UAE based Encryptus OTC crypto trading platform partners with Azadi record label

UAE based Encryptus OTC crypto trading platform partners with Azadi record label

UAE based Encryptus, a platform for the trading of institutional crypto assets as an OTC (Over the Counter) service provider, with license for “Proprietary Trading in Crypto Commodities  from DMCC ( Dubai Multi Commodities Centre)  has partnered with record label Azadi records.

The partnership will work on developing an NFT ecosystem and innovative use cases, which will give holders exclusive access to premium content, limited edition merchandise, VIP tour tickets and more.

Moreso, Shantnoo Saxsena, Encryptus Founder and CEO states; “During the current bearish market, institutional support behind crypto remains strong, and Encryptus is glad to be playing an important role in institutional crypto adoption. It certainly doesn’t hurt that this institutional interest in the crypto market is also working to excite existing investors who were contemplating hastily pulling out of the market.”

Considering how valuable NFTs have become, it is no surprise that Encryptus partnered with Azadi Records, an independent record label keen on providing South Asian artists with a platform to freely express themselves for this extraordinary quest into the world of non-fungible tokens.

Shantnoo further adds, “Our recent partnership with Azadi Records aims to create a use case for the NFT ecosystem in India in a more compliant manner. Our primary focus is compliance and respect for the law of the land.”

“Nayaab.World NFTs and their utilities will unlock new avenues for artist-fans engagement, building a deeper relationship between them,” stated Mo Joshi and Uday Kapur, founders of Azadi Records.

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Etihad Airways beats Emirates and Qatar Airlines with the launch of NFT collection on Polygon

Etihad Airways beats Emirates and Qatar Airlines with the launch of NFT collection on Polygon

While Emirates Airlines was the first to speak about the launch of NFTs, metaverse and so forth, and Qatar airlines followed with its own metaverse initiative with talk about NFTs to be included, it was Etihad Airline who actually will be launching its own NFT collection on Polygon in July 2022.

Under the name EY-ZERO1, UAE Etihad airlines will be launching the utility-driven NFT series features of ten highly detailed 3D aircraft models, each one showcasing a unique Etihad Airways Boeing 787 Dreamliner livery. The NFT Collection will encompass a total of 2003 limited edition collectibles, symbolizing the year when Etihad Airways was established. The NFT Collection will go on sale at 6pm UAE time on 21st of July. The collectibles include Etihad’s Manchester City FC and Greenliner-themed aircraft, among others.

“We’re excited to launch our first NFT collection, EY-ZERO1, which not only offers collectors, aviation enthusiasts and travelers a unique work of art, but provides real-world travel and lifestyle benefits with Etihad Airways. NFTs and other metaverse technologies are revolutionizing the digital economy, and we are proud to be one of the first airlines in the world to explore their potential to provide additional utility for our customers” , said Tony Douglas, Group Chief Executive Officer, Etihad Aviation Group.

Purchasing an NFT will give owners immediate Etihad Guest Silver tier membership for one year, with 10 lucky NFT holders winning complimentary flight tickets with Etihad. NFT owners will also be given advance access to upcoming NFT collections as well as future metaverse products which the airline has planned as part of its Web3 strategy.

To celebrate the new collection, Etihad will be giving away 20 NFTs to people who pre-register on etihad.com/zero1 by 16 July. Each NFT will be priced at US$349 plus tax on etihad.arcube.io, and the sale will close on 18 August at 6pm UAE time.

The NFTs will also be available to purchase through the Etihad Guest Reward Shop, meaning the airline’s 7 million loyalty program members can redeem their Etihad Guest Miles to acquire an NFT.

EY-ZERO1 is set to be minted on Polygon blockchain, and Etihad Airways will be partnering with Aerial.is to track the CO2 emissions of the NFTs. In addition to offsetting the entire carbon footprint of the project, the airline will allocate all proceeds from the collection to purchase sustainable aviation fuel in 2022.

“As well as recognizing the artistic value of our aircraft liveries, our NFT collection has been designed to be as efficient as possible and support our wider sustainability and decarbonization efforts at Etihad Airways,” said  Douglas.

KSA Blockchain enabled NFT Marketplace to raise 5 million USD in new funding round

KSA Blockchain enabled NFT Marketplace to raise 5 million USD in new funding round

After KSA based Nuqtah, Blockchain enabled NFT Marketplace raised its pre-Seed round led by UAE Shorooq Partners in November 2021; the company is now looking to raise an additional 5 million USD in a new funding round. Founder and CEO Salwa Radwi spoke to AlSharq on this.

Salwa Radwi plans to make Nuqtah become the de-facto platform for the Saudi and MENA digital creative economy. In the first round of financing, Shorooq Partners, along with KSA Sanabil a subsidiary of KSA Public Investment Fund participated in the pre Seed round. Nuqtah participated in the second cohort round with 500 MENA seed accelerator.

Nuqtah recently hired Dr. Majid Al Mansouri as Head of strategy. Al Mansouri has more than 8 years experience in Blockchain, AI, and VR space. He has advised, led and invested in more than 40 blockchain companies globally. He also founded the Blockchain Research Institute in various Saudi Universities in collaboration with Oxford University.

In the new funding round Nuqtah looks to use the funds for attracting human resources, developing technologies and products, and enhancing the marketing process of the company’s activity locally and regionally.

Nuqtah enables MENA users to publish and sell their work seamlessly and will serve as a global platform for buyers keen on acquiring the latest NFTs by renowned and emerging MENA artists. Nuqtah plans to build on the thriving NFTs space, and utilize the underlying blockchain technology to spearhead innovation in other verticals such as media and entertainment.

In the previous round, Shane Shin, Founding Partner at Shorooq Partners, said, “Ever since moving to Saudi, I have witnessed first-hand the tremendous evolution of the creative and cultural landscape, led by passionate young Saudis. The Kingdom is on an ambitious digital transformation journey, and the creative economy is one of the core pillars of the nation’s long term vision. As we continue to back daring founders and support them in building enduring and sector-leading companies, we are privileged to join Nuqtah as the Kingdoms first NFT platform. We believe in the Nuqtah team’s vision, and are humbled to work with them to take Nuqtah to the global NFT arena, representing the region’s vibrant and rich creative depth.”

Amal Dokhan, Partner at 500 Global said, “We are ecstatic to have Nuqtah be a part of our second cohort at Sanabil 500 MENA seed accelerator. Seeing more female founders take lead in Saudi is truly refreshing and more so in such an exciting intersection between the arts & blockchain in an Arabic enabled NFT platform, we believe in Nuqtah’s founding team and are surely privileged to support their journey towards Growth.”

 “Our goal is to create the ultimate environment for creators in the Kingdom, where they can sell their masterpieces at the value they deserve safely and securely. The Nuqtah founding team is from the core of the creative community in the region, hence, they truly understand what it means to be creative in the kingdom. We are here to transform the industry,” says Salwa Radwi the CEO at Nuqtah.

The Saudi Ministry of Tourism and Saudi Toursim Authority has announced the creation of  NFT (non-fungible token) souvenirs, in a move that reflects the Kingdom’s advancement in digital tourism. His Excellency Ahmed Al Khateeb, Minster of Tourism of Saudi Arabia BoD Chairman of the Saudi Tourism Authority presented the personalized digital mementos in a first of its kind initiative to the heads of delegations participating in the 116th session of the Executive Council of the United Nations World Tourism Organization (UNWTO) in Jeddah, as a token of appreciation for their visit to the Kingdom.​

Recently the Saudi Ministry of Tourism  and Saudi Tourism authority created NFT souvenirs gifted to heads of delegations participating in the 16th session of the Executive Counsil of the United Nations World Tourism Organization. As per the press release, stunning VR 3D Saudi landscapes and landmarks were converted into NFTs 

His Excellency Ahmed Al Khateeb, Minister of Tourism of Saudi Arabia, said the NFT souvenirs embody the leadership’s vision for the future of the Kingdom. “As technology advances, it is important that we remain at the forefront of innovation. Our tourism infrastructure is designed to embrace new trends, and digital transformation is one of our top priorities. The NFTs serve as a bold statement to the world that Saudi Arabia is developing an unparalleled tourism sector where travelers can expect to see and experience unique and futuristic offerings.”

Iraqi American Beauty Entrepreneur discusses investing in NFTs and Women

Iraqi American Beauty Entrepreneur discusses investing in NFTs and Women

When Huda Kattan, an Iraqi American beauty Blogger launched her blog in 2010, she didn’t imagine that in 2022, she would head one of the fastest growing beauty brands in the world with over 50 million followers on Instagram and a net worth of 500 million USD.

Her success actually started in Dubai UAE, when Huda and her sisters Mona and Alya created a collection of false eyelashes under the Huda Beauty brand name which later launched at Sephora in Dubai Mall.

Recently Huda was invited to speak at Gary Vaynerchuk’s Web3.o and NFT conference Veecon, at US Bank Stadium in Minneapolis.  

Only a handful  of women were present at the event, including Mila Kunis and Eva Longoria, Kattan spoke on her recent investments into NFTs (Non Fungible Tokens) and how few women are involved in the crypto space.

Kattan currently owns hundreds of NFTs, including those from the project  World of Women NFT. As per their website, WoW’s vision is to build an inclusive web3 through its collection and community. According to research published in Nov. 2021, female artists accounted for just 5% of all NFT art sales in the prior 21 months. WoW is on a mission to change this. Kattan’s investment into digital art NFTs stems from her passion and is not based on pure financial gain.

In her interview with Yahoo Finance, Katan who discussed investing in NFTs states, “Passion is essential you with passion you can be patient when the market goes up and down. I know not everybody feels that way, but I do believe that when you have passion you bring so much more to the NFT community, more than just the value of buying NFTs, the community part is so important.”

“As much money as I’ve made, I’ve lost a lot of money,” Kattan said about her new investments. “And it’s very easy to be like, ‘Oh my god buy this lipstick. There’s no real downfall if you don’t like it, you lost $20. If you invest in an NFT project, you become part of the community, you invest so much time. And if that doesn’t go well, that’s your wealth that is your livelihood.”

The Veecon event had a ratio of 50 to 1 in terms of men versus women. Huda hopes that will change in the future with the help of NFT communities. She states, “The NFT space reminds me of the beauty space in the beginning. Things are shifting and changing.”

At the moment only 2 percent of VC money goes to women. Women still represent fewer than 15 percent of the crypto space.  “I am a strong woman, I’m a very confident woman, I have a lot of personality and am rarely uncomfortable in any situation and I am intimidated with that space so I can’t imagine how other women must feel,” she said. “Getting more women here needs to be a very conscious effort.”

Kattan’s presence in the NFT domain comes at a time in the MENA when institutions such UAE Abu Dhabi Investment Office (ADIO) has partnered with Web3 identity platform and NFT domain provider Unstoppable Domains to provide free crypto domains to all women residing in Abu Dhabi. The giveaway aims to provide opportunities for more women to learn about and ultimately participate in Web3, a space where only 5% to 7% of all cryptocurrency users are women and just 12% work in blockchain.

The initiative was announced during a delegation visit to Abu Dhabi by the ‘Women of Web3′, a powerhouse group of disruptive female tech entrepreneurs from the United States exploring the emirate as a gateway for global expansion.

Eng. Abdulla Abdul Aziz Al Shamsi, Acting Director General of ADIO, said: “Abu Dhabi is ensuring the future of Web3 is built around powerful infrastructures that appeal to all members of the community. By supporting initiatives that invite and uplift women, we can champion diversity early in the Web3 era. The partnership with Unstoppable Domains to provide frees crypto domains to all women in Abu Dhabi and embodies the emirate’s promise of inclusion, while creating opportunities for private sector participation in a fast-growing space.”

Sandy Carter, SVP of Unstoppable Domains and Founder of Unstoppable Women of Web3, stated: “It’s great to see Abu Dhabi leading the mission to bring Web3 opportunities to women in the Middle East. It has been an honor to be a part of the ‘Women of Web3’ delegation, and I am grateful to Access Abu Dhabi and ADIO for providing such an immersive look into Abu Dhabi’s business and technology ecosystem.”

Sarah Omolewu, Managing Partner of Maven Global Access and founder of Access Abu Dhabi, said, “In a market of expats from more than 200 countries, this initiative could potentially impact the lives of generations of women around the world.” She added, “This is the legacy-building impact I envisioned for the Access Abu Dhabi program. While the financial gap between male and female founders still exists, the game is changing, and more women recognize the value of emerging technologies in growing and funding their businesses.”

The first NFT Micro gallery MONO launched in Tunis

The first NFT Micro gallery MONO launched in Tunis

Shiran Ben Abderrazak, Co-founder and of Bift crypto entity has launched MONO the first NFT micro gallery in Tunisia. The first artist to showcase her art is Lebanese- Senegalese Linda Dounia Rebeiz,

MONO is located in the heart of Tunis, Tunisia. Open to all, it stands as a mysterious portal on a very busy, old and narrow street. Inspired by a science-fiction aesthetic from the 70s, its style makes any passer-by question its utility, as its functionality is rather clashing with the hustle and bustle of its area.

MONO is a window to the eccentric world of NFTs (Non Fungible Tokens). MONO invites artists from multiple mediums to exhibit their works on the screen, thereby allowing viewers to explore their artistic universe through the small portal. Through a disruptive cu-ration, the micro-gallery will be using the advantage of its location to provide to a large audience access to digital art, make it curious and trigger conversations and debates around the evolution of digital art and its accessibility.

For Mono’s opening, Senegalese-Lebanese artist, Linda Dounia Rebeiz, is exhibiting a generative piece called Bauhaus’ Puzzle. She layers AI-generated acrylic paint footage with vector-designed Bauhaus-inspired grids, as an attempt to question the grid system as a foundational image-making instrument.

Linda Dounia Rebeiz is a multidisciplinary artist, writer and curator, based in Dakar. Her work focuses on the social construction of power and the cultural implications of how it is distributed. She has exhibited work at the Tezos show at Art Basel Miami, Art X Lagos, Fort NFT Gallery, and The Museum of Newfangled Art. Her work has appeared in Vogue Singapore, Nataal, and The Art Newspaper.

Blockchain Expert Don Tapscott speaking at Blockchain Revolution Summit in Qatar

Blockchain Expert Don Tapscott speaking at Blockchain Revolution Summit in Qatar

Qatar will witness a blockchain revolution summit on the 26th of May 2022 at St. Regis Doha Qatar, with the participation of Dr. Don Tapscott, Executive Chairman of the Blockchain Research Institute, and well known as a leading Blockchain expert.

The summit is being organized by the Blockchain Research Institute Middle East, the first regional branch of Blockchain Research Institute based out of Qatar. The event is set to discuss opportunities to create industry solution frameworks and guidelines leveraging blockchain technologies to secure data, reduce costs and improve timelines.

The interesting highlights of this summit are the speakers and sponsors. Aside from Don Tapscott, speakers include Fadi Nasser, Chief Commercial Officer of Meeza Qatar. Meeza is also sponsoring the event. Nebil Ben Aissa, Chief Executive officer for Nexxo, a private equity investment network dedicated to FinTech is also participating.

In addition Khalid Al Ansari a Doctor of Law (JD) and a Ph.D. candidate in Islamic Finance and Economy at Hamad Bin Khalifa University in Doha, Qatar currently working on finalizing his Ph.D. dissertation in digital economy and blockchain, is also participating as a speaker.  

While both, Shahid A Syed, Head of Transaction Banking & Innovation Dukhan Bank and Mr. Gudni Stiholt Adalsteinsson Acting CEO Doha Bank & Chief Treasury & Investment Officer are also participating as speakers with Doha Bank sponsoring as well.

Dr. Ammar Darwish Al-Obaidani President of the Oman Blockchain Club (2017-2019) is also participating. Since 2019, he has been leading a government company that develops customized integrated digital solutions as a CEO (Frontier Technology LLC).

The significance lies in the level of participants which including the banking and academic sector as well as investors.

This summit comes at a significant time in Qatar. In April for example Qatar Airways announced  it has stepped into the metaverse with the launch of Qverse a Virtual reality experience for visitors on its website with MetaHuman cabin crew, called Sama giving virtual tours. Sama’s name originates from Arabic and translates to ‘sky’. She is a high fidelity digital human brought to life using Epic Games’ Unreal Engine, real-time 3D creation tool that’s used by leading game makers. Neutral Digital developed the VR experience for Qatar airways.

In addition Ooreedo Qatar, mobile telecom group, will be holding its EA Sports FIFA22 Champions Cup being entirely broadcasted in the metaverse and will offer exclusive NFT tokens. The tournament is taking place on May May 24, 25, and 28 at Aspire Ladies Sports Hall in Doha in front of e-Sports enthusiasts who will get the chance to see prominent gamers compete for the title.

Major FIFA and Qatari influencers will also attend the tournament, in addition to a plethora of entertainment and activities to ensure an unforgettable night. Ooredoo Nation – Gamers’ Land, the company’s own eSports brand, will also offer a selection of exclusive non-fungible tokens (NFTs).

“We are proud and excited to be venturing into the world of Web 3.0 technologies with this latest eSports development, which aligns perfectly with our strategic commitment to investment in innovation,” said Nasser bin Hamad bin Nasser Al Thani, Chief Commercial Officer at Ooredoo.

“We see eSports as one of the key areas of focus in this digital era, and an area in which we can explore the many opportunities to offer our customers an unrivalled experience.”

This comes after FIFA2022 announced that crypto.com will be sponsoring and AlGorand Blockchain will be a partner. It also comes after CoinMENA, crypto exchange announced it is serving clients in Qatar which prompted a reply from Qatar Central Bank noting that it has not licensed any crypto exchanges in Qatar and will take legal actions against any crypto exchange which claims to be operating with a license in Qatar. When questioned by LaraontheBlock Dina Semaan noted, “ People took this out of context, we never said we were licensed or regulated in Qatar, we said we now offer our services to Qatar, which could be from any location in the world and in this case from our licensed entity in Bahrain.” She added, “We can support all GCC countries and other MENA countries upon approval from Central Bank of Bahrain.”