GEM Digital investment adds $50 million to its $10 million investment in UAE metaverse project

GEM Digital investment adds $50 million to its $10 million investment in UAE metaverse project

Bahamas based digital asset investment firm GEM Digital, which invests in tokens, has added $50 million to its $10 million investment in UAE Everdome Everdome a hyper-realistic metaverse that will bring brands and people together.Everdome had also received investment from BNBChain, OKx, and Unreal engine.

Everdome will use the proceeds of the investment to boost infrastructure and allow heavy traffic loads in a high-fidelity environment. As per Everdome announcement the first $10 million received from GEM Digital has already been drawn down by Everdome for the development of the metaverse project.

GEM’s increased investment commitment follows Everdome’s recent change of management in appointing Jeremy Lopez as CEO, and clearly demonstrates their strongest support of the new management’s previous track record and commitment to the vision of our project moving forward.

Jeremy developed the relationship with GEM during his previous role as COO, while also assisting in the partnership with Alfa Romeo F1 Team and securing OKX as a key strategic partner.

Investment will be completely focused on the fundamentals necessary to take Everdome to the next level of success, including product development, scalability and growth. These fundamentals include core product delivery, to ensure Everdome opens to the public as soon as possible, infrastructure boosting to allow heavy traffic loads in a high-fidelity environment, tools for users to create and build inside Everdome as well as growth in users and partners.

GEM‘s investment comes in the form of a further structured token subscription agreement. Everdome will control the timing and the number of drawdowns under this facility, and has no minimum drawdown obligation.

At its discretion, Everdome has the ability to sell up to 200% of their average daily volume, in tokens across multiple exchanges to GEM Digital.

Everdome CEO, Jeremy Lopez stated, ‘’The expansion of the investment commitment from GEM Digital is a huge show of faith in Everdome’s concept, our growth to date, and the capacity of the management team to quickly scale the company across multiple fronts, in marketing, infrastructure, product releases and partnership acquisitions, taking Everdome from concept to a business with real ROI and a vibrantly active metaverse community on a global scale. GEM has been much more than a financial partner; they have been supportive throughout our partnership discussions and have helped open doors with new partners and exchanges.’’

USA based Blockchain enterprise entity and UAE Blockchain Suvik tech to bring Web3 technologies to UAE

USA based Blockchain enterprise entity and UAE Blockchain Suvik tech to bring Web3 technologies to UAE

Blockedge Technologies Inc., an enterprise blockchain technology platform, and UAE based Suvik Technologies FZE, a public blockchain technology company, have signed an MOU ( Memorandum of Understanding) to form a joint venture out of Dubai UAE. The join venture will create tools that empower organization to migrate to Web3 technologies.

Blockedge brings its infrastructure automation platform, expertise to develop decentralized applications and interoperable blockchain solutions. At the same time, Suvik group brings its proprietary trading system for crypto assets and Plugin – a Decentralized Oracle Platform built on XDC Network.

“Web3 is all about building system-backed trust to facilitate trusted peer-to-peer transactions,” said Srinivas Mahankali, Chief Business Officer of Blockedge Technologies Inc. “To accelerate the adoption of Web3 technologies globally, we have come together to leverage each other’s strengths to create the required infrastructure layer to encourage and empower over 1000 organizations in the next three years,” he added.

Vinod Khurana, Co-Founder of Plugin Decentralized Oracle on XDC Network and CEO of Suvik Group added, “The creation of the joint venture between Blockedge and Suvik has come at the right time and place and has the potential to add immense value to the blockchain ecosystem. With this venture, we aim to launch decentralized applications across industries, with an initial focus on Agriculture, Healthcare, Supply chain, and E-commerce”.

The partnership will be converted into a 55:45 joint venture based in Dubai, specifically focusing on the Middle East, Asia Pacific, and North America.

Saudi Arabian Investment fund main investor in OPNX tokenized crypto exchange

Saudi Arabian Investment fund main investor in OPNX tokenized crypto exchange

Saudi Arabian Tuwaiq Investment Fund part of Jadwa Investment Fund has invested a substantial amount in OPNX tokenized crypto exchange for bankrupt crypto companies. KSA based Tuwaiq Investment Fund is a real estate opportunistic fund managed by Jadwa Investment yet as per OPNX they are also a digital asset fund.

The statement was made in an OPNX tweet as they expressed their thanks to investors who had participated in the $25 million raise. As per the tweet, “As we approach the launch of claims for our first estate, Celsius, we’d like to express gratitude to everyone who believed in our mission of helping 20M+ claimants. A special thank you goes to our major investors, including AppWorks, Susquehanna (SIG), DRW, MIAX Group, Merchant Bank International, Token Bay Capital, Nascent, Tuwaiq Limited and many more.”

The tweet goes on to state, “They contributed not just capital, but also incredible feedback throughout the process of refining our vision, product offerings, tokenomics, legal framework & decision to relocate to HK. Token Bay Capital: HK fund specializing in fast emerging web3 startups across Asia Pacific.  Nascent: Early stage venture firm who provided incredible feedback to our team and- Tuwaiq Limited: Saudi Digital Asset Fund.

OPNX exchange aims to tokenize users’ claims to bankrupted crypto companies, allowing them to use bankruptcy claims as collateral to trade perpetuals’.

OPNX will acquire all assets of CoinFLEX including people, tech, and tokens. $FLEX will be the exchange token. As per OPNX website, “ A $20 billion market of claimants is desperately looking for a solution. This list includes FTX, Voyager, Celsius, Genesis, BlockFi, Mt Gox, and our creditors.”

Prior to this OPNX exchange, was recently tagged by Dubai’s VARA (Virtual Asset Regulatory Authority) as not regulated in the UAE, and rumors had surfaced that it was Bahrain sovereign wealth fund that had invested in the company. Yet now it is obvious that it was a KSA fund.

UAE based Venom Blockchain to launch testnet at end of April 2023

UAE based Venom Blockchain to launch testnet at end of April 2023

UAE based Venom Blockchain announced that its testnet would be going live by the end of April 2023. Venom was the first blockchain foundation to be granted a license to operate in Abu Dhabi’s ADGM (Abu Dhabi Global Market).

The testnet is designed to suit both ecosystem users and developers and allows developers to test and debug dApps and blockchain protocols, while providing users with an immersive experience of these applications. As per the news, the Venom team believes that the testnet will encourage innovation and community building within its ecosystem, which is vital for growth and sustainability.

To engage with the Venom testnet, users will need to carry out two simple steps before being able to explore a variety of dApps built on Venom. Simply install the Venom wallet as a Google chrome browser extension or through either the app or Google play store. Secondly, users can jumpstart their journey of testing the Venom ecosystem by claiming testnet VENOM tokens.

The Venom testnet, will feature a diverse array of dApps. Some of these will be native to the Venom ecosystem, such as Venom Scan, while others have been developed by external projects and partners

For developers, Venom is offering the opportunity to try their hand at building on the asynchronous Venom blockchain which boasts ultra-fast speed at 100k TPS, and a dynamic Sharding feature that enhances scalability and network reliability. To kick things off, Venom has curated a repository of developer documentation to equip developers with the necessary tools and knowledge to start building.

Prior to this, UAE based Venom Ventures Fund, a Web3 and blockchain innovation fund managed by Abu Dhabi-based investment fund manager Iceberg Capital Limited, has invested $5 million in Everscale, a premier blockchain platform that aims to solve the scalability issues bogging down the Web3 industry.

The $5 million will be used by Everscale to expand its development teams and boost the number of projects.

The investment came after Venom Ventures Fund announced it was allocating $1 billion to invest in Web3, blockchain and cryptocurrency projects and services. This is the first $1 billion fund for Web3 and Blockchain to originate from the MENA region. Prior to this UAE Cypher Capital had announced its allocation of $200 million for Blockchain, Web3 and Crypto at the end of 2022 and Shurooq Partners had allocated $150 million for the same.

Finally Venom Foundation, announced it was cooperating with DAO Maker, a prominent blockchain growth solutions provider recognized for their Launchpad, to incubate innovative Web3 firms with an emphasis on providing real-world use cases.

Has OPNX tokenized exchange for bankrupt crypto companies’ raised large funds from Bahrain?

Has OPNX tokenized exchange for bankrupt crypto companies’ raised large funds from Bahrain?

OPNX exchange, which was recently tagged by Dubai’s VARA (Virtual Asset Regulatory Authority) as not regulated in the UAE, has been rumored to have investors from Bahrain, in the form of the Bahrain sovereign wealth fund given it has recently raised $25 million.

According to a  tweet by BitMEXcrypto exchange founder Arthur Hayes, “A little birdie told me that OPNX has raised big money from Bahrain Sovereign Wealth Fund. They are trading via Tai Ping Shan. Be Warned. I want my fucking money.”

Bahrain’s sovereign fund Mumtalakt website didn’t show any investment in OPNX directly but it is noted that the sovereign fund is an investor in Al Waha Fund whose portfolio consists of venture capital funds which could have invested in OPNX given that some of them have invested in crypto and blockchain entities before. 

OPNX exchange  aims to tokenize users’ claims to bankrupted crypto companies, allowing them to use bankruptcy claims as collateral to trade perpetuals’.

Kyle Davies said the fundraising deal was done, but he didn’t disclose the investors. OPNX will acquire all assets of CoinFLEX including people, tech, and tokens. $FLEX will be the exchange token. As per OPNX website, “ A $20 billion market of claimants is desperately looking for a solution. This list includes FTX, Voyager, Celsius, Genesis, BlockFi, Mt Gox, and our creditors.”

According to the website, OPNX will combine the transparency of decentralized finance with the user experience of centralized finance platforms, so that traders no longer need to compromise on performance or security— allowing them to trade claims, spot and futures all on one platform, with one universal account.

OPNX is offering spot and futures trading for major tokens such as bitcoin (BTC), ether (ETH), dogecoin (DOGE) and USD coin (USDC). Claims’ trading is expected to go live in the coming weeks, according to Lamb.

CoinFLEX’s FLEX token will serve as the native token of the OPNX platform. Holders can get up to a 50% discount on trading fees with the token, which will be periodically burned, or permanently taken out of circulation. That may potentially improve value for FLEX holders in the future if demand and traction for OPNX increases and the supply gradually decrease.

Zhu Su and Kyle Davies, the founders of bankrupt hedge fund Three Arrows Capital, last month teamed with the co-founders of troubled crypto exchange CoinFLEX to create Open Exchange, calling it the “world’s first public marketplace for crypto claims trading and derivatives,” as CoinDesk reported

Bahrain regulated CoinMENA crypto broker exchange now serving Iraq

Bahrain regulated CoinMENA crypto broker exchange now serving Iraq

CoinMENA announced on LinkedIn that residents and citizens of Iraq can now use CoinMENA to trade crypto safely and easily. This will be the 8th country in the region supported by CoinMENA.

CoinMENA is a crypto broker licensed from Bahrain.

As per Dina Sam’an, Founder and Managing Director of CoinMENA, “We are committed to being the simplest and safest way for investors in MENA to trade in digital assets. Adding Iraq to our list of supported countries brings us closer to our goal of providing premium financial services, built on crypto rails, to the entire MENA region. We are excited to welcome the people of Iraq to our community and look forward to providing them with the best crypto trading user experience in the region.”

CoinMENA currently serves clients in Bahrain, UAE, KSA, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Egypt and now Iraq.

Prior to this CoinMENA launched the CoinMENA University, a free educational platform offering over 100 articles and numerous videos to educate those interested in the world of cryptocurrency.

Sam’an stated at the time, “We strongly believe that education is a crucial component of driving the long-term adoption of cryptocurrencies, and we’re committed to making it accessible to everyone.”

Decentralized Autonomous Organizations will soon have a home in UAE ADGM

Decentralized Autonomous Organizations will soon have a home in UAE ADGM

UAE Abu Dhabi Global Market’s registration authority is seeking to develop regulations for DLT ( Distributed Ledger Technology) decentralized autonomous organizations and has started with the issuance of a consultation paper seeking replies before May 12th 2023.

For the proposed Distributed Ledger Technology Foundations Regulations 2023, ADGM is seeking public feedback and comments on the proposed new legislative framework for foundations that facilitate Distributed Ledger Technology (DLT) and token issuance (DLT Foundations).

As per the announcement, the Consultation Paper is of interest to any persons operating or planning DLT projects, persons engaging in digital asset related activities and their legal advisors, as well as DLT industry participants, associations, and stakeholders.

The RA’s key proposals for the Distributed Ledger Technology Foundations Regulations cover: the structure of the DLT Foundations; governance and control; tokens; reporting, disclosures and publication; beneficial ownership; supervision; insolvency and liquidation / voluntary strike off.

This new legislative framework showcases ADGM RA’s recognition of the overall suitability of foundation structures for DLT projects, and the RA’s alignment with ADGM’s strategy to facilitate and support crypto initiatives.

ADGM had received interest concerning the use of ADGM foundations for DLT purposes and the issuance of non-regulated utility tokens. However, whilst foundations are inherently well suited to DLT projects, there are certain features and requirements within ADGM’s current foundations regimes that impose constraints that are not desirable for DLT projects.

The ADGM registration authority, recognizing the overall suitability of foundation structures for DLT projects, seeks to facilitate and support crypto initiatives, as such decided to prepare a new legislative framework to cater for DLT projects and token issuance.

Decentralization is a core principle of many DLT projects, which prizes the transfer of authority and control away from centralized entities or groups to a distributed network of project participants. The perceived advantages of decentralization are rooted in this idea of decentralized governance, which its advocates believe promises a number of benefits, including more equitable ownership and value distribution among stakeholders, insulation from the vested interests of particular individuals or groups, reduced risk of censorship, and greater diversity.

So for these kinds of DLT projects, the concept of the “decentralized autonomous organization” (DAO) has emerged as the ideal-type governance structure.

Qatar’s Financial Center Authority just signed a second MOU for blockchain and digital assets

Qatar’s Financial Center Authority just signed a second MOU for blockchain and digital assets

Once again the Qatar Financial Centre Authority (QFCA) financial business center is on a sprint run with Blockchain, first with its MOU signed with Blockchain solution provider R3 and now with its MOU signed Blockchain SettleMint platform. The agreement with Settlemint will also as with R3 work on Blockchain and digital asset initiatives in the financial sector. 

The MoU aims to explore potential synergies with industry participants, including financial institutions, fintech firms, and corporate organisations, to accelerate the adoption of blockchain and digital asset business models and solutions.

Yousuf Mohamed Al-Jaida, Chief Executive Officer, QFC, stated “We are delighted to collaborate with SettleMint Blockchain LTD to explore use cases of blockchain technology and digital assets in Qatar’s financial industry. This partnership reflects the QFC’s commitment to supporting innovation and identifying new opportunities that benefit our stakeholders and Qatar’s wider financial ecosystem. To that end, we look forward to future joint initiatives with SettleMint.”

Matthew Van Niekerk, Founder & CEO, SettleMint, added, “At SettleMint, we are passionate about empowering developers to easily build on web3 infrastructure and enabling companies to unleash the full potential of blockchain technology for their clients and the ecosystems in which they operate. SettleMint has been supporting the financial industry for several years from experimentation to production application. We are thrilled to partner with the QFC and leverage their expertise and network to drive blockchain adoption and innovation in Qatar’s financial sector.”

Settlemint was one of the first blockchain companies to set up shop in the GCC region back in 2016. By 2021, Settlemint was in discussions in Bahrain and UAE with government and private sectors alongside their partners in the region. 

Settlemint was collaborating on projects in supplychain, finance and banking sectors. 

At the end of 2022, SettleMint raised $18 million in Series A funding led by Molten Ventures. The raised funds were to be used to solidify their position in Europe, Middle East, India and Singapore as well as expand into the Japanese market. 

The First Islamic Bank goes live on UAE Blockchain enabled KYC platform

The First Islamic Bank goes live on UAE Blockchain enabled KYC platform

Abu Dhabi Islamic Bank (ADIB) has become the first Islamic bank that went live on the UAE’s KYC (Know Your Customer) Blockchain Platform.

The UAE KYC Blockchain Platform is expected to accelerate the opening of bank accounts for newly registered companies while paving the way for a less cumbersome and costly process of managing KYC data for firms already registered with the system. It will also facilitate a faster, more secure onboarding and exchange of digital customer data and documents; this will be carried out through advanced blockchain-powered distributed technologies.

The initiative was launched in February 2020 by Dubai’s Department of Economy and Tourism (DET) with the partnership of four founding member banks; three listed lenders which are Emirates NBD, Commercial Bank of Dubai (CBD), and Abu Dhabi Commercial Bank (ADCB), in addition to HSBC.

Norbloc Blockchain KYC solution provider implemented the KYC Blockchain platform to facilitate a faster, more secure onboarding and exchange of digital customer data and documents through advanced blockchain-powered distributed technologies, a first of its kind in the region.

Currently, KYC Blockchain Platform has expanded after the joining of Dubai International Financial Centre (DIFC), Ras Al Khaimah Free Trade Zone (RAKEZ), RAK International Corporate Centre (RAK ICC), the listed Mashreq Bank, and WioBank.

Acting Global Head of Retail Banking at ADIB, Samih Awadhalla, said: “When ADIB joined the UAE KYC Blockchain Consortium, we did so with the clear goal of developing onboarding operations and providing more secure ways of handling and exchanging data.”

The CEO of Dubai Business License Corporation, Ahmad Khalifa Al Falasi, said: “Through this advanced mechanism, we aim to further improve the ease of doing business, and overall, further enhance and ensure regulatory compliance in the UAE.  As blockchain is a breakthrough technology, we see tremendous potential in streamlining services and operations, saving time, money, and resources for everyone involved – individuals, companies, and government bodies.”

Meanwhile, Astyanax Kanakakis, CEO and Co-Founder of norbloc, said: “The continued expansion of the UAE KYC Blockchain Platform to include key banking institutions, such as ADIB, further strengthens the network which has been live for three years now. ADIB is the third financial institution to join from the emirate of Abu Dhabi, ensuring that norbloc’s Fides platform will continue to provide a significantly better KYC experience for both financial institutions and their clients across the UAE.”

In 2022, the Blockchain KYC Fides Platform built by Norbloc for both Dubai Economy and DIFC will become one platform for entire UAE. At the time Dubai Economy and Dubai International Financial Centre (DIFC) Authority agreed  to consolidate efforts and expand the UAE KYC (Know Your Customer) Blockchain Consortium positioning it as the national corporate e-KYC Platform, making it the first such platform in the region. Previously both entities had launched separate blockchain KYC consortiums both using Norbloc Blockchain platform. DIFC in March of 2020 had launched their initiative with Mashreq Bank, while Dubai Economy had launched with a handful of UAE Banks a month prior to DIFC.  Both DIFC and Dubai Economy had chosen to use the FIDES platform from Blockchain entity Norbloc.

The first phase went live in 2020 and more entities have joined since resulting in the platform holding close to 50 per cent of corporate e-KYC records in UAE.