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.

UAE financial freezone center, based out of Abu Dhabi, ADGM ( Abu Dhabi Global Market) has registered its second DLT Foundation.The Finschia DLT Foundation, chaired by Youngsu Ko, has been registered as a Distributed Ledger Technology (DLT) Foundation with the ADGM.

IOTA DLT Foundation announced its registration as the first foundation under the DLT Foundations Regulations at ADGM in November 2023.

First established in March 2023 by LINE Tech Plus, a blockchain subsidiary of LINE, the Finschia DLT Foundation is a foundation dedicated to developing sustainable token models in collaboration with global Web3 users. The Finschia Foundation aims to accelerate expansion into global Web3 business initiatives.

The Finschia Foundation has registered as the first Asian blockchain project under the Distributed Ledger Technology (DLT) Foundations Regulations of ADGM. Additionally, the Finschia Foundation is set to develop accessible Web3 services for global users in collaboration with various enterprises in Abu Dhabi, based on its public blockchain ‘Finschia’.

Youngsu Ko, Chairman of the Finschia Foundation Council, stated, “ADGM is advancing as one of the most blockchain-friendly and leading digital asset regulatory environments globally. We anticipate significant progress through our collaboration with ADGM.”

The Finschia Foundation is also focused on creating an open blockchain platform, designed for easy accessibility by partners and users from various sectors. In addition, they are actively working to expand the availability of their digital asset, ‘FINSCHIA (FNSA),’ across more exchanges, aiming to continually enhance its liquidity and usability.

Inheriting the philosophy of LINE Blockchain, “Blockchain for All”, the Finschia Foundation operates its third-generation public blockchain mainnet “Finschia” and crypto asset FINSCHIA (FNSA), and aims to achieve a sustainable token model with Web3 users around the world.

In January 2024 Finschia announced the merger with Klaytn Foundation, to form a new blockchain mainnet. The two foundations have submitted their proposals to their respective governance members for open discussion, with voting scheduled from 26 January till 2 February. The governance proposal submitted by Klaytn Foundation can be viewed on the Klaytn Governance Forum.

Pravica, Egyptian based blockchain solutions provider has launched S3 (Stablecoin Studio on Sui) on the Sui Blockchain. The S3 platform will allow the seamless launch of native stablecoins without the complexity of smart contract development and currency management.

S3. MONEY (S3) is set to revolutionize the global payment processing landscape by introducing a versatile and user-friendly solution for building and utilizing stablecoins on the Sui blockchain.

As per the announcement, S3 offers a key utility designed for building customizable stablecoins directly on the Sui blockchain, which in its initial phase, enables issuers to create fiat-backed stablecoins without building the bespoke technological infrastructure typically required for smart contract development and currency management.

S3 not only simplifies the process for existing stablecoin issuers, such as USDC and USDT, to integrate with Sui, but also facilitates the creation of bespoke stablecoin solutions tailored to meet specific regulatory requirements in various jurisdictions.

S3 also establishes an entirely new process for stablecoin management, offering a streamlined one-stop-shop experience through a straightforward interface. Stablecoin Studio on Sui provides intuitive, capable administration with role-based controls, enabling effortless configuration and management of stablecoins.

The platform enhances treasury command with built-in proof-of-reserve functionality and seamless integration with on-chain oracles. Integrated KYC/AML features prioritize compliance, strengthening due diligence with qualified identity verification services.

Mohamed Abdou, Founder & CEO of Pravica, expressed his enthusiasm for S3 and Sui as a foundation for Pravica’s stablecoin creator. “Based on the adoption we are already seeing and our deep experience with international payment systems, we are convinced that stablecoins will revolutionize the global payments industry. We also believe that Sui offers the most capable platform for building robust and scalable decentralized utilities. Built on top of Sui, S3 poised to become a global utility for creating customized payment solutions utilized by millions,” he said.

Beyond empowering builders to craft their own stablecoins, S3 also comes with a cutting-edge payment’s app, Walletify, which serves as a closed-loop payment solution. Walletify allows users to seamlessly transact using the stablecoins created through the S3 utility. Walletify’s closed-loop architecture, building on Sui’s unique Move-based design pattern, ensures a secure and efficient payment experience for both merchants and users.

“The team at Pravica has done incredible work and built much needed financial tooling. Stablecoin Studio on Sui removes an immense hurdle for stablecoin issuers and is set to transform the world’s payment processing industry,” said Greg Siourounis, Managing Director of the Sui Foundation. “We are extremely gratified that they have chosen to build this revolutionary solution on Sui.”

CASHIN Saudi Arabia, a POS and digital payments fintech provider and UAE based Fils, a blockchain enabled empowering climate-positive transactions, have partnered to empower CASHIN KSA’s extensive network of merchants across the kingdom, comprising a significant share of the market, to integrate Fils’s blockchain enabled enterprise-grade payments platform. Through this collaboration, merchants will gain the ability to accurately track their environmental impact, mitigate their carbon footprint with high-quality carbon credits, and transparently report their progress.

This partnership represents a significant milestone for Fils, which, following its successful ventures with other market leaders in the region, is now expanding its footprint in Saudi Arabia. By leveraging CASHIN KSA’s extensive market reach and established presence, Fils is primed to accelerate its growth trajectory and advance its mission of embedding climate positivity into every transaction.

“Our collaboration with CASHIN KSA underscores our commitment to advancing sustainability in the financial sector and aligns perfectly with our mission to empower businesses to embed climate action into their operations,” said Nameer Khan, CEO of Fils. “Together, we are not only driving positive environmental change but also supporting the climate goals of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, contributing to a greener and more sustainable future.”

According to Omar AlRammah, CEO of CASHIN KSA, this partnership exemplifies the company’s dedication to sustainability and innovation: “Our collaboration with Fils marks a significant step forward in our journey towards a more sustainable future. By integrating Fils’s cutting-edge technology into our payments infrastructure, we are advancing our commitment to environmental responsibility and paving the way for a greener financial ecosystem.”

Saudi Arabia will be hosting a Web3 Blockchain event called “Outer Edge”. The event will be held in partnership with Animoca Brands, the Blockchain gaming open metaverse company, and King Abdulaziz City for Science and Technology (KAUST), the national labs of the Kingdom. The event will be held on April 23 2024. Outer Edge Riyadh  event is set to bring together some of the biggest names in the blockchain, AI, and gaming ecosystems from all over the world to Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.

Outer Edge, historically based in LA and now expanding to the Middle East, is known for hosting memorable events and presenting invaluable networking opportunities for founders, builders, and venture capitalists in emerging technologies.

The Saudi Arabia tech revolution has already made major strides in developing various industries as the country builds a solid ecosystem for digital entrepreneurship. Saudi Arabia is focusing on enhancing its technology sector in line with the Saudi Vision 2030 plan, as businesses continue to invest in new tech such as AI, blockchain, VR, AR, and the Internet of Things. 

Outer Edge Riyadh, a partnership between Edge of Company and Animoca Brands, presented by King Abdulaziz City for Science and Technology (KACST), comes at a pivotal moment during the growth of the blockchain sphere. The partnership aims to bring together industry leaders, experts, creatives and more to Riyadh’s innovation district, The Garage, a technology hub for local and international startups. KACST’s strategic partnership with Animoca Brands includes plans for the development of a physical Web3 hub in Riyadh to enhance research and development efforts within the fields of Web3, blockchain, gaming, AI, as well as providing bespoke educational programs. 

Mohammad Hadhrawi, general manager, Gaming and Immersive Technologies Institute at KACST, notes, “At KACST’s Gaming and Immersive Technologies Institute, we are dedicated to advancing the frontiers of R&D in gaming and immersive technologies. Our efforts are aligned with the national vision and strategies, aiming to foster an innovative ecosystem that nurtures creativity, technological advancement, and economic diversification. By spearheading projects that leverage web3, AI, and immersive experiences, we aim to impact the global technology landscape and equip our nation with the skills and opportunities to excel in these fields. Our commitment is to deliver tangible outcomes that contribute to the Kingdom’s position as a leader in the economies of the future (a key priority area for the kingdom), ensuring a sustainable and prosperous future for all.” 

Joshua Kriger, Outer Edge co-founder and co-host of Edge of NFT and Edge of AI podcasts, stated, “When we started Outer Edge LA, the intent was always to catalyze innovation globally. We are thrilled to take the concept of co-creation, connection and community abroad to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and unite regional and global leaders in Web3, AI, and gaming. Our unique format cultivates long-term collaboration opportunities at the intersection of culture, entertainment, and technology.”

Outer Edge, one of the pioneer events in the world of Web3, tech, culture, and entertainment, today announced a partnership with Animoca Brands, the company advancing digital property rights for gaming and the open metaverse, and King Abdulaziz City for Science and Technology (KACST), the national labs of the Kingdom, to debut Outer Edge Riyadh on 23 April. The dynamic event is set to bring together some of the biggest names in the blockchain, AI, and gaming ecosystems from all over the world to Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.

Outer Edge, historically based in LA and now expanding to the Middle East, is known for hosting memorable events and presenting invaluable networking opportunities for founders, builders, and venture capitalists in emerging technologies.

The Saudi Arabia tech revolution has already made major strides in developing various industries as the country builds a solid ecosystem for digital entrepreneurship. Saudi Arabia is focusing on enhancing its technology sector in line with the Saudi Vision 2030 plan, as businesses continue to invest in new tech such as AI, blockchain, VR, AR, and the Internet of Things.

Outer Edge Riyadh, a partnership between Edge of Company and Animoca Brands, presented by King Abdulaziz City for Science and Technology (KACST), comes at a pivotal moment during the growth of the blockchain sphere. The partnership aims to bring together industry leaders, experts, creatives and more to Riyadh’s innovation district, The Garage, a technology hub for local and international startups. KACST’s strategic partnership with Animoca Brands includes plans for the development of a physical Web3 hub in Riyadh to enhance research and development efforts within the fields of Web3, blockchain, gaming, AI, as well as providing bespoke educational programs.

Mohammad Hadhrawi, general manager, Gaming and Immersive Technologies Institute at KACST, notes: “At KACST’s Gaming and Immersive Technologies Institute, we are dedicated to advancing the frontiers of R&D in gaming and immersive technologies. Our efforts are aligned with the national vision and strategies, aiming to foster an innovative ecosystem that nurtures creativity, technological advancement, and economic diversification. By spearheading projects that leverage web3, AI, and immersive experiences, we aim to impact the global technology landscape and equip our nation with the skills and opportunities to excel in these fields. Our commitment is to deliver tangible outcomes that contribute to the Kingdom’s position as a leader in the economies of the future (a key priority area for the kingdom), ensuring a sustainable and prosperous future for all.”

Joshua Kriger, Outer Edge co-founder and co-host of Edge of NFT and Edge of AI podcasts, said: “When we started Outer Edge LA, the intent was always to catalyze innovation globally. We are thrilled to take the concept of co-creation, connection and community abroad to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and unite regional and global leaders in Web3, AI, and gaming. Our unique format cultivates long-term collaboration opportunities at the intersection of culture, entertainment, and technology.”

Taking place on 23 April at The Garage in the center of the city, Outer Edge Riyadh will bring together industry leaders, creatives, visionaries, entrepreneurs, and investors for an experience that threads together education and entertainment, to explore beyond the implications of decentralized, Blockchain, Web3 and AI technology on society. Topics will include smart cities, gaming, esports, art, culture and more.

Notable speakers at Outer Edge Riyadh will include Yat Siu, co-founder and executive chairman of Animoca Brands; Calvin Zhou, co-founder of Shrapnel,a venture backed UGC; Salwa Radwi, founder of ‘Nuqtah’, the first Saudi NFT Marketplace; Vatom founder and CEO Eric Pulier; Amanda Cassat, founder and CEO of Serotonin; Cole Damon, CEO of AG Esports Global; Yasser N Al Obaidan, chairman of Jawraa; and Sebastien Borget, co-founder and COO of The Sandbox.

Yat Siu, the co-founder and executive chairman of Animoca Brands, added, “Through our partnership with Outer Edge Riyadh we are honoured to help support the MENA region’s progress toward fully harnessing the power of Web3 and blockchain. Global leaders at Outer Edge Riyadh will gather to engage in spirited discussions, forge valuable partnerships, create new opportunities, and mobilize on a variety of topics ranging from revolutionizing smart cities to redefining finance and entertainment.”

Recently  Co-Founder of the Satoshi Roundtable retreat, and managing director of Chainstone Labs, Bruce Fenton, stated that he is heading to Saudi Arabia to bring Blockchain and Bitcoin education and investment into the country. ChainStone Labs is a Stealth mode financial tech company focused on tokenization of securities and digital assets backed by hard assets.

While Animoca Brands continues to invest heavily in the region.

UAE Alpha Token Capital, a Dubai based cryptocurrency venture capital firm has invested in Carrieverse, a Web3 company. Utilizing the investment and partnership Alpha Token Capital will make a crypto investment in CVTX token and a strategic investment in Carrieverse.

 In addition to the investment, Carrieverse will receive strategic collaboration in global business development using Alpha Token’s partnerships and network, key opinion leader (KoL) partnerships, exchange listings, marketing, and community.

Alpha Token Capital is a global crypto venture capital firm with networks not only in Dubai but also in India and Singapore.

The virtual asset CVTX issued by Carrieverse is used as a governance token for its proprietary Web3 gaming platform ‘Cling’. ‘Cling’ will soon expand into the global market with over 30,000 DAUs in the Southeast Asian region, including the Web3 metaverse ‘Carrieverse’ and the card strategy RPG ‘Super Kola Tactics’ scheduled for a global launch in the second quarter.

David Yoon, the CEO of Carrieverse who led the investment, stated, “Carrieverse has been consistently knocking on the doors of Dubai and the MENA market, and now we are seeing the fruits of our labor. Through this investment, we will expand the ecosystem of CVTX and upgrade its value.”

A recent UAE ADGM (Abu Dhabi Global Market) survey has indicated a strong trajectory growth in several sectors including the field of Fintech and digital assets, Blockchain and Distributed Ledger Technology poised to grow by 17.08% and 16.83% respectively. In the lead is asset management growth at 18.56%.

According to ADGM press release, these sectors are reinforced by the growing interest in Sustainable Finance and Private Banking and Wealth Management, which are also projected to experience substantial growth. Furthermore, Professional Services are forecast to continue their upward trend, rounding out the sectors set for expansion within the dynamic financial landscape of the IFC

Nearly 97% of business leaders show strong support for recommending ADGM. A total of 70.81% of companies anticipate expanding their workforce in ADGM during 2024.

The robust regulatory environment acknowledged as the cornerstone of ADGM’s competitive edge. ADGM had announced earlier this year that it would be amending and updating its virtual assets framework. It then introduced its Blockchain/ DLT ( distributed ledger technology) framework.

Accordingly a research report by Wamda and Digital Digest, noted that Web3 startups in the MENA region raised $39 million in February this year. Startups in the Middle East and North Africa (Mena) region raised $88.7 million across 37 deals, a modest growth of just two per cent month-on-month in terms of deal value. Compared to the same period last year, the amount invested in February this year has fallen by 88 per cent.

The UAE remained at the top of the Mena ecosystem in terms of investment, with its startups raising $65.6 million across 22 deals, half of which went to the Flare Network.

Dubai based cyber security firm, FearsOff has partnered with HTX crypto exchange and Poloniex crypto exchange to secure and protect those crypto exchanges.

This partnership aims to improve HTX and Poloniex’s existing security infrastructure with asset and data protection by integrating FearsOff’s specialized expertise while ensuring the safety of user assets and data by addressing specific security challenges collaboratively.

According to the recent Kucoin Survey , The Cryptoverse, Understanding Crypto Users in the UAE, which revealed insights into the UAE’s role as a crypto hub, it was found that 48 percent of UAE crypto users are concerned about lack of trust in crypto exchanges, with 63 percent of them prioritizing security

The Chief Operating Officer at FearsOff, Marwan Hachem, commented “We’re thrilled to partner with HTX and Poloniex, and commend their leadership for taking proactive measures to be one step ahead of future threats. Often, the best defense is a good offense; this collaboration enables us to identify and neutralize potential vulnerabilities before malicious hackers can exploit them, thereby preventing future breaches.”

Prior to its official Dubai debut in 2022, the FearsOff core team of veteran ethical hackers collaborated for over 15 years on hundreds of projects. One key to FearsOff’s success is integrating deep research into innovative, proprietary tools and software, enhancing assessment capabilities.

This comes as more and more exchanges in the UAE are receiving regulatory licenses.

Network International (Network), the leading enabler of digital commerce across the Middle East and Africa (MEA) region, collaborated with virtual asset service provider CoinMENA FZE, to provide users with a seamless and secure onramp from fiat to crypto via card deposits.

The announcement was made at a signing ceremony led by Pankaj Kundra, Group Head of Products, Partnerships, and Enterprises at Network International, and Talal Tabbaa, CEO of CoinMENA.

CoinMENA is regulated and licensed by Dubai’s Virtual Asset Regulatory Authority, and the Central Bank of Bahrain. CoinMENA enables investors to buy, sell, send, receive, and store digital assets safely and securely.

CoinMENA Co-Founders Talal Tabbaa and Dina Sam’an said in a joint statement, “Partnering with Network International, the leading enabler of digital commerce in the MENA region, marks a significant milestone in our commitment to providing our users in the UAE with seamless and secure onramps to crypto. With the ability to deposit fiat to their CoinMENA wallet instantly via cards, our users can now experience a streamlined and efficient process. This aligns with our mission to continually enhance the accessibility and convenience of crypto services. We look forward to leveraging Network International’s industry leadership in the UAE and providing the best experience possible for our users.”

Pankaj Kundra, Group Head of Products, Partnerships and Enterprises at Network International, said, “Network’s legacy of 30 years of providing cutting-edge payment solutions allows us to capitalise our experience and expertise across next-generation platforms such as crypto and digital asset financial services. Our collaboration with CoinMENA will provide UAE investors with an additional option to use their cards to fund their CoinMENA wallets.”

He added, “Deposits using cards is the most convenient way for users to fund their crypto wallets. We look forward to supporting CoinMENA by strengthening their onramp capabilities, through our best-in-class N-Genius payment gateway. Our partnership further reaffirms our commitment to streamline digital payments in the region in line with the UAE’s bid to become a financially inclusive and cashless economy.”

Recently CoinMENA expanded its family office, investor and institutional offering through a partnership with Onramp Bitcoin. Onramp is an international Bitcoin asset management company built on multi institutional custody.

UAE RAK DAO, Ras Al Khaimah Digital Assets Oasis, has attracted Indian and Chinese Web3 Blockchain entities as it licensed 100 digital asset and Blockchain licenses. According to the press release, RAK DAO has issued the most licenses to Indian companies, 15% to be exact. Following closely is China.

These global entrepreneurs not only leverage RAK DAO’s strategic location in the UAE but also tap into its comprehensive ecosystem of services meticulously crafted to meet their evolving needs. From blockchain, digital assets, and AI services to consulting, RAK DAO equips its licensees with the essential tools and support required for success in the digital asset era. With the majority of companies registering with RAK DAO being global web3 and blockchain entities, the ecosystem fosters a thriving environment for cutting-edge innovation and technological advancement.

DAO Hive, the innovative business center unveiled by RAK DAO, is offering flexible membership packages for entrepreneurs to flourish in a collaborative environment with state-of-the-art amenities and networking opportunities.

“As we celebrate this remarkable milestone of issuing over 100 licences in well under a year, we reaffirm our commitment to driving innovation and fostering growth within the global web3 and blockchain sector,” says Dr. Sameer Al Ansari, CEO of RAK DAO.

He adds, “DAO Hive stands as a testament to our vision of creating a dynamic ecosystem where pioneering ideas converge and businesses thrive. This achievement not only underscores the success of RAK DAO but also reflects the resilience and dynamism of Ras Al Khaimah’s business landscape. We are proud to be at the forefront of shaping the future of the web3 industry, offering global entrepreneurs unparalleled opportunities to flourish within DAO Hive and beyond.”

RAK DAO has signed many partnerships with blockchain and digital asset entities since its launch, the latest being with BlockLogica.