Equivator invests $8 million in GCC Related a loyalty rewards company

Equivator invests $8 million in GCC Related a loyalty rewards company

United Kingdom and Saudi Arabian Equivator, a premier alternative investment firm, has made a strategic investment of $8 million in UAE headquartered Related, where the funds will be used to launch AI and Blockchain solutions and expand into the United Kingdom.

As per the press release, the investment underscores Equivator’s commitment to nurturing groundbreaking ventures within high-growth sectors. It is aimed at accelerating Related’s expansion in the Kingdom, boosting innovation, and fast-tracking the launch of transformative solutions in AI, blockchain, and customer experience.

It also strengthens Related’s position as the company of choice for loyalty and rewards in Saudi Arabia and the broader Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region. The alliance aligns with Saudi Arabia’s wider economic diversification goals and its rapid digital transformation under Vision 2030.

Related currently services more than 30 million users across the GCC and Levant, powering loyalty programs for leading institutions in telecommunications, banking, retail, utilities, and entertainment.

“We are thrilled to welcome Equivator as a strategic partner on our journey to redefine loyalty and engagement in the region,” said Rabih Farhat, CEO of Related. “This partnership is more than a transaction; it’s a transformation, a joint mission to reshape the future of fintech-powered loyalty solutions in line with the Kingdom’s innovation agenda.”

The investment builds upon Equivator’s earlier involvement in the loyalty-focused B2C space through its prior investment in Uplines. In a decisive move, Related has acquired Uplines in full, integrating it into its broader strategic framework and setting the stage for a bold relaunch. As part of the development strategy, Related will introduce a range of new products and offerings, from Advanced AI tools to blockchain-enabled rewards platforms, gamification features and payments. These will enhance B2B and B2C experiences while unlocking value for brands and consumers alike.

“This is more than an investment. it’s a strategic deal to build a regional champion in loyalty and digital payments,” stated Enes Şehzade, CEO at Equivator. “Together, we aim to power a new era of data-driven customer engagement and reward invention.”

Equivator will support Related’s market entry into Europe and beyond while helping establish initiatives such as the “Related Loyalty & Fintech Authority”, a new regional knowledge and policy forum further solidifying Related’s leadership.

VARA Dubai launches Decentralized exchange pilot

VARA Dubai launches Decentralized exchange pilot

Dubai’s Virtual Asset Regulatory Authority is piloting a decentralized exchange project, (DEX), the first of its kind in the MENA region. DEX is a peer to peer marketplace where users can trade cryptocurrencies directly with each other without the need for a central intermediary, differing from centralized crypto exchanges.

According to Mathew White CEO of VARA in a LinkedIn post, ” The conversation around decentralised finance (DeFi) has evolved. Not long ago, the question was “Will it survive?”. Now it’s “How fast can we integrate it? At the Virtual Assets Regulatory Authority [VARA], we don’t see DeFi as a threat to traditional finance (TradFi), but a high-efficiency tool for accelerating its evolution.”

He notes that their DEX pilot, the first in MENA reflects Dubai’s ambition to be the first jurisdiction in the region with DEX regulations. He also notes that it will offer regulatory certainty.

He states, “We’re not afraid to move first, as long as we move responsibly. Dubai’s innovation appetite, combined with VARA’s balanced oversight, is creating one of the world’s most supportive environments for DeFi to thrive.”

The building blocks which are smart contract, DAOs, oracles, dApps, and wallet are not fringe technologies but offer a compelling solution to one of finance’s oldest problems, siloed capital and slow moving liquidity.

He notes that DeFi shrinks clearing cycles, and counterparty risk is replaced with transparent auditable code.

Over $110 billion are currently locked in DeFi protocols, access becomes open and participation global, by default.

He refers to ARK Invest’s Cathie Wood rwho ecently called it a “financial services revolution.” She highlights DeFi’s growing share of futures and spot trading volumes, and an even more striking metric – lending. With DeFi’s share jumping from 15% to over 60%, the implications are profound.

But DeFi has also had its risk with $787 million in losses in 2023, and $474 million in 2024.

This is why according to White, ” At VARA, we’ve built a risk-based licensing regime tailored for this next phase of finance. This includes outcome-based rules and principles, mandatory on-chain audit reports before full protocol licensing, and real-time monitoring of APIs to detect market stress long before retail users feel it. This isn’t regulation for regulation’s sake. It’s about building the guardrails that make innovation sustainable. And in Dubai, we’re not just writing policy – we’re piloting the future.”

Recently Lorenzo Valiente. Director of Research at Ark Invest, highlighted “strong, secular trends” in DeFi. Valente pointed out that despite market volatility and macro uncertainty, DeFi’s share in futures trading has grown from 1.6% to 7% since the fourth quarter of 2022, while its share in spot trading has surged from 7% to 20%.

DeFi’s share in lending also jumped, widening from 15% to over 60%. “DeFi isn’t just surviving — it’s scaling,” Valented said.

According to DeFiLlama, the decentralized cryptocurrency exchanges recorded a volume of $6.82 billion in the last 24 hours, with Uniswap UNI/USD and Raydium RAY/USD being the main drivers. The DEX-to-CEX dominance was over 25%, indicating that decentralized exchanges logged a quarter of the volume compared to centralized exchanges.

Earlier White noted on LinkedIn that the tokenization of real-world assets (RWAs) is no longer an experiment. He stated, “It’s happening right now.” He explained how VARA views tokenization as more than a blockchain use case but rather as a structural shift and the foundation for a new kind of financial system. He explains, ” Everything from real estate and art to commodities and IP can be digitally represented, owned and exchanged in real time.”

So VARA is working on two innovative implementations within the blockchain and crypto ecosystem in 2025, and maybe more to come.

UAE Bank looking to build DeFi and Stablecoin infrastructure

UAE Bank looking to build DeFi and Stablecoin infrastructure

Axiom Recruit in the UAE, is searching for a Principle Blockchain Architect engineer as a leading UAE Bank is building out their DeFi and Stablecoin infrastructure.

As per the LinkedIn post, the bank is building this infrastructure for wider blockchain related deployment and is seeking a principle engineer, blockchain architect to define and build their DeFi and stablecoin architecture.

The role will be the first for the bank in its DeFi focused engineering build. The Blockchain architect engineer will design and implement a secure wallet system, as well as build smart contracts and DeFi tooling from the ground up, including interoperable cross-chain and L2 solutions.

Also in the pipeline is tokenization systems for banking infrastructure and collaboration on enterprise crypto services.

This announcement comes as more and more banks globally and across the UAE enter the digital asset, stablecoin, and crypto space. In a recent article crypto exchange executives and crypto custodian executive weighed in on how this will effect the crypto ecosystem across the globe.

In the UAE several banks have already entered the crypto space including Mbank, Zand Bank, Liv bank by Emirates NBD and even FAB bank with their work on a stablecoin.

Bitcoin and Ethereum take 10th and 18th place in most traded instruments in GCC

Bitcoin and Ethereum take 10th and 18th place in most traded instruments in GCC

AvaTrade, aglobal trading company, released the latest data from its key GCC platforms, reinforcing its role as a source of real-time market intelligence. Covering activity across the region since April 1st, the data reveals the Top 25 most traded instruments by USD volume, with gold taking the lead and in the 10th and 18th place being Bitcoin and Ethereum. B

Based on AvaTrade’s platform activity over the past 2.5 months, collected from Bahrain, Kuwait, Iraq, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, and the UAE, gold appears as the most traded, with strong interest in U.S. equities, with all three major indices, NASDAQ 100, DJ30, and S&P 500, ranking within the top four, and the Russell 2000 close behind in eighth.

Commodities also featured prominently, with crude oil and Brent oil both placing in the 15 most traded instruments, and silver also making the list. Foreign exchange trading is also active, with major pairs such as USD/JPY, EUR/USD, and GBP/USD all ranking in the top ten. Other currency pairs like AUD/USD, USD/CHF, USD/CAD, and GBP/JPY follow closely behind.

Meanwhile, the inclusion of cryptocurrencies such as Bitcoin in 10th and Ethereum, ranked 18th, reflects a broader diversification in trading preferences across the region.

Reflecting on the recent data, Dáire Ferguson, CEO of AvaTrade, stated, ‘Sharing this type of trading insight is one of the many ways we aim to support our growing base of investors across the GCC. In an ever-changing global market, where regional dynamics also play a key role, timely data helps traders make more informed decisions.’

Established in 2006 as a pioneering online trading platform, AvaTrade is one of the most trusted brokers in the industry with nine regulations across six continents. Offering access to over 1,000 CFDs across forex, ETFs, indices, commodities, and crypto, the platform caters to both experienced investors and newcomers through a range of educational resources, trading tools, and market insights.

Middle East governments building on blockchain, AI and Bitcoin reserves

Middle East governments building on blockchain, AI and Bitcoin reserves

Raoul Pal, the Co-Founder and CEO of Real Vision, a financial knowledge and educational platform, in his recent visit and meeting with sovereign wealth funds in the MENA region, specifically in the GCC, has found that the mandate is to use AI ( Artifical Intelligence) and Blockchain across the entire region.

In his X video post interview, Pal noted, ” A month ago during my last trip to MENA region, and in my meetings with sovereign wealth funds across Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Oman, Bahrain, and UAE, the mandate across entire region from Saudi, Abu Dhabi Bahrain and Qatar is AI and Blockchain and not just using Bitcoin as a reserve asset but building the entire government structure on blockchain, driving licenses, property deeds the whole bloody lot.”

Pal is also the co-founder and CEO of Exponential Age Asset Management, an asset management business that focuses on investing in the digital asset space via a fund of hedge funds (EADAF) and other vehicles.

He adds with the money coming in from sovereign wealth funds, if we are to go from $3 trillion to $100 trillion you need the largest players each time, unless you have bigger players. function of size of market more blockchain technology is used the use of Alt coins for infrastructure rails increase.

MENA Sovereign Wealth funds invest in Bitcoin

His statements come at a time when sovereign wealth funds either openly or less openly are investing in Bitcoin. Earlier this year Mubadala, Abu Dhabi’s sovereign wealth fund, disclosed a $408.5 million stake in IShare Bitcoin Trust (IBIT) in a 13F filing released on My 15th 2025. The fund reported holding 8,726,972 shares as of March 31, 2025, an increase from 8,235,533 shares reported at the end of 2024. This increased exposure showcases the perception change regarding Bitcoin and crypto in general after President Trump has taken office. Back at the end of 2024, UAE Mubadala, a sovereign investment fund, revealed in an SEC Filing that in late 2024 it invested $436 million worth in BlackRock’s Ishares Bitcoin Trust ETF. The disclosure was made through a 13F filing with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC).

While Saudi Central Bank better known as SAMA in a recent SEC ( Securities and Commodities Exchange) 13F filing disclosed that it has invested and holds 25,656 shares in MicroStrategy Inc. For those not familiar with MicroStrategy, now known as Strategy, it is an award-winning AI (Artificial Intelligence) and Business Intelligence platform trusted to deliver intelligence everywhere, on any cloud, at enterprise scale. It is also one of the biggest buyers of Bitcoin. Its strategy has been to issue equity, debt and preferred stock to acquire the digital currency, and it has been on a buying spree.

Even Bahrain based Al Abraaj Restaurants Group B.S.C. (Ticker: ABRAAJ) (“Company”), a public listed company on the Bahrain Bourse, has announced that it put Bitcoin on its balance sheet. The Group has purchased Bitcoin in partnership with U.S. based 10X Capital, becoming the first publicly traded company in the Kingdom of Bahrain, the Gulf Cooperation Council (“GCC”), and the Middle East to acquire Bitcoin as a treasury asset.

MENA Governments all in on AI and Blockchain

It is no secret that Saudi Arabia is investing in AI as is UAE and Qatar. Additionally the UAE has been implementing blockchain within the government over the years but in recent times Abu Dhabi has stated it will utilize blockchain in the government. Agile Dynamics, a UAE based consulting firm, will work to develop a sovereign quantum resistant blockchain infrastructure with Abu Dhabi Department of Government Enablement in UAE. Agile Dynamics has been selected as the program’s strategic partner, while ADI Blockchain Foundation will be developing an AED stablecoin to be issued by First Abu Dhabi Bank, with the support of ADQ a sovereign investor and IHC an investor as well.

Then ofcourse there is Qatar with its digital asset tokenization strategy and Digital Assets Lab. Recently during the Qatar Economic Foundation, attendees got a glimpse of a future that might include stablecoins. The UAE is well ahead with its stablecoin regulations and its AECOIN.

PAL sees Bitcoin growth phase

Amidst all this Pal believes “With the dollar breaking down even today, it’s starting to suggest this may go into Q2 2026,” he said. Since the beginning of the year, the US Dollar Index has been down 8.995, sitting at 98.77 at the time of writing, according to data from TradingView. Bitcoin and DXY are inversely correlated. This means that when the dollar weakens, Bitcoin becomes more attractive not just as a speculative investment but as an alternative currency.

Pal also added that macroeconomic data has been a primary reason why the crypto cycle has always shifted further back. “It’s like the whole cycle got shifted cause rates didn’t get adjusted; the dollar was sideways for some time,” he said. He also said that the current market may show signs of looking like the market in 2020 more than the one in 2021, suggesting that it could be at an earlier growth phase than many are predicting.

Bitcoin began 2020 at $7,174, but dropped by 27% in March to $5,227. The asset then rebounded 129% to hit $11,990 in August, before witnessing a 304% increase, ending the year at $28,993.

Will the Banking sector take over crypto exchanges using stablecoins?

Will the Banking sector take over crypto exchanges using stablecoins?

In an article this week on CNN Business Arabic, Bitget crypto exchange COO and Bitgo MENA regional Manager gave their views on how banks are entering the crypto space through stablecoins. This comes as the United States passed the Genius Act in the Senate, and now is going to the House with extra push from Trump himself.

The article notes that stablecoins have gained a steady ground within the banking sector as regulatory legislation advances in the United States and Europe. Several major banks have entered pilot tests or begun developing their own stablecoins.

According to CoinDesk data, the market capitalization of stablecoins hit an all-time high of $251.7 billion, up 22% so far this year, with Citi Group noting that stablecoin market will reach $3.7 trillion by 2030.

In the CNN article Vugar Usi Zade, COO of Bitget, the world’s fourth-largest cryptocurrency exchange, noted that this trend reflects the importance of stablecoins as an integral part of the financial landscape. He emphasized that the entry of banks does not mean the end of trading platforms. “We don’t just provide financial services; we are the financing tools of the future,” he said.

For his part, Nick Coombs, Regional Director of BitGO in MENA, sees collaboration as the future of the sector and a great opportunity for expansion. “Big banks are by nature slow and conservative. We provide them with the digital infrastructure they couldn’t build on their own,” he told CNN Business.


Bitgo, the custodian of the USD1 stablecoin, provides turnkey solutions for banks through its “Stablecoin-as-a-Service” service. It also offers technologies such as “Advanced Key Management,” which allows banks to issue their own currencies at lower costs and with ready-made infrastructure.

Vugar that the entrance of banks into the crypto domain, will lead to more control over custody services which could lead to more centralization. The absence of crypto self custody services means less privacy notes Vugar. Yet he sees the future as hybrid, between crypto exchanges, crypto custodian and banking sector.

Nick Coombs explains that crypto is being reshaped today to serve the very system it was born to oppose, but banks will still need to partner with specialized entities like BitGo to ensure security, compliance, and speed in developing new products. “Because of their cautious nature, banks will not service many emerging blockchains, as they will focus on Bitcoin, even though there are thousands of blockchains that need the services of companies like us,” he added.

Vugar adds, “What distinguishes us is speed, innovation, and our commitment to a culture of decentralization. We are not replicating the experience of banks, but rather reinventing it.” He said, “Stablecoins have changed the rules of the game in cross-border payments, and they offer tremendous advantages, given their speed and competitive cost of no more than 0.1%.” He predicted that this market will grow within five years, with stablecoin adoption increasing tenfold.

He predicted that we will soon witness initial public offerings (IPOs) for cryptocurrency exchanges, as they are technology companies. This will attract significant investments, allow them to grow, and possibly acquire small and medium-sized banks to offer banking products to a global audience.

The article notes that with the entrance of banks, will crypto be losing the reason for its creation, or will a new financial system emerge.

Aqua-Index water backed digital asset token to be launched in UAE

Aqua-Index water backed digital asset token to be launched in UAE

UAE based DMCC, the Dubai commodities free zone, signed an MOU with AQUA-INDEX, a global pioneer in water commodities trading to launch the world’s first digital asset token backed by freshwater resources.

As per the press release, this will revolutionize how water is traded, valued and managed globally.

The token – the first of its kind globally – is backed by verified, drinking-quality water stored in global reservoirs and will enable investors, hedgers, traders and the general public to trade, hold and take delivery of fresh water as a commodity. By combining financial innovation with water market expertise, the partnership offers a practical mechanism for unlocking new liquidity and transparency in global water supply chains.

Under the partnership, AQUA-INDEX will benefit from DMCC’s extensive global network, world-class services, advanced infrastructure, and leading commodity marketplace, facilitating the effective trading and investment in water assets. AQUA-INDEX will enhance the availability and exchange of knowledge around global water usage and pricing and provide access to essential trading and hedging products for DMCC and its member companies.

DMCC will not directly own or manage the token itself.

Ahmed Bin Sulayem, Executive Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, DMCC, said, “Nearly half the global population experiences water scarcity for at least part of the year, yet water remains the only critical resource without a mature, regulated market. We are proud to partner with AQUA-INDEX to drive a transparent, neutral, and legally coherent structure and marketplace for water to secure the future of a resource that has long been undervalued.

This is the next clear milestone in the formation of DMCC Water Centre, where we will not only bring the conversation of water to the forefront, but also attract the sector’s leading companies to create a global centre in Dubai for water innovation, security, sustainable best practice, knowledge and education, while ensuring that the world’s most transported commodity has the ability to reach water distressed areas.”

Yaacov Shirazi, Chairman and Founder of AQUA INDEX, added, “Pricing water by the value of its usage, standardization of water by its mineral content and quality, and turning water to a new asset class for a financial trading, is a gamechanger in the world economy. It will establish new levels of water management which prevents scarcity, contamination, and lack of access.”

The Water Centre brings together WaterTech innovators, logistics providers and commodity traders under one platform.

UAE SaturnX stablecoin infrastructure provider raises $3 million

UAE SaturnX stablecoin infrastructure provider raises $3 million

UAE based SaturnX, the infrastructure provider for stablecoin-based cross-border payments, closes a $3 million seed round. The round was led by White Star Capital, with participation from strategic institutional investors. The company enables businesses and financial institutions to move money globally through an API-first platform that leverages stablecoin liquidity, smart FX routing, and regulatory-compliant payout networks. SaturnX supports cross-border payments in major remittance corridors and is rapidly expanding into Southeast Asia and Africa

Founded by Mirnas Brescic, who brings 15 years of experience in FX, treasury, and digital assets across institutions like Rain, Bitpanda and the IAEA, SaturnX serves as a behind-the-scenes API layer for B2B money transmitters, corporates and financial platforms. In just five months of operation, the company has already processed over $250 million in transaction volume, while maintaining profitability.

The capital will be used to accelerate SaturnX’s expansion into new payment corridors in Southeast Asia, including the Philippines, Bangladesh, Indonesia, Pakistan, strengthen regulatory infrastructure, and continue building its end-to-end API platform for enterprise-grade stablecoin payments.

As per the press release, with more than $600 billion in global annual remittance flows and rising demand for digital dollars in emerging markets, SaturnX is positioned to become a critical backend provider for the future of borderless payments by modernizing how money moves across borders, offering instant, low-cost stablecoin transfers for financial institutions, fintechs, and global remittance providers.

“Our vision is to connect the worlds of decentralised and traditional finance with infrastructure that brings the benefits of stablecoins to everyday financial use cases,” said Mirnas Brescic, CEO and Founder of SaturnX. “Despite considerable progress, cross-border payments are still expensive and slow. By offering a faster, cheaper, and programmable alternative, we’re helping financial partners unlock better ways to move money, starting with the world’s largest remittance corridors.”

The company pre-funds stablecoin liquidity pools in key markets, aggregates FX pricing in real time, and ensures regulatory compliance via partnerships and licensing pathways. Its flagship corridor, from the Gulf region to South Asia, collectively enables hundreds of millions in annual volume.

“We’re excited to back SaturnX at the forefront of a new payment infrastructure layer,” said Sep Alavi, General Partner at White Star Capital. “They’re operating in one of the most strategically important corridors globally, solving a massive pain point for cross-border remittances and B2B payments. Mirnas brings unmatched experience in FX, treasury, and crypto, and he’s already shown his ability to execute at speed.”

Speaking to Lara on the Block on the upcoming Genius Act for stablecoins in the USA, Brescic noted, “Regulation will bring the clarity and confidence required for a broader stablecoin adoption. It is definitely a positive development in the medium to long-term. SaturnX is stablecoin agnostic. With the regulatory clarity we see even more corporates using stablecoins to send or receive value globally. This is the market segment we want to support with our infrastructure.”


ADGM amends crypto regulations to attract more VASPs

ADGM amends crypto regulations to attract more VASPs

The Financial Services Authority (FSRA) of ADGM has implemented amendments to its regulatory framework for digital assets. The implementation of these amendments follows extensive industry engagement and feedback received on Consultation Paper No. 11 of 2024, with an aim to make their regulations more comprehensive and simpler.

The focus of the implemented amendments is on revisions to the process whereby Virtual Assets (VAs) are accepted for use as Accepted Virtual Assets (AVAs) in ADGM, alongside appropriate capital requirements and fees for Authorised Persons conducting Regulated Activities in relation to VAs (VA Firms). The amendments also introduce a specific product intervention power in relation to VAs as well as enshrining rules that confirm our existing approach to the prohibition of using privacy tokens and algorithmic stablecoins within ADGM. Finally, the amendments expand the scope of investments in which Venture Capital Funds may invest.

The FSRA has updated the Guidance – Regulation of Virtual Asset Activities in ADGM to reflect the implemented measures and to provide further guidance to VA Firms in relation to applying the AVA assessment criteria.

Emmanuel Givanakis, Chief Executive Officer of ADGM’s FSRA said, “The implementation of these changes marks a significant milestone in the evolution of the FSRA’s framework for digital asset regulation. Through extensive consultation with industry stakeholders, we have further enhanced our framework to provide the regulatory certainty that industry participants need, while addressing the evolving risks of the digital asset ecosystem. We believe this further positions ADGM as a premier jurisdiction for digital asset-related activities and shows our commitment to fostering responsible innovation in financial services.”

Assesing the amended virtual asset regulations, Kokila Alagh noted that the amendments are a bold move to streamline digital asset regulation. She states on LinkedIN, “The Financial Services Regulatory Authority (FSRA) has transitioned from a regulator-led “Accepted Virtual Asset” approval model to a self-assessment regime by authorized VA Firms.”

She explains, this means authorised Persons (VA Firms) must self-assess Virtual Assets using enhanced AVA criteria; notification-only to FSRA before commencing activity; firms must publish and maintain a list of approved AVAs on their website; and ongoing monitoring to ensure continued compliance.

She added, ” The FSRA has also enhanced the assessment criteria for determining whether a Virtual Asset meets the requirements of being an AVA. The updated criteria basis includes, *Traceability & monitoring, *Security standards, *Market profile, *Exchange connectivity, DLT infrastructure, Innovation/efficiency and Practical functionality.”

Hoko advertising agency acquires UAE metaverse company Everdome

Hoko advertising agency acquires UAE metaverse company Everdome

Hoko Agency, known for its cutting-edge campaigns for global brands including Mercedes-Benz, DP World, Hublot, Red Bull, Zegna, and LVMH, has announced the acquisition of UAE metaverse company Everdome.

As per the press release the strategic acquisition supports the growth of HumAIn Assets, Hoko’s newest venture aimed at reimagining content creation through a fusion of human creativity, artificial intelligence, and community engagement.

Since its inception in 2022, Everdome has delivered metaverse experiences for partners such as OKX and Alpine Web3, while playing a key role in initiatives like the UAE government’s Jahiz program. Their success has been driven by a nimble, Web3-native approach, community-focused storytelling, and a deep understanding of immersive digital marketing.

Through this acquisition, Everdome’s $DOME token and core leadership team will integrate into HumAIn Assets, a platform designed to reshape the way digital content, from imagery to video to copy, is commissioned, created, and delivered.

At the helm of this initiative are Bally Singh, Chairman of Hoko Agency; Scott Melker, a leading voice in Web3 media; and Everdome CEO Jeremy Lopez, who brings extensive expertise in Web3 execution, creative marketing, and community engagement.

“Our mission is simple: to deliver scalable, high-quality content without compromising on emotional resonance, timing, or creativity,” said Bally Singh. “While AI can automate much of the process, the final layer, the taste, context, and timing, remains inherently human. That’s what elevates content from acceptable to exceptional.”

HumAIn Assets is being developed to strike the right balance, leveraging AI for speed while maintaining human oversight to ensure quality and relevance. Everdome’s expertise in rapid, high-impact storytelling and immersive campaigns makes it a powerful addition to this vision.

“Web2 unlocked the creator economy. Web3 introduced true creator ownership. AI brings unprecedented speed,” said Scott Melker, Co-founder of HumAIn Assets. “The real breakthrough lies in integrating all three to build a sustainable, creator-first system. This isn’t about hype, it’s about creating the future of content production.”

“In Web3, community isn’t a buzzword, it’s the backbone,” Melker added. “When your audience becomes your collaborators, you’re not just marketing to people, you’re building with them.”

Jeremy Lopez, CEO of Everdome, commented: “Everdome was built on the belief that digital experiences can be bold, creative, and community-led. Joining Hoko and contributing to the vision for HumAIn Assets gives us the opportunity to build lasting infrastructure for the future of the creative economy.”

With this acquisition, HumAIn Assets accelerates its ambition to combine the usability and scalability of Web2 platforms, hallmarks of companies like Uber, Fiverr, and Instagram, with the transparency, decentralized engagement, and payment systems of Web3, all enhanced by the capabilities of AI.

Currently in invite-only beta, HumAIn Assets is already delivering results for select clients. With live briefs, active production, and content delivery underway, the venture is moving beyond proof-of-concept and toward becoming a new industry standard.