Credibility of UAE crypto exchanges enhanced with new stablecoin regulation

Credibility of UAE crypto exchanges enhanced with new stablecoin regulation

In the past year the UAE has attracted not only international crypto exchanges but it has also attracted home grown GCC crypto players. One of these international crypto exchanges, which sits as the world’s 12th biggest exchange has also set its eyes on MENA and the UAE viewing UAE as a unique jurisdiction.

BITGET Aka Leung, country manager asserts that UAE’s approach to crypto regulation differs from other jurisdictions, emphasizing the uniqueness of each.

Crypto regulations UAE, Hong Kong, Singapore

Speaking to Lara on the Block, Leung explains that UAE has progressively been embracing cryptocurrencies and blockchain technology positioning itself as a hub because of its favourable regulatory environment which allows citizens and residents to own, trade and invest in cryptocurrencies.

Leung affirms that Hong Kong and Singapore have taken a different approach than that of UAE. He states, “Hong Kong has been developing guidelines for cryptocurrency exchanges under its Securities and Futures Commission, striving to balance innovation and investor safeguarding. Meanwhile, Singapore has established a clear regulatory framework through the Payment Services Act, promoting a conducive environment for fintech and blockchain companies.”

He believes that each region has its unique regulatory approach that balances innovation and investor protection and market stability. He adds, “It is essential for industry stakeholders to navigate these diverse regulatory environments to ensure compliance, foster innovation, and build trust within the global crypto community.”

Crypto Growth in GCC

When it comes to the growth of crypto in the GCC (Gulf Cooperation Council) region Leung has seen an increasing interest in not only cryptocurrencies but blockchain technology as governments and businesses explore these applications and their benefits.

Yet he explains that governments in the GCC market should provide clear and comprehensive regulatory frameworks. He explains, “To further stimulate the growth of crypto in the GCC market, regulatory frameworks need to tailor to the unique characteristics of cryptocurrencies that can enhance investor confidence and industry development.”

This should be coupled with “Education and Awareness” about cryptocurrencies and blockchain technology among the general public, businesses, and policymakers.

UAE Stablecoin regulation for crypto exchanges

UAE Stablecoin Payment Token Services Regulation came out laying down the rules and conditions by the Central Bank of UAE for licenses pertaining to payment tokens, not allowing algorithmic tokens to be included and only allowing foreign stablecoins to be used to purchase virtual assets, while the AED dirham stablecoin became the only stablecoin to be allowed for payments in the country.

While this is an advancement when it comes to utilizing the AED stablecoin as a legal tender, the question remains how can centralized crypto exchanges do with this new regulation?

Leung believes that centralized crypto exchanges can enhance the credibility of cryptocurrencies and the crypto exchanges themselves by adhering to the UAE Central Bank stablecoin regulations.

He notes, “Operating with regulated stablecoins demonstrates a commitment to compliance and regulatory standards, fostering trust among users and regulatory authorities. It will Increase the “Market Access” The acceptance of stablecoins as legal tender for payments within the UAE expands market access for crypto exchanges.”

According to Leung the UAE stablecoin regulation opens up new avenues for users to engage with cryptocurrencies, promoting adoption and usage across various sectors. He says, “This is a bridge from traditional finance to digital finance.”

Bitget expansion in MENA

Bitget crypto exchange has embraced the MENA region not only by supporting the Arabic language on its website and mobile application in 2023, but also by partnering with crypto payment solution provider allowing users to buy and sell crypto using various local currencies including, AED, EGP, SAR and others.

Currently Bitget is engaged in establishing trust with users and regulatory bodies as it paves the way for the long-term sustainability and growth.

He adds,” We are still exploring license applications to operate in the MENA markets.”

Crypto Exchanges and UAE’s digital economy

During a recent meeting of the G20 Labour and Employment Ministers’ meeting in Brazil, Shayma Al Awadhi, assistant undersecretary for Communication and International Relations at the UAE Ministry of Human Resources and Emiratization (MoHRE), said the UAE is expected to invest $20 billion in digital technologies such as information technology (IT), telecommunications, artificial intelligence (AI), the Internet of Things (IoT), blockchain, and robotics over the next three years.

The UAE also noted during the G20 meeting that it aims to double the digital economy’s contribution to its GDP from the current level of 9.7 percent to 19.4 percent over the next 10 years.

The acceleration of digital economy’s contribution to UAE’s GDP is intertwined with the growth of digital assets, tokenization, crypto, and stablecoins. 

The role of regulated crypto exchanges will be strong.

Bitget Wallet in MENA region witnesses a 23% increase in daily active users after token launch

Bitget Wallet in MENA region witnesses a 23% increase in daily active users after token launch

Bitget Crypto Exchange a global cryptocurrency exchange and Web3 company and Bitget MENA, crypto exchange, successfully launched the Bitget Wallet Token (BWB) on its Launchpad with the MENA region witnessing a 23% increase in BWB daily active users after the launch. Bitget Wallet is a Web3 multi-chain wallets that includes wallet, Swap, NFT Market, DApp Browser, and Launchpad features.

The sale of the BWB token took place between June 1st and June 6th and was listed on Bitget spot market on the 6th as well. Offered was a total supply of 1 billion BWB tokens and a launchpad pool specifically set aside for BGB and USDT holders.

The BWB launchpad achieved remarkable success, with the token price surging from $0.15 to $0.6. (Source https://coinmarketcap.com/currencies/bitget-wallet-token/)

As a leading token launch platform, Bitget Launchpad enables users to participate in fundraising for promising and emerging projects, offering tokens in return.

Bitget wallet launched the Bitget Onchain layer, a blueprint for its future endeavors into Web3 positioning itself as both the on-chain extension and decentralized future of the Bitget ecosystem.

Bitget Wallet token BWB not only serves as the official native token of the Bitget Wallet, but it also plays a role in Bitget Onchain Layer. Powering the Bitget Onchain Layer is a $10 million BWB Ecosystem Fund that seeks to incubate and grow partnered projects building on the Bitget Onchain Layer.

The BWB token also empowers users allowing token holders to participate in decision-making processes. Users can also stake BWB tokens to earn rewards, further enhancing their overall yield.

In the future the token will be used for paying gas fees across multiple chains with the release of the Account Abstraction (AA) wallet.

Holders of BWB token will also gain access to Bitget Wallet’s Launchpad, Launchpool and Airdrop events. In addition, holding BWB will also qualify users for airdrops from projects building on the Bitget Onchain Layer, providing continuous value and benefits for holders of the token.

In early May 2024, Bitget Wallet reported on its 30-day growth which witnessed a 300 % growth in the MENA region. Countries in the MENA region such as Egypt and Saudi Arabia are among the top 15 countries for Bitget wallet downloads globally.

Sam Spiers, Regional Director Bitget MENA, “We are pleased with the success of the launch of BWB token on the Bitget exchange launchpad. The enthusiasm for the token is not surprising. Bitget crypto exchange token BGB is one of the top 5 CEX tokens in terms of market capitalization. The scope of BWB is vast as it will run the Bitget Wallet ecosystem which encompasses 25M users and counting.”

Alvin Kan, CCO of Bitget Wallet adds, “As our ecosystem continues to develop, the BWB token will play increasingly significant roles in empowerment and application within the Budget On Chain Layer, thus broadening its value discovery and recognition as ecosystem construction progresses.”

In March 2023, Bitget invested an additional $30 million into Bitget Wallet (previously known as BitKeep), thereby securing a controlling stake and catalyzing a comprehensive brand upgrade.

Bitget, has adopted a dual token system consisting of CEX token (BGB) and its Bitget Wallet token (BWB) allowing Bitget to extend its foundational ecosystem on-chain and off-chain to develop a solid Web3 future whose complementary roles within the Bitget ecosystem offer unique advantages for all stakeholders.

This improved dual token system also diversifies risk and offers flexibility. Each token can address risks specific to its platform. For instance, BGB can manage exchange-related risks, while BWB can focus on wallet-specific security and functionality. This creates a resilient system where any of the two platforms can always support the ecosystem by acting as a buffer against systemic risks.

As the next bull run approaches, Bitget Wallet (BWB) is being eyed as a potential 100X gem, with market analysts predicting the listing price could range between $0.50 and $1.00.

MENA crypto traders become savvier with Bitget witnessing 52% growth in crypto futures

MENA crypto traders become savvier with Bitget witnessing 52% growth in crypto futures

Crypto Futures have risen in popularity over the years, being considered as one of the most sought out cryptocurrency derivatives offering. In the past weeks, on news that Ethereum Spot approvals from the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission, might be approved, ETH Futures traded funds hit an all time high, The Ethereum futures ETFs generated $47.75 million in trading volume on May 21st 2024, 40% more than the prior $34.18 million peak set on March 5th 2024. Then the Ethereum ETFs were approved.

According to Bitget MENA, a Web3 cryptocurrency exchange, crypto traders in the region have become savvier, Bitget has witnessed a 52% increase in crypto futures trading from January 2024 until April 2024. Usually crypto trader beginners start with what is called spot trading, it is easier, and quicker. Yet to see that Bitget has witnessed this increase in crypto futures means that MENA crypto traders are gaining expertise.

This comes at the heels of Bitget’s Q1 2024 report where it highlighted more than 100% growth in crypto futures trading volume. Crypto futures trading volume was approximately US$ 1.4 trillion, representing a 146% increase, while Bitget Spot trading volume increased by 113% to over US$ 160 billion.

Bitget Global also witnessed substantial growth in the volume of Bitcoin Future trades on its platform from May 2023 compared to April 2024. In April 2024 the volume of Bitcoin Futures on Bitget crypto exchange reached $437.38 billion out of a total market of $1.9 trillion. In May 2023 this figure stood at $124.54 billion out of a market of $923.29 billion. (Source The Block)

The crypto exchange saw the highest increase in derivatives market share, with a growth of 2.4% in March 2024.

The enthusiasm for crypto futures comes at just the right time, with Bitget, a Web3 and crypto currency exchange, announcing that its 5th edition of the King’s Cup Global Invitational (KCGI) annual trading competition will include a crypto futures competition.

Sam Spiers, Regional Director at Bitget MENA explains, “Bitget MENA and our global operations have continuously offered our clients diverse choices for trading and benefiting from the crypto market. This is reflected in the growth of crypto futures trading in the MENA region and globally. It also showcases the maturity that most crypto traders have gained both in MENA and internationally, given that crypto futures trading is more complex than just spot trading.”

He adds, “We are happy to encourage crypto futures trading further with the launch of Futures trading team competition part of our yearly KCGI competition. The total prize pool of KCGI will reach 5,000,000 USDT.”

Gracy Chen, CEO of Bitget added, “As we embark on the fifth edition of KCGI, we are excited to provide traders with an unparalleled opportunity to test their skills, challenge themselves, and compete for incredible prizes. KCGI represents more than just a trading tournament, it is a celebration of the passion, dedication, and talent of our global trading community.”

Earlier this year, Bitget, announced a record all-time high in trading volumes in the MENA region while witnessing a growth of 500% in trading volumes since it started serving the MENA region in November 2023. Bitget now boasts of 2.5 million users from the MENA region, making up 10% of its total global user base which is 25 million.

In 2023 Bitget announced its expansion into the Middle East region with plans to establish its regional hub in the UAE and hire 60 employees as part of its global scaling strategy. Bitget has already begun exploring license applications to operate in target Middle East markets

10 percent of Bitget crypto exchange users are from MENA

10 percent of Bitget crypto exchange users are from MENA

Bitget, cryptocurrency exchange and Web3 company, has announced that it has recorded an all-time high in trading volumes in the MENA region while witnessing a growth of 500% in trading volumes since it started serving the MENA region in November 2023.

Bitget now boasts of 2.5 million users from the MENA region, making up 10% of its total global user base which is 25 million.

Last year, Bitget announced its expansion into the Middle East region with plans to establish its regional hub in the UAE and hire 60 employees as part of its global scaling strategy. The growth in MENA users and trading volumes is a reflection of Bitget’s aim to bring in more localized solutions to its users.

Sam A Spiers, Regional Director for Bitget MENA, states: “Bitget will strengthen its operations in the MENA region, leveraging the region’s high adoption rates and crypto-friendly landscape. We are exploring blockchain and crypto projects to support home-ground projects for listing and provide more exposure to middle-eastern founders and products.”

As part of its focus on the MENA region, Bitget has Arabic lingual support for its website and mobile application. Bitget users in the Middle East also benefit from zero fees for buying and selling cryptocurrencies through Bitget P2P, ensuring a seamless and user-friendly experience for traders.

Bitget has also partnered up with OnRamp, the leading crypto payment solution provider allowing its users to buy and sell crypto using various local currencies, including AED and other fiat currencies.

Gracy Chen, Managing Director of Bitget added, “With the MENA region representing a significant share of the global crypto transaction volume in 2023, it is poised to grow exponentially in the years to come. Bitget has already begun exploring license applications to operate in target Middle East markets. It’s our priority to obtain operating licenses and support our users with a secure WEB3 platform.”

Bitget has been expanding its operational reach globally in recent months, including registering as a VASP (Virtual Asset Service Provider) in Poland and obtaining similar crypto registration in Lithuania. The new expansion plan in the Middle East complements its launch in Turkey, which now features full localization, including its Turkish website Bitgettr.com featuring tailored services for users in Turkey.

Bitget’s growth plans go hand-in-hand with creating a seamless ecosystem of crypto products for users locally. By personalizing the platform offerings, Bitget recently launched a Ramadan campaign to celebrate the holy month with its users.

Earlier this month Bitget announced its partnership with Onramp, allowing users to buy crypto using AED, UAE’s national currency.

Bitget crypto exchange users can now buy crypto using UAE dirham

Bitget crypto exchange users can now buy crypto using UAE dirham

Bitget, crypto exchange and Web3 company, has partnered with OnRamp, the leading crypto payment solution provider to allow users the ability to buy crypto using UAE Dirham through bank transfers. With the integration, Bitget users can now buy and sell digital assets using various local currencies. This collaboration brings significant improvements for users interacting with digital assets, enabling seamless conversion between fiat and crypto instantaneously.

Users can buy crypto with NGN, AED, and MXN through bank transfers, and with VND via VietQR. This range of options ensures that users have easy-to-use and reliable methods to convert cryptocurrencies to fiat and vice versa. Bitget caters to users with a diverse set of preferences and finance management requirements, fulfilling their needs with emerging WEB3 products.

Bitget is introducing a zero-fee offer with this integration for all cryptocurrencies. This compliments Bitget’s current in-house zero-fee offer for Bitcoin (BTC) and Ethereum (ETH). The move allows users to buy cryptocurrencies via traditional banking channels through OnRamp without incurring any fees.

“At Bitget we’re constantly improvising our platform’s abilities, including its fiat-to-crypto conversion capabilities. The integration is a step closer to our mission to drive mass adoption of crypto, making it easy for people around the world to trade crypto. By smoothing out the conversion process between crypto and fiat we’re accelerating an inclusive and global financial revolution,” says Gracy Chen, Managing Director at Bitget.

In the UAE CoinMENA also announced its partnership with Network International for crypto onramping.

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.