Bitget, cryptocurrency exchange, and UNICEF have partnered for a three year period to bring advanced digital skills and blockchain literacy to young people in eight regions globally including Morocco. Bitget will become part of UNICEF’s Office of Innovation Game Changers Coalition program and will offer blockchain training modules to teachers and blockchain skills to girls, their parents and mentors in Armenia, Brazil, Cambodia, India, Kazakhstan, Malaysia, Morocco, and South Africa.

Through the partnership, Bitget Academy, the educational arm of Bitget, will help develop UNICEF’s first interactive, online and in-person blockchain training module based on video games creation skills development for teachers and young people. Support from Bitget will also help expand the Coalition’s reach to a ninth country.

“This partnership reflects our shared belief that digital skills are a powerful driver of opportunity and inclusion,” said Sandra Visscher, Executive Director of UNICEF Luxembourg. “By collaborating with Bitget, we want to empower adolescent young people with the tools, knowledge, and confidence to shape their own futures. Innovation should be a force for inclusion, opening doors, broadening horizons, and ensuring that technology works for everyone, everywhere.”

“Emerging technologies should not be reserved for the privileged few—they must be introduced early and equitably. Blockchain, with its real-world use case and potential for social good, is one of the most powerful tools we can give to our younger generation to build products that change the way we look at modern society. With Blockchain4Her, what began as a mission to empower hundreds of women has scaled into a global movement to educate thousands of girls. This is the kind of scale and impact blockchain was built for,” said Gracy Chen, CEO at Bitget.

Bitget will also aim to introduce UNICEF to leading blockchain protocols and developers from across the Web3 landscape to participate in the educational initiative. These contributors could serve as mentors and partners, offering diverse perspectives and possibilities for blockchain technologies.

Every year, adolescent girls and young women in low and middle-income countries miss out on USD 15 billion in economic opportunities due to a gap in internet access and digital skills relative to their male peers. With 90 per cent of jobs today requiring digital competencies, the Game Changers Coalition responds to the urgency of closing the gender digital skills gap. Together, Bitget and UNICEF are working to build a scalable, inclusive model that equips young women with the tools to navigate and shape the digital economy of tomorrow.

As part of the Game Changers Coalition, Bitget joins the Global Video Game Coalition, Micron Foundation and ecosystem builders – Women in Games in a shared ambition to reach 1.1 million girls by 2027, with learning and skills-building opportunities.

Fortemis, which offer compliance and regulatory services, has partnered with RAK DAO Strategic and has set up its operations at RAK DAO. Fortemis was founded with the mission to empower businesses to navigate the complex regulatory landscape with confidence.

It is also a an IFZA authorized partner. According to Fortemis, navigating the regulatory licensing process can be complex and time-consuming, especially in the virtual asset and fintech industries, where compliance standards are continually evolving.

Their team at Crypto Consulting specializes in supporting companies through each stage of obtaining regulatory licenses, with a focus on the UAE’s Virtual Asset Regulatory Authority (VARA) in Dubai and the Financial Services Regulatory Authority (FSRA) in Abu Dhabi Global Markets (ADGM).

From anti-money laundering (AML) policies to data protection frameworks, their solutions aim to provide clear and compliant roadmap for managing risk.

Fortemis noted, ” We are proud to announce that Fortemis has officially partnered with the RAK Digital Assets Oasis, the world’s first free zone dedicated to supporting the future of Web3 and AI innovation. This partnership underscores our shared commitment to empowering founders and technology-driven ventures by providing clear, compliant pathways to launch and scale in the UAE. Through our collaboration, Fortemis will offer advisory and regulatory support for company formation, licensing, and governance, ensuring Web3 and AI projects are built on strong, future-proof foundations.”

MENA based Equiti Group, a global online trading and fintech innovation with licenses in UAE, UK and Cyprus, has partnered with UAE based D2A2 (Dubai Digital Asset Association), the MENA platform for regulatory discourse on tokenized real-world assets, to create a secure, transparent, and future ready digital asset ecosystem.

The alliance seeks to work to evolve the digital asset regulatory frameworks in the MENA region working with industry leaders, regulators policy makers and other key stakeholders such as the private sector.

“Finance should work for everyone, not just those with legacy access. Partnering with D2A2 gives us the opportunity to engage in meaningful dialogue with fellow industry leaders, share insights, and help shape a more inclusive financial future,” stated Iskandar Najjar, Equiti Group CEO & co-founder. “It’s about building a community where innovation is driven collectively, and access to opportunity is expanded through collaboration.”

Equiti brings deep experience in regulated finance, global market infrastructure and fintech solutions across EMEA. D2A2, meanwhile, is uniquely positioned as a regulatory thought leader, providing a trusted forum for exploring secure digitisation of real-world assets, including property, commodities, and income-generating instruments.

Together, the two organizations will champion collaboration for sustainable tokenized finance in the region. “Our collaboration with Equiti represents a significant step in furthering our commitment to stakeholder engagement and ecosystem development,” added Gaurang Desai, Chairman of D2A2. By fostering constructive dialogue and supporting responsible innovation, we aim to strengthen Dubai’s position as a global hub for digital assets.”

The Equiti-D2A2 partnership will focus on four core pillars, driving industry-regulator dialogue to foster balanced growth of the digital asset sector, contributing to policy clarity on tokenization, custody, and cross-border innovation, elevating financial literacy on blockchain and real-world asset tokenization and bridging TradFi and DeFi through infrastructure that unites security with agility.

Ant Digital Technologies, a blockchain, privacy computing, security technologies, and distributed database company has established its global headquarters in Hong Kong and is expanding its footprint into the UAE. Ant Digital Technologies has selected Dubai as a strategic gateway to unlock opportunities in the Middle East market.

As per the announcement, the strategic move underscores the company’s commitment to global Web3 and Artificial intelligence (AI) development, while recognising the UAE’s rapid embrace of emerging technologies.

Ant Digital seeks not only to tokenize Financial Real World Assets but also energy ones. The company seeks to offer access to green financing. Diverse investors can participate in the transition towards a greener future, fostering a more inclusive and liquid market for sustainable assets. Ant Digital Technologies, has facilitated transactions for 14 million new energy devices on-chain through the tokenization of green energy assets, setting a global standard and exemplifying how green assets can unlock significant investment opportunities.

At a recent event in UAE, Ant Digital Technologies announced the release of Jovay, a Layer 2 blockchain solution tailored for RWA fund transactions, showcasing trusted execution and exceptional performance capabilities with a throughput of 100,000 transactions per second and 100-millisecond on-chain response time. This cutting-edge platform can seamlessly integrate with Layer 1 blockchains, enhancing their performance and scalability. Jovay is set to play a pivotal role in transforming trillions of RWAs into tradable digital assets globally, thereby enhancing global liquidity and streamlining the trading of physical assets on the blockchain.

Zhuoqun Bian, President of Blockchain Business at Ant Digital Technologies, said, “We have been enthusiastic about the transformative power of blockchain technology across the finance industry and beyond. Leveraging years of expertise in blockchain, IoT, and AI research and development, we look forward to collaborating with global partners to unleash the full potential of real-world assets and propel innovation on a global scale.”

Dr. Zhao Wenbiao, CEO of Ant Digital Technologies, shared, “By integrating top-tier blockchain solutions into the energy RWA ecosystems of these regions, we aim to cultivate a ‘dual-hub synergy’ between Hong Kong and Dubai, propelling the global shift towards a digital economy.”

Hong Kong, OSL Wealth, a wealth management platform tailored for traditional investors managing crypto assets of OSL Group (HKEX: 863), has signed a distribution partnership with UAE-regulated Nine Blocks Capital Management, a regulated and institutional crypto hedge fund management and the first and only crypto hedge fund regulated by Dubai’s Virtual Assets Regulatory Authority (VARA).

As per the press release, through this collaboration, OSL Wealth will offer qualified investors access to UAE and Hong Kong based Nineblocks’ flagship USD Market Neutral Fund and BTC Market Neutral Fund, marking a significant milestone in the institutional adoption of digital asset investment strategies.

The partnership addresses growing demand from institutional investors seeking crypto exposure via regulated fund managers. This will enable OSL clients to generate returns on the USD/stable coin assets as well as generate yield on their Bitcoin holdings.

Nine Blocks’ market-neutral approach combines sophisticated quantitative strategies with rigorous risk management frameworks to deliver consistent returns across market cycles. The USD Market Neutral Fund enables investors to generate returns on their USD and stable coin assets. The BTC Market Neutral Fund enables long term BTC holders to generate yield on their Bitcoin assets without losing Bitcoin exposure.

Eugene Cheung, Chief Commercial Officer of OSL, emphasised the strategic importance of this partnership, “As digital assets mature into an institutional asset class, investors increasingly require sophisticated strategies that align with traditional portfolio construction principles. Nineblocks’ VARA-regulated market-neutral solutions represent exactly what discerning allocators demand – the innovation potential of crypto assets combined with institutional-grade risk management and compliance standards. This partnership enables us to provide clients with tools to navigate digital markets while maintaining their existing risk parameters.”

Henri Arslanian, Co-Founder of Nine Blocks Capital Management, commented, “We believe that many HNWIs and family office investors want to access crypto products through platforms that are regulated and institutional-grade. We are pleased to partner with OSL to deliver such products to the Hong Kong and Asian markets.”

UAE digital asset broker, BurjX, has received In-Principle Approval (IPA) for a license in the UAE from the Financial Services Regulatory Authority (FSRA) of Abu Dhabi Global Market (ADGM).

This is the prelude to the full Financial Services Permission (FSP) that will allow BurjX to operate as a fully regulated, institutional-grade trading and custody platform.

“This is an exciting step forward – not just for BurjX, but for crypto in MENA as a whole,” said Omar Abbas, Co-Founder & CEO of BurjX. “Secure, institutional-grade custody is the foundation of a trusted trading platform, and the MENA region is ready for it. As BurjX moves toward final regulatory approval, we are reimagining crypto trading – seamlessly integrating cutting-edge security with a frictionless trading experience in a single, unified platform.”

Adam Ferris, Co-Founder & Chairman of BurjX, underscored the company’s vision, “This milestone is just the beginning. We’re building something that doesn’t just meet the highest security and regulatory standards – it’s about raising the bar for enterprise-grade custody, compliance, and market integrity. BurjX is shaping the future of responsible digital asset trading.”

With final regulatory approval on the horizon, BurjX is preparing to launch later this year, bringing a full suite of digital asset trading and custody solutions to market. Designed for retail, professional, and institutional traders, the platform provides secure fiat on/off-ramps, deep liquidity, and advanced execution tools all within a tightly governed and fully compliant framework.

For security BurjX has partnered with Fireblocks leveraging its multi party computation technology and security protocols, and for peace of mind, it has secure market leading insurance coverage.

One of the first crypto exchanges to be licensed out of ADGM was M2, and today in Dubai VARA boasts of 30 licensed VASP providers. The UAE has become a hot bed for licensed digital asset, tokenization and crypto service providers.

The Maldives Government and UAE based MBS Global Investments, the investment arm of the Private Office of Sheikh Nayef Bin Eid Al Thani, have agreed to build a financial freezone in Maldives with an investment of $8.8bn. Dubbed the Maldives International Financial Centre (MIFC), the center will be designed for and created to attract global financial institutions, fintech pioneers, and global digital Nomads with support for digital assets.

As per the press release, The MIFC free zone will offer no corporate tax, tax-free inheritance, ownership as per the constitution of the Maldives, and privacy. Combined with no residency requirements, it’s set to attract digital nomads, entrepreneurs, and wealth creators seeking freedom without borders. Residents will benefit from multi-currency banking and access to offshore private banking. Future-ready regulations will support digital assets, and green finance – making MIFC not just a financial hub, but a destination for those investing in the legacy of future generations.

Due to be completed by 2030, it will be easily accessible from any part of the world and the aim is to notably increase the country’s GDP within four years with projected revenue to be well over US $1bn by the fifth year.

The centrepiece of MIFC is a state-of-the-art conference centre with capacity for 3,500 people. The multi-purpose convention venue will host leading global conferences, cultural events and innovation-driven hackathons establishing Male as leading assembly hub, driving all year round engagement in the Maldives and further supporting the wider, already established hospitality industry

The plan includes three iconic residential and office towers designed for international HQs and regional offices, high-end, sea front branded residences, world-renowned hotel brands, vibrant and one-of-a-kind retail experience, Oceanographic Museum, Mosque, and leading education facilities including an International School.

President Dr Mohamed Muizzu said, “With the MIFC, we are shaping the Maldives of tomorrow, a beacon of innovation and national pride that will thrive in harmony with nature. The financial centre will be a symbol of economic resilience and will set a new global benchmark that will massively benefit the people of the Maldives for generations to come.”

Minister of Finance for the Maldives said, “This is a momentous project. It offers a great opportunity to diversify our economy beyond tourism in line with our ambitions and will attract the best businesses and visionary entrepreneurs in the world.”

Nadeem Hussain, CEO of MBS Global Investments said, “The financial centre will set a new global benchmark, advancing financial innovation by at least two decades. It is the next evolution of what has been happening in other financial centres around the globe.”

This dynamic mixed-use development has been designed by master planner Architect Gianni Ranaulo, every structure from the overarching master plan to the individual buildings are inspired by the local fauna and marine eco-system. Ranaulo incorporates environmentally conscious practices in all projects. The total size of the development is 780,000 sqm where more than 6,500 people can reside, and an expected daily footfall of 35,000.

While the press release itself does not mention blockchain or crypto hub, a report from the Financial Times, noted that the agreement, which was signed on May 4, was done in the hopes of moving the Maldives away from reliance on tourism and fisheries by attracting foreign direct investment into blockchain and Web3 technologies.

MBS has previously investment in Blockchain entities

MBS Global Investments, through one of its portfolio entities UAE Varys Capital had previously invested in Movement Labs, an L2 Blockchain platform.

At the time, MBS Global Investments had noted on LinkedIn, “MBS Global Investments proudly congratulates our partner, Varys Capital on their successful pre-seed investment in Movement Labs (MOVE), a pioneering project that has just achieved a major milestone. The recent Token Generation Event (TGE) for MOVE was a resounding success, with the token reaching an extraordinary fully diluted valuation surpassing $6 billion. This remarkable achievement has already captured the attention of the global crypto community, with MOVE being listed on all major exchanges, including Binance.”

MBS also noted that they would continue to support this venture. They stated, “We are excited to continue supporting this transformative venture and looks forward to the significant impact MOVE will have on the future of decentralized finance and blockchain technology.”

Hub71, Abu Dhabi’s global tech ecosystem, in its 2024 Impact Report, noted that startups in the Digital Assets program raised more than $100 million. As per the report in 2024 Hub71 startups recorded $2.17 billion (AED 8.02 billion) in funding; a 44.7% year-on-year increase from $1.5 billion (AED 5.4 billion) in 2023, demonstrating strong investor confidence in Abu Dhabi’s innovation economy. Revenue generated by startups also climbed to $1.2 billion (AED 4.5 billion), up from $1 billion (AED 3.5 billion) the previous year, reflecting sustained commercial traction across priority sectors.

Much of this rapid growth was fueled by Hub71, which is driving sector-wide transformation through its specialist ecosystems. Hub71+ Digital Assets, Hub71+ ClimateTech, and the newly launched Hub71+ AI are attracting startups that are developing impactful solutions to some of the world’s most pressing challenges. Startups in the Digital Assets program alone have raised more than $100 million, while partnerships with global tech leaders like Google, NVIDIA, Solana, Hashed and AWS are accelerating innovation across Web3, AI, renewable energy, and deep tech.

During the year, Hub71 received over 3,100 applications from entrepreneurs representing more than 20 countries, highlighting the growing global appetite to build from the UAE capital. Of the 46 startups selected, approximately over 70% came from international markets, with more than half in the Seed or Series A stages. Startups from the US, UK and Germany, made up nearly 63% of Cohort 16, cementing the city’s reputation as a gateway between established tech hubs and high-growth emerging markets.

Ahmad Ali Alwan, Chief Executive Officer of Hub71, said, “Hub71 began as an ambitious idea to enable founders to build from Abu Dhabi. That idea has since grown into a thriving community of entrepreneurs, investors, and partners working together to drive lasting impact. The progress captured in this report reflects the strength of our ecosystem and the trust placed in us by those who believe in Abu Dhabi’s long-term potential. As we look ahead, our focus remains on empowering founders and positioning Abu Dhabi as a global hub for technology and innovation.”

Hub71’s momentum mirrors Abu Dhabi’s growing status on the global startup map. According to the 2024 Global Startup Ecosystem Report, the emirate is the fastest-growing emerging startup ecosystem in MENA, with its ecosystem value rising 28% to $4.2 billion between mid-2021 and end-2023. StartupBlink’s 2024 rankings placed Abu Dhabi 6th regionally and 2nd in the UAE, reinforcing its rising global profile.

Capital access remains a central pillar of Hub71’s strategy. In 2024, capital partners deployed $65 million (AED 238 million) into its startup community. The global tech ecosystem welcomed new investors, including Princeville Capital, The Catalyst, and Golden Gate Ventures.

Meanwhile, Tech Barza, Hub71’s exclusive capital club for family offices, recorded its first startup deal and a 10% increase in membership. To unlock early-stage capital, Hub71 launched the Angel Investor Support Package empowering five new angel networks, including Falcon Valley and Qora71, to facilitate more early-stage ticket investments, thereby accelerating the growth and scalability of startups within the Abu Dhabi ecosystem.

Unlocking market access through strategic partnerships

Beyond funding, strategic partnerships remain a key pillar of Hub71’s value proposition, playing a critical role in helping startups gain traction. In 2024, startups signed 91 corporate deals with government and private sector partners worth $28 million (AED 103 million), accelerating their ability to scale and commercialize their solutions.

Programs like the Regulatory Sandbox, co-developed with the Abu Dhabi Department of Economic Development (ADDED), Abu Dhabi Mobility, and the Abu Dhabi Agriculture and Food Safety Authority (ADAFSA), enabled startups to pilot cutting-edge technologies in sectors such as smart mobility, digital health, food innovation, and alternative proteins.

Startup successes: Scaling impact from Abu Dhabi

In a year marked by an evolving funding environment, Hub71 startups captured investor attention with landmark raises that signal both global relevance and real-world impact. FinTech startup FlapKap, raised $34 million (AED 124.7 million) in pre-Series A funding to expand its AI-driven lending solutions across the GCC. ClimateTech pioneer 44.01 secured $37 million (AED 135.7 million) in Series A funding to scale its CO₂ mineralization technology that transforms captured emissions into rock, contributing to global decarbonization. Meanwhile, HealthTech innovator BioSapien closed a $5.5 million (AED 20 million) pre-Series A round to accelerate clinical trials of its MediChip™, a 3D-printed implant that delivers localized cancer treatment with minimal side effects.

Today, Hub71 is home to a vibrant community of founders building high-impact startups that address global challenges and unlock new markets; driven by access to capital, expert support and sector-specific expertise to attract top talent and fuel Abu Dhabi’s innovation agenda.

About Hub71:

Hub71 is Abu Dhabi’s global tech ecosystem that enables founders to build globally enduring homegrown tech companies in any sector by providing access to global markets, a capital ecosystem, a global network of partners, and a vibrant community filled with highly skilled talent, governed by forward-thinking regulation.

Fuze, a digital asset Blockchain enabled financial infrastructure providers, subsidiary Niobe Payment Services has been licensed to offer digital assets payments by the Central Bank of the UAE. The company now holds a Retail Payment Services and Card Schemes (RPSCS) license.

Fuze Group, through its subsidiary Niobe Payment Services LLC SPC, is now both a fully licensed operator for digital assets infrastructure and, through its payments infrastructure division, a regulated payment services provider for the region.

As per the press release, the new license will enable businesses to benefit from faster, more secure payment options, reduced transaction times and end-to-end compliance.

Mohammed Ali Yusuf (Mo Ali Yusuf), CEO and Co-Founder of Fuze said, “This license is the launchpad for the next generation of payments. It marks a key step in our mission to provide digital and AI-enabled infrastructure that will drive the future of finance and transform payments. We are privileged to be granted this license from the Central Bank and look forward to providing cutting-edge, compliant payment infrastructure and novel solutions – like virtual IBANs – for a range of businesses.”

Fuze’s technology will enhance digital payments, supporting the UAE Digital Economy Strategy, which aims to double the contribution of the digital economy to the UAE’s GDP to 19.4 per cent by 2032.

Through its strong regulatory foundation, Fuze is now launching a new payment platform that combines AI-driven technology, user-friendly design, and integrated compliance features, to simplify and support modern business needs.

With the license in place, Fuze will soon roll out a comprehensive, compliant suite of payment products with features that include digital payments and settlements through real-time infrastructure, AI-enhanced compliance and fraud detection engine, virtual IBANs to make it easier to collect payments and manage funds, and merchant tools to help UAE-based businesses to manage payments and grow

UAE Central Bank has licensed Relm Insurance a dedicated insurer to emerging sectors – and Liva Insurance, a GCC insurance provider to offer their dedicated multi-line insurance solution for WEB3 businesses – SIGMAWEB3, and its tailored version for Dubai’s virtual asset regulatory authority VARA-regulated companies, SIGMAWEB3 VARA.

As per the press release, this follows the signing of Relm and Liva’s strategic partnership in February 2025, aimed at empowering innovation and entrepreneurship in emerging sectors such as digital assets, biotech and AI.

The UAE Central Bank approval reinforces Relm and Liva’s commitment to deliver tailored insurance solutions that address the unique

SIGMAWEB3 and SIGMAWEB3 VARA will help create the confidence and resiliency that WEB3 innovators require to tackle complex challenges and seize new opportunities, while meeting the necessary regulatory requirements. Both products are designed specifically for digital asset companies, blockchain startups, crypto exchanges, and fintech innovators, addressing the unique and complex financial, professional, crime, and cyber exposures inherent in their operations.

SIGMAWEB3 VARA is specifically tailored to meet the requirements of Dubai’s Virtual Asset Regulatory Authority (VARA), ensuring that crypto companies can operate with compliant insurance cover.

“Securing Central Bank approval for SIGMAWEB3 and SIGMAWEB3 VARA is a significant step for brokers and clients in the UAE. This milestone facilitates more comprehensive coverage tailored to the unique risks of the Web3 space. By closing the insurance gap, we’re empowering businesses with the protection they need to innovate confidently in a rapidly evolving market” said Joseph Ziolkowski, CEO of Relm Insurance.

“SIGMAWEB3 and SIGMAWEB3 VARA represent a significant step in our commitment to supporting growth and evolution of innovation within the insurance industry. This approval from Central Bank affirms both Liva Group’s deep market insight and Relm’s expertise in specialised insurance as well as reinforcing the vital role that regulatory collaboration plays in fostering a secure and thriving digital economy. Together, we aim to provide customers with solutions that meet their evolving needs, while strengthening our commitment to scale and diversify our business.” Martin Rueegg, Group CEO of Liva Group.

A year earlier OneDegree, Asia’s licensed insurer for digital assets and Dubai Insurance Company announced the issuance of digital assets custodial risk insurance to their customers in UAE. The Central Bank of UAE approved issuance of the digital asset insurance offering.

OneDegree and Dubai Insurance partnered in 2023. Custodial risk insurance completes the product portfolio and allows the partners to offer a one-stop-shop for digital asset companies in the UAE, under the brand “OneInfinity”.

VARA, Dubai’s dedicated regulator for digital assets, requires such coverage along with professional indemnity and directors & officers insurance. With this latest approval, specialized custodial risk insurance can be offered directly in UAE for the first time. Custodial risk insurance protects companies against the risk of losing access to digital assets including through third party hacks and theft, internal fraud and physical damage to the storage media.