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
RAK Digital Assets Oasis (RAK DAO), the world’s first free zone dedicated to digital and virtual asset businesses, has appointed Paul Dawalibi as its new Chief Executive Officer. With over two decades of experience in tech entrepreneurship, venture capital, and digital strategy, Dawalibi is expected to accelerate RAK DAO’s ambition of becoming a global hub for Web3 innovation. Dawalibi, who has worked extensively with both startups and governments, brings a…
Read More »Binance, the global blockchain powerhouse and operator of the world’s largest crypto exchange by trading volume and users, is gearing up for the much-anticipated seventh edition of Binance Blockchain Week. Set to return to Dubai for the second year in a row, the flagship event will take place December 3–4 at the Coca-Cola Arena. Last year’s edition welcomed over 5,000 attendees from 126 countries and featured two days of intense…
Read More »The Dubai Virtual Assets Regulatory Authority (VARA), in coordination with the Dubai Land Department (DLD), has issued a consumer and marketplace alert addressing recent misrepresentations surrounding the “DLD Real Estate Tokenization Project.” The alert warns against entities falsely claiming to be involved in the pilot phase of the Project, which officially launched on March 19, 2025. Only a limited number of participants, explicitly approved by both DLD and VARA, are…
Read More »Kuwait’s Ministry of Interior has officially banned Bitcoin mining, citing the strain it places on the national power grid and its noncompliance with multiple local regulations. In a statement released on April 22, authorities emphasized that cryptocurrency mining is illegal in the country and violates several laws—including Kuwait’s penal code, communications and IT legislation, industrial guidelines, and municipal ordinances. Officials warned that mining operations not only consume excessive electricity but…
Read More »Emirates NBD, one of the leading banking groups in the Middle East, North Africa, and Türkiye (MENAT) region, has announced its integration with Kinexys Liink, the world’s first bank-led peer-to-peer data-sharing network developed by Kinexys by J.P. Morgan. The bank is connecting via the ‘Confirm’ application — a solution designed to enable global account validation and reduce risks in cross-border transactions. The move will enhance the security and efficiency of…
Read More »MANTRA has announced that its CEO and Founder, John Patrick Mullin, is burning his full 150 million token allocation from the team’s share — a move promised to the community last week. This action aims to rebuild trust and reflect MANTRA’s commitment to creating a secure, accessible, and inclusive financial ecosystem powered by tokenization. Originally staked at the mainnet launch in October 2024 to support network security, the 150 million…
Read More »The future of Dubai’s economy will be built on artificial intelligence, and every business must prepare for it now. That was the message delivered by Omar Sultan Al Olama, Minister of State for Artificial Intelligence, Digital Economy and Remote Work Applications, as he opened the inaugural Dubai AI Week at the Museum of the Future. “Every single company that’s going to be in our digital economy, moving forward, needs to…
Read More »Fuze, a rapidly growing fintech enabler in the Middle East, has received a significant regulatory green light from the Central Bank of the UAE (CBUAE). The company has been granted a Retail Payment Services and Card Schemes (RPSCS) license via its subsidiary, Niobe Payment Services LLC SPC — a move that cements its role as a regulated payment service provider in addition to its existing digital assets infrastructure. This dual…
Read More »In the wake of the sudden $5 billion collapse of Mantra’s OM token, Unlock Blockchain sat down with Jean-Patrick (JP) Mullin, Co-Founder and CEO of Mantra, in Dubai to discuss what happened, what they’ve learned five days later, and how they plan to move forward. This is his first full-length, in-person on-record interview since the event. While he spoke calmly and carefully, the toll of the past few days was…
Read More »As Dubai cements its role as a global hub for blockchain innovation, Binance is doubling down on presence and participation—not just with more tools and trading features, but with something much more community-driven. At TOKEN2049 this year, Binance is bringing back its immersive Clubhouse experience to Madinat Jumeirah. More than a branded space, the Clubhouse is evolving into a strategic platform designed to amplify engagement, foster grassroots momentum, and activate…
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