MENA News
Discover the latest blockchain and crypto news from the MENA region, including updates from Dubai, Abu Dhabi, Bahrain, Qatar, and Oman, covering trends, regulations, and developments shaping the industry
Market Unrest and the Bitcoin Question The world feels tense. From escalating domestic unrest to rising geopolitical risks, uncertainty is everywhere. Naturally, in crypto circles and trader Telegrams, the same question returns: is this when Bitcoin finally proves itself? Some believe yes. The dollar’s value is slipping and Bitcoin has often served as a hedge when confidence in fiat wanes. But others are less convinced. Bitcoin still trades like a…
Read More »In a time when public trust in institutions is declining worldwide, transparency isn’t just a value; it’s a necessity. For governments especially, the ability to demonstrate accountability and openness can either strengthen legitimacy or erode it entirely. One of the most persistent transparency gaps exists in the area of government procurement. Around the world, even in mature democracies, data on how public money is spent is often fragmented, inconsistently disclosed…
Read More »For over a decade, Syria has been isolated from the global financial system due to economic sanctions. Now, with U.S. sanctions officially lifted, Binance—the world’s largest cryptocurrency exchange by trading volume—is proud to extend its services to Syrian users, marking a significant step forward in financial inclusion and global reintegration. With 21 regulatory licenses worldwide, Binance is recognized as a trusted and compliant player in the digital asset space. Syrian…
Read More »peaq, the blockchain powering the Machine Economy, and Pulsar Group, a prominent Emirati venture studio and tech consultancy, have jointly announced the launch of the world’s first Machine Economy Free Zone (MEFZ), which will span across Abu Dhabi and Dubai. The MEFZ will serve as a sandbox for advancing a human-centric Machine Economy — a vision championed by peaq where humans and machines co-exist, collaborate, and thrive in a future…
Read More »In a move to enhance the blockchain and digital asset ecosystem, Walid Saeed Al Awadi, CEO of the Securities and Commodities Authority (SCA), and Abdullah Mohammed Al Dhaheri, CEO of the Abu Dhabi Blockchain Center, have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) aimed at enhancing cooperation in blockchain technology adoption, innovation empowerment, and talent development within the digital assets sector. The partnership focuses on attracting and registering virtual asset service…
Read More »The Financial Services Regulatory Authority (FSRA) of Abu Dhabi Global Market (ADGM) has announced immediate changes to its digital assets regulatory framework, refining its oversight of virtual assets within the financial center. The revised framework aims to streamline the approval process for virtual assets to be used within ADGM, enhance capital and fee requirements for licensed virtual asset service providers, and strengthen regulatory tools for overseeing digital asset-related products. The…
Read More »The UAE is rapidly enhacing its position as a regional leader in digital transformation and AI readiness, with new data from Coursera revealing a 344% year-over-year increase in enrollments for Generative AI (GenAI) courses, far surpassing the global average of 195% and the MENA average of 128%. The findings, released in Coursera’s Global Skills Report 2025, reflect the country’s accelerating investment in technology-driven workforce development. Now in its seventh edition,…
Read More »In the heart of Abu Dhabi, a non-profit foundation is quietly building the infrastructure for a radically inclusive global financial future, one where digital trust, compliance, and innovation converge. Backed by $120 million and a vision rooted in financial equity, the ADI Foundation is emerging as a driving force in the UAE’s fintech ambitions. At the center of its efforts is the AEDC stablecoin, a digital currency pegged to the…
Read More »Dubai’s property sector continues its meteoric rise, with May 2025 marking a historic month for both sales volume and transaction value, a surge that experts say is laying the groundwork for a tokenized real estate future. According to new data from Property Finder, the emirate recorded 18,700 property transactions in May, totaling AED 66.8 billion (approximately $18.2 billion). That represents a 44% year-on-year increase in value and a 6% boost…
Read More »The UAE Securities and Commodities Authority (SCA) is seeking public feedback on a proposed amendment to its Rulebook that would formally permit the sale and purchase of fractionalized bonds and sukuk. Released on 4 June 2025, the public consultation marks a pivotal step in the country’s drive to enhance retail and digital investor access to financial markets. If enacted, the regulation would give financial product dealers a framework to conduct…
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