Pravica, a blockchain infrastructure provider, has secured $250,000 grant from the renowned Sui Foundation. This substantial funding will drive Pravica’s mission to revolutionize payment systems and money movement by integrating stablecoin technology with traditional finance.

The Sui Foundation, recognized for its commitment to advancing blockchain technology, has provided this grant to support Pravica’s innovative projects. The funding will be instrumental in enhancing Pravica’s business operations by leveraging stablecoin technology, which offers secure, efficient, and cost-effective payment solutions.

“Our collaboration with the Sui Foundation is a significant milestone for Pravica,” said Mohamed Abdou, CEO of Pravica. “This grant will empower us to integrate stablecoin technology with existing financial systems, bridging the gap between decentralized finance (DeFi) and traditional banking. This integration will enable faster, more secure transactions, benefiting both businesses and consumers.”

Pravica will utilize the grant to build and enhance two groundbreaking products on top of the Sui blockchain:

S3 (Stablecoin Studio on Sui) is a comprehensive stablecoin infrastructure enabling stablecoin issuers to issue and maintain stablecoins as digital money. S3 handles the issuance, distribution, and management of stablecoins, functioning similarly to traditional banks. It facilitates the relationship between stablecoin issuers and distributors, ensuring smooth and efficient operations.

While Walletify is an innovative payment app connected to the S3 infrastructure, designed to be the first of its kind. It allows retail customers to use stablecoins for daily payment activities across a wide network of merchants. Walletify wants to bring the advantages of blockchain technology to routine financial transactions by making local stablecoin (pegged by local currencies) transactions simple and accessible.
The integration of stablecoin technology into traditional financial systems is poised to transform the payments landscape. Stablecoins, known for their price stability, offer a reliable medium of exchange, making them ideal for cross-border payments and remittances. Pravica’s initiative aims to facilitate seamless, low-cost transactions, providing a competitive edge in the global digital economy.

Pravica’s expansion into stablecoin-powered payment solutions aligns with its broader vision of democratizing access to blockchain technology. By offering robust and scalable solutions, Pravica is set to enhance financial inclusion and drive economic growth.

“Pravica’s Stablecoin Studio on Sui removes an immense hurdle for stablecoin issuers and has the potential to transform the world’s payment processing industry,” said Gap Kim, Global Head of Marketing for Sui Foundation. “The innovative solution Pravica has built on Sui provides much-needed financial tooling that will benefit the entire Sui ecosystem.”

Pravica’s strategic move will position the company to gain, retain, and expand its market share in the competitive international digital economy. The company’s efforts are geared towards creating a thriving ecosystem that supports the growth of web3 technologies and enhances the overall financial landscape.

The Co Founder of Mysten Labs, Kostas Kryptos, the creators of the Sui Blockchain has announced on X (formerly Twitter) that he is in the midst of creating a modern cryptography and AI Innovation hub in both Dubai and Abu Dhabi.

As he noted, ” The aim is to intellectually grow the whole UAE community with deep tech education and brainstorming meetups. So deep that some hackathons will run non stop 24/7 for a whole week, with support from local hotel and office-desk owners for accommodation.”

He adds,”My goal is to gradually advance the whole MENA region in a unique tech excellence level + see technologically competitive startups to emerge. There is already a plan to publish some unique ideas around ZKP, MPC, FHE, Differential Privacy, Web3 UX, Anon Credentials, AI on chain, AI for audits, DePIN data compression and parallelisation, Novel Key Management, Identity, Voting and Verifiable Execution.”

When asked by followers why the UAE, he explained, ” UAE has a strong community and economy, crypto and AI friendly, compared to EU it invests aggressively in innovation and takes more risks. Everyone speaks English, and it is in close proximity to both India and Europe, making it a meeting place for international deals. There are incentives from free zones to relocate there educational advancements for the government is top priority as well as critical mass of audience and media coverage which helps on publishing and advertising your work.”

He notes that the other benefit will be the access to USA and EU hubs.

He ends noting “It’s a big project. Hopefully with some local help, in the future we could also economically support selected research ideas relocating to the region.”

In November 2023, Abu Dhabi Technology incubator Hub71, partnered with Mysten Labs to support new projects on Sui. The partnership gave builders accepted to the incubator access to Mysten Labs’ technical expertise and support, and Hub71’s mentorship, resources, and global network of connections.

The founders of Sui have been working on educational projects in the region, specifically the UAE. Sui, a Blockchain Layer 1 platform partnered with UAE American University of Sharjah (AUS) to establish the AUS-Sui Blockchain Academy, a blockchain academy creating opportunities for hundreds of aspiring developers to learn about and ultimately advance the state of the art of the technology.

In addition UAE based blockchain startups such as Pravica and DRIFE have both partnered and integrated on the Sui Blockchain. Less than two months after publicizing the launch of S3.Money on the Sui Blockchain, The S3 testnet is now up and running, welcoming developers and financial community to start building tokenized money whether CBDCs (Central Bank Digital Currencies) or stablecoins.

Even UAE based is leveraging the Sui platform to track carbon credits. The collaboration leverages blockchain technology to serve use cases in line with the ESG goals that modern businesses are seeking.

Money Tokenization built on blockchain just got an enormous boost with the launch of UAE and Egyptian based Pravica’s S3 (Stablecoin Studio on Sui) testnet during the CV Summit Africa 2024.

Less than two months after publicizing the launch of S3.Money on the Sui Blockchain, The S3 testnet is now up and running, welcoming developers and financial community to start building tokenized money whether CBDCs (Central Bank Digital Currencies) or stablecoins.

According to Pravica blog post, the S3 platform is set to revolutionize the global payment processing landscape by allowing money to be tokenized in a versatile and user-friendly way swiftly and securely. The premise is financial empowerment with blockchain based money tokenization, because the future of money is all about innovation and accessibility.
Mohamed Abdou Founder and CEO of Pravica, explaining the concept states, “With S3, issuing and managing CBDC or stablecoins are a matter of clicks!”


S3 Money is a solution that caters not only to up and coming stablecoin issuers such as central banks, retail banks, and DeFi (Decentralized Finance) projects, but also to existing stablecoin issuers including the creators of Tether (USDT), Circle (USDC) by offering them the ability to simplify, quickly issue, manage and create different treasury layers for their respective stablecoins.

As per Pravica, gone are the days of building and auditing smart contracts, S3’s innovation solution on Sui, bring stablecoins to life through a streamlined process of stablecoin issuance just by defining the parameters.


S3 also helps to maintain the stablecoin ecosystem through S3’s intuitive management dashboard. The dashboard monitors supply and demand in real-time, tracking transactions easily and allowing for adjustments along the way.


Pravica has introduced a feature in S3, called ‘Relations’, which allows clients to establish a secure, multi-layered hierarchy for sub-wallets within a client’s stablecoin ecosystem. Imagine creating permissioned access structures for different user groups, or designating sub-wallets for specific departments within your organization.
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.
All this has been enabled because S3 leverages the secure and blazing-fast Sui blockchain for unparalleled stability and transaction speed.
The one-stop streamlined experience is unparalleled because of the intuitive capable administration with role-based controls, that allow the effortless configuration and management of tokenized money.


As Abdou explains, “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.”

This comes as Pravica has rebranded, revamped and restructured their offering into a more comprehensive blockchain infrastructure solution provider. Pravica is offering solutions for a trustworthy and transformative digital landscape utilizing secure, efficient, and innovative blockchain solutions.

Sui, a Blockchain Layer 1 platform has partnered with UAE American University of Sharjah (AUS) to establish the AUS-Sui Blockchain Academy, a blockchain academy creating opportunities for hundreds of aspiring developers to learn about and ultimately advance the state of the art of the technology.

The agreed upon AUS-Sui Blockchain Academy will operate under the auspices of the multidisciplinary Center of Entrepreneurship, Innovation and Sustainable Development. This placement strategically aligns with entrepreneurship, innovation, and sustainability, underscoring the Academy’s dedication to responsible and impactful technological development. 

The initiative is part of the Emirate of Sharjah’s objective of positioning itself as a regional hub for education and research, particularly in the field of technology and blockchain.

“The establishment of the AUS-Sui Blockchain Academy will provide students with invaluable insights into contemporary and future-oriented topics,” said Dr. Tod Laursen, Chancellor of American University of Sharjah. “It will empower them to engage with trending subjects and essential future technologies, equipping them with the skills and knowledge necessary to thrive in the evolving landscape of tomorrow.”

The Sui Foundation has also previously instituted several educational initiatives such as the establishment of a Web3-focused program at the Wheeler Institute for Business and Development at London Business School, the distribution of $400,000 in Sui Academic Research Awards (SARAs) to fifteen universities worldwide, and the establishment of a groundbreaking new web3 curriculum for high school students which debuted in 2023 at the Costeas Geitonas High School in Greece.

“The establishment of the AUS-Sui Blockchain Academy will provide the next generation of builders and world leaders with the knowledge they will need to create web3 technology that can address global challenges,” said Dr. Siourounis. “Seeing this academy come to life makes me particularly proud given the crucial role that this region is set to play in technological innovation.”

Sui established the current partnership with aid from its strategic partner in the region, Ghaf Labs, whose founder and managing partner, Feras Al Sadek, added, “We are extremely pleased to play a part in creating this historic initiative. The AUS-Sui Blockchain Academy will pave the way for future generations to enrich and benefit this industry and the region.”

The best companies that have ever existed are those that are built with conviction and passion, DRIFE is such a company. Based on the concept that centralization eventually equates to monopolization, the Founder of DRIFE, a decentralized ride hailing platform built on the Sui Blockchain, Firdosh Sheikh believes that both taxi drivers and their riders deserve a more transparent, secure, cost effective system that benefits both parties. Today with DRIFE being licensed in Dubai UAE that dream is now available in the UAE.

The dream behind DRIFE

DRIFE started and continues to be a personal journey. According to Firdosh, it all started during an UBER ride to an airport in India. As Firdosh explains, “I have always been a user of taxis as my means of transportation starting early on when I moved to Delhi for my studies, and then afterwards in Bangalore while I was working as a financial analyst. Yet one midnight drive to an airport changed everything.”

It was on that evening that the UBER driver had asked her to cancel the trip telling her he would take her at a much lower price. Asking him why, she discovered that UBER was taking 35% commission leaving him with a profit of less than 50% after cost.

After that drive, Firdosh began speaking to all the drivers she would use for rides. The same story emerged, high commissions, no health insurance, and a feeling that they were caught in a vicious circle and still struggling.

She spoke to 1000 drivers, and in the back of her mind she remembered how her father had started his career as a taxi driver, and how as a young girl she would wait patiently for his return while he worked hard to earn money for his family.

It is then she decided that she wanted to change this. She had read about how Bitcoin had offered freedom to the financial sector, and realized Blockchain could do the same for the mobility sector.

Firdosh calls it Taxi 3.0 for short. In her experience Taxi 1.0 was where people would book an unmetered taxi and agree the fare with the driver. Taxi 2.0 was where big tech got involved and everything moved to the platform. It was certainly a technical disruption and people could book and find a taxi with a couple of taps on their mobile phone.

DRIFE is Taxi 3.0.It is disrupting the disruptors of Taxi 1.0, the Taxi 2.0. While Taxi2.0 was a win because of technology, it eventually became a loss for the driver. As Firdosh explains, “In Taxi 3.0, the community, the market and the driver is in control not anyone else. The market sets the prices; there are no commissions, and only a subscription fee to use the platform, so that with every ride, the money belongs to them. This direct connection allows for more personalized and customized ride-hailing experiences, where riders can choose drivers based on specific criteria, such as driver rating, car type, and other preferences.”

DRIFE: The Web3 Taxi

DRIFE utilizes an array of technologies to offer TAXI 3.0. DRIFE has a patent pending auction based dynamic pricing model and removal of middlemen’s profit which contributes to lower prices for riders and higher earnings for drivers.

The platform and its application also utilize smart contracts, a tamper proof system that is resistant to fraud and hacking. This technology ensures that transactions are conducted in a secure and transparent manner, giving riders and drivers peace of mind when using the platform.

The use of blockchain technology, specifically Sui Blockchain in DRIFE’s platform further enhances the transparency of the pricing system, ensuring that riders and drivers can trust the pricing mechanisms. The blockchain also enables DRIFE to operate with a zero-commission structure.

The platform operates on the DRF token, which serves as the native currency for all transactions on the platform. DRF token has two different utilities in the ecosystem. Riders can use DRF tokens to make payments directly to the driver, while drivers can use DRF to pay for their subscription fees.

In addition, DRIFE’s governance structure is built on a decentralized autonomous organization (DAO) model. The DRIFE ecosystem is governed by a network of token holders who have a say in the decision-making processes. The DRF token gives every stakeholder voting rights and enables them to take part in the governance, ensuring that the community needs and priorities are addressed.

DRIFE even uses NFTs (Non fungible tokens). DRIFE Council NFT is their unique approach to uphold the idea of ‘decentralization’ through DAO Governance, which endeavors the growth of the DRIFE ecosystem and brings added value to the DRIFE community.

DRIFE Council members are a group of 200 members responsible for most approvals taking place in the DRIFE ecosystem, starting with approvals for proposal voting and franchise vetting and more. According to Firdosh, “The launch of DRIFE NFT is also a strong indication of our commitment to the utility of DRF (decentralized ride-hailing fuel). We believe that DRF has a bright future as a utility token, and it will continue to play a vital role in the DRIFE ecosystem. DRIFE NFT is an integral part of the DRIFE DAO Framework.”

DRIFE IN UAE

In 2023 DRIFE achieved pivotal successes with licenses in Karnataka, India. At the end of 2023, DRIFE had over 350,000 users and 30,000+ drivers. Today DRIFE expands its operations to the UAE. DRIFE has been granted an e-hailing license.This groundbreaking achievement was made possible through the partnership with AASA Passenger Mobility Services LLC subsidiary of AASA Group, an affiliate of EII Capital (Formerly known as EMAAR Industries and Investments), DRIFE’s franchise partner in Dubai, who played a pivotal role in securing the license.

Firdosh explains, “We are very proud to have received an e-hailing license allowing us to compete against the likes of UBER and Careem which are both Taxi 2.0 mobile based taxi applications. It was not easy acquiring a license in the UAE; it took nine months because here everything is well systemized and organized. This had always been a dream of mine and very honored to see us here.”

Firdosh explains, “To start with, we will work with Limousine drivers, and then eventually we hope to get the RTA taxis on board. Riders can hail a DRIFE Taxi from Dubai and travel anywhere in the UAE.”

At present, bookings can only be made from within Dubai, so the next step according to Firdosh is to obtain a license from Sharjah as well.

In addition, DRIFE is still not utilizing its DRF token in the UAE as it needs approval from Dubai’s Virtual Asset Regulatory Authority. Firdosh states, “We are in the process of receiving approval from VARA to utilize our token, once received we will integrate it into the application.”

Drivers of DRIFE all go through an extensive KYC (Know your customer) process as well as extensive training.

The Future of DRIFE

As for the future of DRIFE not only globally but in MENA, Firdosh aims to expand DRIFE’s operations in India, and within the UAE. She then aims to acquire a license in Saudi Arabia.

Firdosh states, “We want to expand DRIFE across MENA and India, we are looking for partners in KSA because eventually we want to have a strong presence in the region.”

In the future DRIFE will be doing a fundraiser round but at the moment the focus is on the launch in the UAE. Firdosh explains, “My vision for DRIFE is for it to become a global phenomenon, impacting as many drivers as possible. In the end everyone can be part of DRIFE. For us, DRIFE is not just about WEB3 Taxi, but about solving all the problems in the mobility space.

Firdosh believes that drivers can contribute to building a decentralized mobility infrastructure, whether that includes maps or other infrastructure related solutions. This is one of the reasons DRIFE chose the Sui blockchain to be strategic partners to help build mobility specific use cases.

UAE vintage pop culture group, AGSpeedy announced a joint venture with Speedy Comics called AGSpeedy Technologies which will use AI and Blockchain to authenticate memorabilia and verify them immutably.

The joint venture, AGSpeedy Technologies will utilize the Sui layer 1 blockchain and smart contract platform.

AGSpeedy Technologies is the brainchild of AGS, an AI-based card grading system that provides authentication and grading services for physical collectibles, from sports trading cards to trading card games like Pokemon and Magic The Gathering, and Speedy Comics ME, the Middle East’s leading destination for vintage comics and collectibles.

Parent company AGS is responsible for grading nearly one hundred thousand cards in 2023, while its AI database covers millions more.

Collectibles have always had a tight grasp on the imagination of consumers – from stamps to the trading card games of the 90s and beyond, consumers love to collect, trade, and own.

 AGSpeedy’s system scans physical collectibles and uses its AI engine to verify and grade the item, generating an authenticity certificate which includes the item’s grade and uploads it to Sui. The certificate serves as an immutable digital twin of the collectible item, which is tradable or sellable, and any change in ownership will be recorded.

Using Sui’s native feature zkLogin, any user can create an account on Sui with credentials from Google, Slack, Twitch and more, abstracting away from the need for private key management. 

“One of the biggest roadblocks to digital collectibles has been onboarding users to web3,” said Alex Aleksandrovski, co-founder of AGSpeedy Technologies. “The process is difficult and confusing to the average person. Because it is so easy to create a web3 wallet using a web2 login on Sui, Sui is finally presenting the solution. AGSpeedy’s goal is to allow collectors to digitize their physical cards and collectibles and we are confident that Sui is the best partner to make that happen.”

“Through this collaboration, AGSpeedy is set to transform the collectibles industry by enhancing market confidence and liquidity,” said Rashed Mohammed Zubair Al Farooq, CEO of Speedy Comics Group and CEO of Pop Con ME. “Recording grading on Sui provides a tamper-proof, immutable record of an item’s quality and condition, increasing trust among buyers and sellers. This heightened confidence is expected to boost market activity, making it easier for collectors to trade and liquidate assets with peace of mind in a trusted and safe secondary marketplace. This technology is completely unique to this region, and this is just the beginning.”

“Collectible authentication is the perfect use case for blockchain technology,” said Evan Cheng, CEO of Mysten Labs and Original Contributor to Sui. “The combination of AI-powered grading and blockchain-based verification for collectors in the MENA region has the potential to reduce fraud while also introducing fans around the world to web3-powered technology, which is what we set out to accomplish with Sui – creating real world solutions for real world problems.”

UAE Fils leverages Blockchain Sui platform to track carbon credits. Sui is a next generation Layer 1 blockchain.

The collaboration will leverage blockchain technology to serve use cases in line with the ESG goals that modern businesses are seeking. Users will also benefit from the unique crypto wallet infrastructure provided by Sui. For example, using Sui’s zkLogin tooling, end users can authenticate by simply using Web 2 social credentials, creating and accessing their wallets will be effortless.

Nameer Khan, the Founder and CEO of Fils stated, “Sui offers speed and scalability that is unique, along with a commitment to sustainability that make them an ideal partner for us. We look forward to leveraging this capable blockchain to offer an unprecedented solution to one of the world’s most intractable challenges,” said Nameer Khan.

Fils officially launched in November with its B2B2C product offering, the company is targeting several industries including financial services, hospitality, and e-commerce. With Sui platform, Fils can now elevate the user experience and enhance the platform’s capabilities through blockchain technology.

Greg Siourounis, Managing Director at the Sui Foundation, added, “The most important challenges of our era demand the most capable technology implemented by the strongest teams working together to build solutions. I am extremely proud to see Sui’s infrastructure being integrated by the forward-thinking team at Fils to address the crucial global issue of climate change in a fundamentally new way.”

So far there have been many announcements pertaining to Blockchain platforms for Carbon credits or sustainability including the recent e&enterprise announcement today.