. The governance proposal submitted by Klaytn Foundation can be viewed on the Klaytn Governance Forum.

CZ embarks on free education using blockchain, and soul bound tokens

CZ embarks on free education using blockchain, and soul bound tokens

Former Binance CEO Changpeng Zhao has started a new project that has nothing to do with crypto but includes gaming, education, blockchain and NFTs (Non Fungible Tokens) as soul bound tokens. The project called Giggle Academy aims to offer high quality education that is free to all.

As CZ notes on X, “Building a high-quality and sticky education platform that is entirely free and accessible to all is the most impactful thing I could do for the next chapter of my life.”

The platform will include gamification to make learning addictive. It will include high quality content from the best teachers and game developers in the world.

NFTs will be uses for badges, points, scores, rankings and more. Levels and badges will be issued as Soul Bound Tokens. SBT are blockchain based tokens that cannot be transferred to others. Potential employers can easily verify them on the blockchain, with the students’ permission.

As per the concept paper while current schools tend to encourage kids to be “average”. Ie, you are good at math, but weak in English, so you should spend more time on English than Math. Giggle Academy leans towards the opposite. Students who are good at Math will be nudged to focus more on math, and less on other subjects.

In the concept paper it notes,” We feel this is the most effective way for them to be the strongest at what they do best, and make themselves most valuable to the world.”

There will be no degrees but giggle points, levels and badges.  A Giggle level or badge system will be developed to identify how far a student has progressed on a certain subject. For example, Science Level 391 Purple Badge could mean Grade 3, 91% completion, at top 20 percentile.

CZ does not want to make revenues from Giggle Academy.

He adds, “ I chose this project because my area of expertise is building (teams to build) software platforms. We (together with a team) can reach hundreds of millions of people. This is scalable, and thus high impact. In addition, education is fundamental to everything in our world. Give a man a fish vs teach a man to fish. This is the most impactful thing that I could come up with for the next chapter of my life.”

This comes in parallel with an interesting development happening in the blockchain ecosystem. The new terminology, Decentralized Science (DeSci) is a movement aiming to build public infrastructure for scientific research using Web3 technologies.

DeSci allows for more funding sources, censorship-free collaboration, and open access to research data. By leveraging blockchain technology, DeSci has the potential to make science more decentralized, transparent, and accessible.

Essentially, DeSci aims to broaden access to scientific data, promote more transparent peer review processes, and incentivize international collaboration among researchers. By leveraging blockchain technology, DeSci can ensure the integrity and immutability of scientific records while eliminating barriers to entry.

DeSci can revolutionize the allocation of research funds through mechanisms such as quadratic donations and decentralized autonomous organizations (DAOs). This promotes a fairer distribution of resources.

DeSci may increase accessibility by leveraging blockchain-based research repositories. This can ensure that scientific data and publications are stored transparently on a decentralized ledger, making them more accessible. Smart contracts can govern access to data, typically ensuring its fair and secure distribution.

DeSci can introduce incentives for reproducibility, such as token rewards and reputation systems. Smart contracts can facilitate transparent and verifiable peer review processes, incentivizing researchers to make reproducible scientific work. This typically improves the reliability of scientific findings.

But most importantly just like CZ’s project, DeSci platforms can promote open access to scientific data and publications, democratizing access to knowledge. TradSci publishing models tend to involve subscription fees and access barriers, often limiting the distribution of research findings.

Stablecoin studio on sui blockchain launched by Pravica

Stablecoin studio on sui blockchain launched by Pravica

Pravica, Egyptian based blockchain solutions provider has launched S3 (Stablecoin Studio on Sui) on the Sui Blockchain. The S3 platform will allow the seamless launch of native stablecoins without the complexity of smart contract development and currency management.

S3. MONEY (S3) is set to revolutionize the global payment processing landscape by introducing a versatile and user-friendly solution for building and utilizing stablecoins on the Sui blockchain.

As per the announcement, S3 offers a key utility designed for building customizable stablecoins directly on the Sui blockchain, which in its initial phase, enables issuers to create fiat-backed stablecoins without building the bespoke technological infrastructure typically required for smart contract development and currency management.

S3 not only simplifies the process for existing stablecoin issuers, such as USDC and USDT, to integrate with Sui, but also facilitates the creation of bespoke stablecoin solutions tailored to meet specific regulatory requirements in various jurisdictions.

S3 also establishes an entirely new process for stablecoin management, offering a streamlined one-stop-shop experience through a straightforward interface. Stablecoin Studio on Sui provides intuitive, capable administration with role-based controls, enabling effortless configuration and management of stablecoins.

The platform enhances treasury command with built-in proof-of-reserve functionality and seamless integration with on-chain oracles. Integrated KYC/AML features prioritize compliance, strengthening due diligence with qualified identity verification services.

Mohamed Abdou, Founder & CEO of Pravica, expressed his enthusiasm for S3 and Sui as a foundation for Pravica’s stablecoin creator. “Based on the adoption we are already seeing and our deep experience with international payment systems, we are convinced that stablecoins will revolutionize the global payments industry. We also believe that Sui offers the most capable platform for building robust and scalable decentralized utilities. Built on top of Sui, S3 poised to become a global utility for creating customized payment solutions utilized by millions,” he said.

Beyond empowering builders to craft their own stablecoins, S3 also comes with a cutting-edge payment’s app, Walletify, which serves as a closed-loop payment solution. Walletify allows users to seamlessly transact using the stablecoins created through the S3 utility. Walletify’s closed-loop architecture, building on Sui’s unique Move-based design pattern, ensures a secure and efficient payment experience for both merchants and users.

“The team at Pravica has done incredible work and built much needed financial tooling. Stablecoin Studio on Sui removes an immense hurdle for stablecoin issuers and is set to transform the world’s payment processing industry,” said Greg Siourounis, Managing Director of the Sui Foundation. “We are extremely gratified that they have chosen to build this revolutionary solution on Sui.”

Fils and Cashin to redefine sustainable payments in KSA

Fils and Cashin to redefine sustainable payments in KSA

CASHIN Saudi Arabia, a POS and digital payments fintech provider and UAE based Fils, a blockchain enabled empowering climate-positive transactions, have partnered to empower CASHIN KSA’s extensive network of merchants across the kingdom, comprising a significant share of the market, to integrate Fils’s blockchain enabled enterprise-grade payments platform. Through this collaboration, merchants will gain the ability to accurately track their environmental impact, mitigate their carbon footprint with high-quality carbon credits, and transparently report their progress.

This partnership represents a significant milestone for Fils, which, following its successful ventures with other market leaders in the region, is now expanding its footprint in Saudi Arabia. By leveraging CASHIN KSA’s extensive market reach and established presence, Fils is primed to accelerate its growth trajectory and advance its mission of embedding climate positivity into every transaction.

“Our collaboration with CASHIN KSA underscores our commitment to advancing sustainability in the financial sector and aligns perfectly with our mission to empower businesses to embed climate action into their operations,” said Nameer Khan, CEO of Fils. “Together, we are not only driving positive environmental change but also supporting the climate goals of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, contributing to a greener and more sustainable future.”

According to Omar AlRammah, CEO of CASHIN KSA, this partnership exemplifies the company’s dedication to sustainability and innovation: “Our collaboration with Fils marks a significant step forward in our journey towards a more sustainable future. By integrating Fils’s cutting-edge technology into our payments infrastructure, we are advancing our commitment to environmental responsibility and paving the way for a greener financial ecosystem.”