Abu Dhabi-based International Holding Company (IHC) has reported robust financial results for H1 2025, but behind the numbers lies a growing strategic realignment: its bold entry into digital finance through the UAE Dirham-backed stablecoin.
While the group posted AED 54.7 billion in revenue (up 31.1% YoY) and AED 10.8 billion in net profit, the bigger story for the digital asset space is IHC’s firm positioning around blockchain-powered financial infrastructure. Among the key highlights in its H1 report was the stablecoin collaboration with ADQ and First Abu Dhabi Bank (FAB), an initiative that could reshape regional payment rails.
Although initially announced earlier this year, the fact that IHC has spotlighted the stablecoin again, alongside its major ventures like RIQ and Gridora, highlights the weight it places on this project as a future pillar of its strategy.
The proposed Dirham-backed stablecoin is not just another digital asset. Backed by three of the UAE’s largest institutions, it represents a potential bridge between traditional banking and blockchain-based finance. With the UAE Central Bank recently issuing its payment token regulation, the timing appears calibrated for institutional stablecoins to begin reshaping regulated digital payments.
In its financial disclosure, IHC did not share further specifics on the stablecoin’s structure or launch date, but the project’s mention alongside multi-billion-dirham ventures and international expansions hints at its strategic importance. The move also aligns with growing interest in sovereign-aligned stablecoins, as governments and regulators seek trusted, asset-backed digital tokens for both wholesale and retail use.
The stablecoin’s presence in IHC’s results is notable given the broader context:
- The group’s Q2 2025 net profit surged 55.3% YoY, reaching AED 6.7 billion,
- Segments like real estate, marine, hospitality, and financial services all posted strong performance,
- And IHC expanded its global reach through acquisitions, infrastructure platforms, and reinsurance ventures.
But among these moves, it’s the Dirham-backed token that could have the deepest long-term impact, especially if it succeeds in becoming a backbone for regulated digital payments across the UAE and beyond.
With ADQ and FAB as co-developers, and given IHC’s growing financial muscle, this initiative may be setting the stage for a state-aligned stablecoin ecosystem, one that blends financial compliance with blockchain-native utility.
As IHC charts its next chapter, the inclusion of the stablecoin project among its H1 highlights sends a clear message: digital assets are no longer peripheral, they are central to its growth story.
