First it was Qatar now its Abu Dhabi buying Bitcoin according to Max Keiser

First it was Qatar now its Abu Dhabi buying Bitcoin according to Max Keiser

Max Keisser the Bitcoin activist is at it again. Over the past months Max continues to make claims that a nation state is purchasing large amounts of Bitcoin. First, he pointed the finger at Qatar, claiming it would purchase $500 billion worth of Bitcoin.

Qatar obviously did not confirm or negate these claims; however, its central bank and government continue to prohibit the trading of cryptocurrencies noting the risky nature of these virtual assets. This has not stopped Qatar from embracing digital assets, and developing a regulatory framework as well as the digital assets Lab.

However, this has not discerned Keisser, he commented on an X (formerly twitter) post by Vivek4real that notes that an “undisclosed nation-state just bought another 100 Bitcoin. They now own 59K Bitcoin.”

Keisser comments on X that his new intelligence points to Abu Dhabi being the purchaser of Bitcoin. He states, “Just got some new intel . . .  Abu Dhabi is now the top contender.”

So now it is not Qatar but its Abu Dhabi, the capital of the UAE.

This while still seeming farfetched, could be closer to the truth than assuming that Qatar is purchasing Bitcoin. First Abu Dhabi and the UAE in particular have been positively approaching virtual assets. Both Abu Dhabi’s ADGM (Abu Dhabi Global Market) regulatory arm the FSRA as well as Dubai’s virtual asset regulatory authority (VARA) have come out with crypto regulations and have licensed crypto exchanges, and custodians.

Moreover Abu Dhabi is home to a Bitcoin mining farm co-owned and managed by Marathon Digital so it could be plausible that they are accumulating Bitcoin from revenues of the crypto mining farm. It is also the base of Phoenix Group another huge bitcoin mining investor.

So while Keisser continuously tries to allude to the fact that an rich oil country, or a country in the MENA region is buying up Bitcoin, the biggest governmental owners of Bitcoin are the United States, Britain, and Germany. They own the most Bitcoin according to Arkham Intelligence. The crypto analytics firm noted that the United States owns 212,847 Bitcoins.

What one can say for sure, is that the ownership of Bitcoin is falling more into the hands of institutional investors, and governments whether with Bitcoin ETFs or confiscated crypto.

ADGM’s DLT Guide now made easier with MHQ and ACX Compliance

ADGM’s DLT Guide now made easier with MHQ and ACX Compliance

UAE private wealth optimization platform and ACX compliance, a crypto and Web3 compliance advisory firm, have published a guidebook ” Navigating ADGM’s DLT Foundations”. This initiative is designed to equip businesses with the knowledge and strategies necessary to navigate the intricacies of the Abu Dhabi Global Market’s (ADGM) Distributed Ledger Technology (DLT) ecosystem.

In November 2023, the Abu Dhabi Global Market (ADGM) introduced the Distributed Ledger Technology (DLT) Foundations Regulations 2023, marking the world’s first legal framework for blockchain within its jurisdiction. They have been actively broadening its regulatory framework relating to digital assets and DLT, with the objective of establishing a comprehensive legal and regulatory structure for such businesses.

The ADGM DLT foundations regime offers a supportive ecosystem for blockchain-based businesses, prioritizing investor protection and market integrity. Specifically tailored guidelines provide clarity and certainty for businesses in the blockchain and DLT sector, emphasizing transparency, accountability, and investor confidence. Key benefits include regulated token issuance, programmable governance, and legal protection for decentralized protocols, bridging the gap between on-chain and off-chain realms.

Entities interested in registering a DLT foundation with the ADGM Registration Authority (ADGM RA) must meet stringent application criteria outlined in the Regulations. Eligible applicants include a diverse array of entities such as blockchain foundations, web3 entities, decentralized autonomous organizations (DAOs), and traditional foundations seeking to harness the potential of DLT for enhanced operations.

According to the guidebook, DLT foundations are bound by numerous ongoing and annual compliance obligations to ensure their operations align with legal standards. These ongoing obligations necessitate DLT foundations to maintain a registered office within the ADGM, serving as a central point for all communications and notices.
Additionally, foundations are required to appoint a Company Service Provider1 responsible for several critical functions. This provider must keep all corporate records as mandated by applicable laws, ensure the foundation has a registered office within the ADGM, act as the foundation’s representative in all interactions with the ADGM RA, including the service of documents, and manage all required notifications and filings with the ADGM RA in accordance with relevant laws.

Hermione Harrison, Director, and Head of Corporate Governance M/HQ commented: “The introduction of the ADGM DLT Foundations Regulations in 2023 signifies a significant breakthrough for the UAE’s cryptocurrency industry, positioning DLT foundations as leaders in innovation and progress within both the ADGM and beyond. These Regulations establish an unprecedented level of regulatory clarity, opening doors to a future marked by heightened transparency and efficiency across the blockchain and Web3 sectors.”

So far two DLT Foundations have been registered in ADGM, IoTa and Finischia.

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.

Bitcoin Magazine to hold its first Bitcoin MENA conference in UAE

Bitcoin Magazine to hold its first Bitcoin MENA conference in UAE

UAE based ADNEC Group, an events management company, will be holding the first Bitcoin MENA Conference in partnership with Bitcoin Magazine and Capital events. The Bitcoin MENA Conference 2024 is set to take place December 9-10th in the heart of Abu Dhabi at the ADNEC Centre Abu Dhabi.

The event will be co-organized by Capital Events, the event management arm of ADNEC Group, and BTC Inc., the parent company of Bitcoin Magazine and the Bitcoin 2024 conference. The seminal partnership was cemented by a high-profile signing ceremony between Humaid Matar Al Dhaheri, MD and Group CEO of ADNEC Group and David Bailey, CEO of BTC Inc. The launch of this event marks a significant milestone in the world’s largest Bitcoin conference’s expansion into the investment-friendly, dynamic, and rapidly growing MENA region.

Humaid Matar Al Dhaheri Managing Director and Group CEO of ADNEC Group said: “Organizing this conference in the Emirate of Abu Dhabi reinforces its status as a regional and global epicenter for cryptocurrencies. It provides the region with a crucial platform for dialogue, discourse, and the sharing of knowledge and insights in this domain, contributing to shaping the sector’s regional trajectory for the future. The strategic collaboration with BTC Inc. to host the inaugural Bitcoin MENA Conference underscores the increasing global interest in investing in decentralized digital currencies in recent years. This partnership reflects our anticipation of future growth trends within this leading investment field.”

The Bitcoin Conference, produced by BTC Inc., is the world’s largest and most globally recognized conference brand dedicated to advancing the understanding and adoption of Bitcoin and blockchain technology. With a mission to foster collaboration and innovation, the conference brand brings together key stakeholders from across the global Bitcoin ecosystem to shape the future of Bitcoin and exhibit the latest developments, technology, and services.

Throughout this two-day event, participants will delve into the potential, challenges, and innovations within the developing Bitcoin ecosystem. Showcasing an impressive roster of expert speakers and influencers in the Bitcoin space, Bitcoin MENA is set to present a dynamic agenda complete with engaging keynote sessions, interactive discussions, and insightful workshops on key industry topics. These include the emergence of a new wave of banking and finance within the Bitcoin space, the dynamics of Mining, and the competition for energy dominance, along with insights into open-source initiatives tailored for the technical minds in the Bitcoin community.

Additionally, Bitcoin MENA 2024 will offer a variety of networking opportunities, fostering meaningful international and regional connections among participants whilst also providing a platform to showcase cutting-edge innovations and the latest developments in Bitcoin technology and services.

David Bailey, CEO of BTC Inc. noted, “Across our ecosystem, we have seen a significant upsurge in interest to enter the MENA region. When visiting Abu Dhabi, it became clear that it had all the right ingredients – infrastructure, investment, bold vision, and global access – to provide a perfect home for the international Bitcoin community to tap into the boundless opportunities this vibrant region has to offer. Capital Events and ADNEC Group are the ideal partners to collaborate with us on this journey as they bring world-class infrastructure and deep connections within the region to help supercharge growth and quickly establish Bitcoin MENA as the region’s go-to event.”

Darren Johnson, CEO of Capital Events added, “We are extremely excited to be partnering with BTC Inc. on this vital launch of Bitcoin MENA. Abu Dhabi’s increasing adoption of blockchain technology and friendly progressive regulatory environment have resulted in several high-profile industry licenses being awarded, thereby firmly positioning Abu Dhabi as the optimal hub for the flourishing adoption of Bitcoin in the region. It was clear early on in our discussions with BTC Inc. that we shared the same vision of creating an exceptional world-class event that would serve as a cornerstone in the region’s thriving Bitcoin landscape. We are confident that their deep specialist experience and global industry connections, coupled with our multi-sectoral experience and regional footprint, will make for a memorable launch and long-term growth.”

UAE Judicial department puts virtual currencies on the table

UAE Judicial department puts virtual currencies on the table

The UAE Abu Dhabi Judicial department held the Fifth Abu Dhabi Justice Partners Forum and discussed virtual currency laws in regards to money laundering and terrorist financing. The forum discussed how legal professionals can fight these crimes in accordance to UAE legislation and international best practices.

Topics on the table included the definition and risks associated with virtual currencies, the relationship between blockchain technology and these currencies, and the potential impact of virtual currencies on the global economy.

Also discussed was deceptive techniques used in money laundering and terrorist funding, the involvement of regulatory organizations in combating these offenses, and the UAE’s efforts to address money laundering through legislation and international agreements.

The forum specifically focused on money laundering offenses, their elements and background, the obligations placed on financial institutions, business sectors, and non-financial professions in terms of combating money laundering based on national laws, and the connection between virtual currencies and financial crimes.

 Attendees were provided with information about the characteristics of cryptocurrencies and their connection to money laundering and terrorist financing, as well as tactics for identifying suspicious transactions involving virtual currencies.

The forum highlighted the responsibilities and roles of lawyers and legal experts in combating financial crimes. It specifically emphasized the importance of finding a middle ground between client privacy and ethical principles while reporting suspicious criminal activities.

Furthermore, the forum emphasized the significance of conducting due diligence on customers when dealing with virtual currencies and staying informed about the challenges posed by new and advanced technologies.

This Forum and discussions held come after the UAE was taken off FATF (Financial Action Task Force) and is indicative of the UAE’s commitment to combating financial crime.

Morgan Stanley opens office in ADGM as it eyes Bitcoin ETF in the United States

Morgan Stanley opens office in ADGM as it eyes Bitcoin ETF in the United States

Morgan Stanley, which is said to be eyeing a Bitcoin ETF, has announced the opening of its office in Abu Dhabi at ADGM. The firm has expanded its footprint in the Middle East. The firm already has offices in Riyadh, Dubai, and Qatar.

Commenting on the new office, Clare Woodman, Head of Morgan Stanley EMEA and CEO of Morgan Stanley & Co International plc, said “We are delighted to be expanding our regional presence and commitment by opening an office in Abu Dhabi Global Market (ADGM). There are exciting times ahead for the MENA region and as capital markets activity continues to grow and diversify it brings new and rewarding opportunities for both regional and global investors.”

Arvind Ramamurthy, Chief of Market Development at ADGM, continued “We welcome Morgan Stanley, a pioneer in the global financial services industry to Abu Dhabi and its thriving International Financial Centre. This expansion underscores the attractiveness of Abu Dhabi and its value proposition as a preferred destination for global players seeking strategic growth opportunities for their business, showcasing our commitment to fostering a conducive ecosystem that drives sustainable economic development in the UAE and beyond.”

Patrick Delivanis, Regional Co-Head of MENA at Morgan Stanley commented, “We have a highly sophisticated investor base in the MENA region, and opening an office in Abu Dhabi allows us to broaden our footprint and further deliver local and regional clients access to Morgan Stanley’s leading institutional securities business as well as our renowned asset management franchise, and increasingly, global clients access to the regional market.”

The opening of an office in ADGM, well known for its virtual assets regulatory regime is interesting as Morgan Stanely is said to be deciding on whether or not it will offer Bitcoin ETFs to customers.

As per a CoinDesk article, Wall Street giant Morgan Stanley is in the midst of performing due diligence to add spot bitcoin ETF products to its brokerage platform, according to two people with knowledge of the matter.

One of the people said Morgan Stanley, which is among the largest U.S. broker-dealer platforms, has been evaluating offering spot bitcoin ETFs to clients since the Securities and Exchange Commission approved their introduction in the U.S. in January.

There are 10 spot bitcoin ETFs now trading in the U.S. The ones with the most assets are Grayscale’s GBTC, BlackRock’s IBIT and Fidelity’s FBTC. It’s not clear which ones Morgan Stanley is looking to offer to its clients.

Morgan Stanley, a leader in the alternative investments and private market space with over $150 billion in assets under management, was the first major U.S. bank to offer its wealthy clients access to bitcoin funds in 2021. The bank confirmed during its first-quarter earnings call in April 2021 that it was offering its wealth management clients exposure to bitcoin via a pair of external crypto funds.

The wealth management firm’s former CFO, Jonathan Pruzan, said at the time that the bank was allowing qualified investors to gain access to two passive funds. It is understood that these funds were offered by Galaxy Digital and NYDIG.

UAE regulated digital assets custodian Tungsten now hiring

UAE regulated digital assets custodian Tungsten now hiring

UAE organically incubated, digital assets custodian, Tungsten, regulated under the FSRA (Financial Services Regulatory Authority) in ADGM is on a hiring spree.

Tungsten, according to Further Ventures, UAE Venture Capital firm, and its incubator, is a 100% UAE sovereign digital asset custodian that offers secure and regulated custody service.  It is also backed by an Abu Dhabi Sovereign Wealth fund.

As per Tungsten, “ We are on a mission to create the most advanced digital assets custody and treasury services for our clients, helping them to become self-sovereign organizations with strong mechanisms for access control, multi-tier and multi-factor authentication, no single points of failure, and advanced transactional risk management.”

Tungsten goes on to note, “Our offering will be insured by global underwriters, regulated exclusively by ADGM (Abu Dhabi Global Markets), and host its core services in a Tier IV data center with 24/7 physical security.”

Tungsten is custodian of virtual assets that protects client funds from geo-political, regulatory, and cloud risk by operating a fully private physical and application infrastructure out of the most secure facilities in the world.

The website states that Tungsten goes beyond custody, their integrations span exchanges, liquidity providers, analytics, tokenization, and more, providing a holistic solution.

The company is founded by Christian Desjardins, Co-Founder and CEO , as well as Jose J. Perez Aguinaga as the Co-Founder and CTO.

Tungsten is currently hiring an assistant Manager-Deputy MLRO.

In the advert for the position it states that Tungsten, backed by an Abu Dhabi Sovereign Wealth Fund has expansion plans across the Middle East and Eastern Europe.

The job advert notes, “We aim to redefine the landscape of secure, user-friendly virtual asset custody solutions. Our commitment is to unparalleled security, reliability, and ease of use, positioning Tungsten as the preferred choice for institutions managing their virtual assets.”

Tungsten is looking for Assistant Manager – Deputy MLRO, to support the Money Laundering Reporting Officer (MLRO) in implementing and managing their anti-money laundering (AML) and counter-terrorist financing (CTF) framework.

This comes as more and more Blockchain and digital asset entities launch from ADGM in UAE.

This article was updated on Feb 27th 2024. Update concerned founding members.

Abu Dhabi based Blockchain Foundation merges with Klaytn to form new Blockchain

Abu Dhabi based Blockchain Foundation merges with Klaytn to form new Blockchain

Finschia, an Abu Dhabi based Blockchain Foundation has 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.

The chain merge is designed to create a highly competitive mainnet ecosystem by integrating the capabilities of Klaytn and Finschia. The two foundations will form an integrated organization, sharing technologies, services, and business networks, working alongside Kakao, LINE, and other partners who have contributed to the development and ecosystem expansion of their respective mainnets.

As per Finschia blog,” By doing so, we plan to establish ourselves as Asia’s largest Web3 ecosystem, taking the lead to drive blockchain mass adoption in the region.”

Klaytn’s robust technical infrastructure and strong presence in South Korea, Singapore, and Vietnam, will be combined with Finschia’s comprehensive service network that is popular in Japan, Taiwan, Thailand, and Abu Dhabi.

Post-merge, Klaytn’s DeFi and gaming services and Finschia’s NFT, payment, and AI services will come together to create a massive ecosystem of 420+ DApps and services, 45+ governance partners, and 450+ Web3 resources, the largest Web3 network in Asia. The merged blockchain will also inherit integration with both Kakao and LINE messengers, creating a powerful ecosystem with over 250 million potential Asian user touchpoints.

Post-merge, the unified foundation will continue to pursue ecosystem expansion in the RWA tokenization, GameFi and DeFi verticals through collaborations with Japanese, South Korean, and Southeast Asian partners, while continuing to develop messenger-based Web3 services and the digital commerce platform. With access to every Kakaotalk and LINE user, the new public blockchain will also act as a springboard for Asia’s IT and entertainment enterprises.

“We are excited to be taking the first step toward unlocking the enormous synergy of merging the public blockchains started by Kakao and LINE, which are both leading IT companies in Asia,” said Klaytn Foundation and Finschia Foundation. “We will give our best to make this merge an opportunity to innovate and lead the Asian blockchain industry in both technology and adoption.”

Abu Dhabi to have 7.1 exahashes online in January says Marathon Digital

Abu Dhabi to have 7.1 exahashes online in January says Marathon Digital

In a recent press release published by Marathon Digital Holdings, Bitcoin mining entity, the company showcased its unaudited Bitcoin production stating that in January 2024 their Abu Dhabi facilities will have a total of 7.1 exahashes online.

According to the CEO of Marathon Digital Fred Thiel, the operations in Abu Dhabi UAE currently has 2.7 exahashes online and includes over 13,000 rigs energized at their second larger facility in Masdar City. As he stated, “the remaining 4.4 exahashes are still expected to be online in January 2024.”

In November Marathon Digital had reported that 7.5 exahashes would be online by the end of 2023.

Marathon Digital by December had increased their energized hash rate 4% to 24.7 exahashes and extended their lead as the largest publicly traded Bitcoin miner in North America. As per Thiel, “We continue to target 30% growth in energized hash rate in 2024 and with the recently announced acquisition of the two sites from Generate Capital, which is expected to close in January 2024, we expect to reach 50 exahashes in the next 18 to 24 months.”

In addition their new joint venture in Paraguay also continued to energize, reaching 0.3 exahashes with 2,110 miners now online and the company expect the total 1.1 exahashes to be online by early Q2 2024.

Bitcoin production grew, as Marathon mined 1,853 BTC in December, up 56% from November, and 290% year-over-year.

Thiel explained, “Significantly higher transaction fees helped December’s Bitcoin production grow much faster than average operational hash rate. For the month, MaraPool collected more than 380 BTC in transaction fees or 22% of BTC production, up from 12% of production last month. Our success in capturing the sizable transaction fees currently available to miners is directly related to owning and operating our own pool and represents a key competitive advantage of our vertically integrated tech stack.”

As of December 31, the Company holds a total of 15,174 unrestricted BTC. Marathon opted to sell 704 BTC or 38% of monthly production to cover operating expenses. The Company intends to sell a portion of its bitcoin holdings in future periods to support monthly operations, manage its treasury, and for general corporate purposes.

Marathon held $356.8 million in cash and cash equivalents on its balance sheet at month end, all of which was unrestricted. During December, the combined balance of unrestricted cash and cash equivalents and bitcoin increased from $802.3 million to $998.5 million at December 31, 2023. In anticipation of the next Bitcoin network halving, the Company continues to build liquidity on the balance sheet to capitalize on strategic opportunities, including industry consolidation. The transaction to acquire two operating sites from Generate Capital is expected to close in January 2024 for approximately $178.6 million in cash to be paid from the Company’s balance sheet.

UAE IHC holding spurs its growth in Blockchain, AI, and IoT with new joint venture

UAE IHC holding spurs its growth in Blockchain, AI, and IoT with new joint venture

UAE IHC Holding, which bought 10 percent of UAE Phoenix Group, a leading Bitcoin mining entity continues to spur its growth in Blockchain, AI and IoT in a joint venture with Indian Adani Group.

The joint venture, Sirius Digitech will be based out of Abu Dhabi UAE. Indian based Adani Global Ltd. and UAE IHC’s Sirius International Holding Ltd. will own 49% and 51% respectively in the Sirius Digitech International Ltd. Both partners will have an equal representation on the board of new entity which will also explore Internet of Things and blockchain besides AI.

The venture aims to explore sectors ranging from Fintech and Healthtech to Greentech, leveraging Adani’s proven track record of incubating successful businesses within its extensive portfolio.

The partners emphasized their dedication to collaborative decision-making through equal representation on the board, highlighting the alignment of Adani’s innovation and IHC’s strategic vision. In addition, they aim to go beyond AI, exploring the transformative possibilities of IoT and blockchain technologies to bring about significant advancements across industries.

Prior to this IHC  purchased 10 percent of Pheonix Group which holds investments in Bitcoin mining, as well as investments in the recently launched M2 regulated crypto exchange out of Abu Dhabi. This positions IHC not only in the realm of digital assets but now more so in Blockchain, AI, and other technologies.