UAE NFT market to reach $4.7 billion USD by 2028 up from $1 billion in 2022

UAE NFT market to reach $4.7 billion USD by 2028 up from $1 billion in 2022

According to a report by ResearchAndMarkets, the NFT industry in the UAE is  expected to grow steadily, recording a CAGR of 32.1% during 2022-2028. The NFT Spend Value in the country will increase from US$982.1 million in 2022 to reach US$ 4.746.3 million by 2028.

As per the report the non-fungible token (NFT) scene is growing as more and more entrepreneurs, businesses, and celebrities enter the fast-growing industry. Like the rest of the world, the UAE market is also rapidly adopting NFTs.

The report notes that over the last 12 months, several innovative NFT marketplaces have also emerged in the country, which has made it relatively simpler for the general public to buy, sell, and trade in NFTs. From NFT-based startups to cryptocurrency exchanges, several players are entering the UAE NFT market; the presence of several NFT marketplaces has also supported the rise in NFT trading transaction value and volume, the trend expected to gain further momentum over the next three to four years in the UAE.

Already the NFT market is witnessing a resurgence in 2023. Digital ownership continues in 2023 with $256.69 million in non-fungible token (NFT) sales over the last seven days up to January 22nd 2023,  according to statistics from cryptoslam.io. This represents a 16.39% increase from the previous week’s NFT sales and includes 1,355,376 NFT transactions. A total of 320,580 buyers participated in the market activity, a 43.48% increase from the prior week.

The rise of blockchain-based gaming is expected to drive NFT market growth in the UAE. With blockchain-based gaming, people are frequently awarded cryptocurrencies or NFTs for participating in gaming tournaments. This explains why the Abu Dhabi government-backed AD Gaming program has entered into a strategic collaboration with local crypto platforms such as Attarius Network, which attempts to increase the chances of blockchain-based gaming. The collaboration aims to create a participatory and collaborative NFT ecosystem for gamers.

For example GLEAC, an Abu Dhabi Hub71 entity announced the launch of the world’s first utility NFT, called Lovely Humans that allows users one-on-one time with global industry experts for five hours. The winning bidder can use the time with the industry expert to gain work-related knowledge and advice, solve problems or even try to co-create a new project that can be monetised. The knowledge gained from the discussion can also be minted into a utility NFT that could be co-owned by the buyer and the industry expert. The first round of bidding will include a group of 25 experts from industries including Fintech, Metaverse, Sustainability, Data, and others.

In addition UAE based Farming Online launched its NFT marketplace on UAE’s 51st National Day at Gracia Farm under the theme you farm on the internet we farm on the ground. Gracia Group is an innovative model of future farming, created by an Emirati entrepreneur Hamed Al Hamed to influence and change the agricultural sector. 

Rolls-Royce has unveiled its latest Bespoke Series Phantom ‘The Six Elements’ as NFTs in UAE. This unique project features six one-of-a-kind Phantom Extended Series II cars, each featuring a commissioned hand-painted artwork by world-renowned British artist Sacha Jafri. The cars were designed and crafted by the Bespoke Collective at the Home of Rolls-Royce at Goodwood in collaboration with the resident Bespoke designer in the Rolls-Royce Private Office in Dubai.

The project has raised over $1 million for charity. The project, initiated by Rolls-Royce Motor Cars Dubai and Rolls-Royce Motor Cars Abu Dhabi, began in late 2020 and has taken two years to complete.

The use of NFTs in the “The Six Elements” series allows each car to have its own unique digital token, which can be sold independently to raise funds for charity. This represents a new way for luxury car manufacturers to use blockchain technology for philanthropy and could potentially open up new opportunities for collaboration between artists, car manufacturers, and collectors.

42 percent of UAE youth and middle aged residents have held crypto, stablecoins and NFTs

42 percent of UAE youth and middle aged residents have held crypto, stablecoins and NFTs

In Checkout.com’s third annual report on digital transformation in MENA for 2022, it found that e-commerce in the UAE had settled into a stable high growth era. The report states that consumers in the UAE are turning to their digital devices and spending more time and money online. Even payment methods are evolving in the UAE with more turning to crypto and digital wallets.

The report confirms that 42 percent of 18-40 year olds in the UAE have held digital assets such as crypto, stablecoins and NFTs, and 59 percent of 18-40 year olds would like to be able to pay for goods and services in crypto or stablecoins in the next 12 months. 

The digital transformation in MENA 2022 report draws insights from a regional survey which polled more than 15,500 consumers in August 2022 in the UAE, KSA, Egypt, Qatar, Kuwait, Bahrain and Pakistan.

96 percent of UAE consumers now shop ecommerce, an increase from 89% from last year. This comes as a testament to the continued consumer demand of the flexibility and comfort to shop online.

According to the report, 4 in 10 consumers in UAE shopped online weekly or more frequently in 2022. Moreover, the eCommerce market in the UAE is expected to grow further over the next 12 months with 80% of UAE consumers saying they will maintain or increase their current level of ecommerce spending into 2023.

75 percent of consumers in UAE cite a digital payment method as their preferred payment option for ecommerce, a near doubling in the popularity of digital wallets compared to figures from 2021.

Moreover, 45% of consumers in the UAE say they used BNPL in the last 12 months, an increase from just 21% who used it the year before, this number is expected to surge further with an additional 27% planning to use BNPL in the coming 12 months.

Preference for social commerce in the UAE more than doubled, reaching 16%. Regionally, 20% of consumers in MENA say they most frequently shop ecommerce in a social media channel which represents a 43% growth in the past 24 months.

Remo Giovanni Abbondandolo, Senior Vice President for MENA at Checkout.com, stated,  “The report validates our conclusions from last year – that the UAE’s eCommerce and digital payment ecosystem is growing rapidly. The UAE is one of the most connected societies in the region and consumers here have achieved a high level of maturity when it comes to eCommerce, they are at the top of eCommerce usage in the region and globally.”

He adds, “Additionally, the growing trust in online payments by shoppers means the digital transformation of the region’s retail sector is well underway. This is underlined by the emergence of Web3 as a key component of the online experience, with shoppers showing a significant appetite for transacting on-chain, and a desire both to be paid and to pay in digital currencies.” 

UAE takes top spot globally in attracting crypto FDI in 2022

UAE takes top spot globally in attracting crypto FDI in 2022

According to a recent report by FDI markets published in FDI Intelligence, UAE topped the list of countries with most crypto related FDI projects. UAE had a whopping 15 projects making it number one. It was followed by the USA which attracted 11 crypto projects; Brazil came in third with 7 projects, followed by UK, Lithuania at 4th place with 5 crypto projects, then Singapore in fifth place with 4 projects, followed by Canada, Australia, ( 3 projects each) and France, Sweden with 2 projects 

Some 98 foreign direct investment (FDI) projects were announced in crypto related activities in the first half of 2022, an increase of 145% from the same period in 2021. This number was higher than any pre-recorded database since 2016. It was also double the figure for the whole of 2021.

Most of the companies who announced FDI projects in H1 of 2022 were those that involve crypto services, such as crypto exchanges, who set up new physical presence in foreign countries.

This is true of UAE which attracted the likes of Binance, OKx, Huobi, crypto.com, FTX, and many others in 2022 since it announced its virtual assets regulatory authority. Today the UAE boasts of over 1200 crypto blockchain related entities and is seeking to attract 5000 Blockchain and metaverse companies in the next 5 years.

Crypto FX trading volume in MENA reaches 400 million USD

Crypto FX trading volume in MENA reaches 400 million USD

According to Saxo Bank press release utilizing data driven from its crypto FX platform, 400 million USD of crypto FX trading was recorded in the MENA region compared to global trading volumes surpassing 3.40 billion USD. These findings were recorded since the initiation of Crypto FX in May 2022.

Saxo Bank noted that Bitcoin and Ethereum were the most popular currencies being traded in the MENA region with 57 percent for Bitcoin and 40 percent for Ethereum. This is in line with global trading which puts Bitcoin-USD at 45 percent of crypto forex trading volumes and  Ethereum-USD at 44 percent volumes. 

Stanislav Kostyukhin, Commercial Owner, Trader, Saxo Bank, said: “These figures show the high interest in this nascent asset class within the region while also highlighting the confidence that investors have in our framework as the market continues to evolve.  Our crypto offering ensures clients have a fully compliant product, with best execution and best practice, an important framework in a space that is otherwise extremely volatile and unregulated.”

Damian Hitchen, CEO of Saxo Bank MENA, highlighted some of the major developments regionally which are helping to increase demand.  He said: “There is no doubt that the UAE is a leading global player in this space. We are seeing high levels of interest and trading from our own clients in this nascent asset class, and we understand the need to balance this increased demand for access with the regulatory and investor protections that are commonplace in more mature asset classes.