UAE

Dubai

Dubai Free Zone Becomes First UAE Government Entity to Accept Bitcoin

Tanzeel AkhtarFeb 17, 2021

The free zone accepts payments in bitcoin, ether and the tether stablecoin.

CBDCs

Bilateral Saudi, UAE Digital Currency Experiment Shows Benefits of Distributed Ledgers, Central Banks Say

Daniel KuhnNov 29, 2020

A joint Saudi and UAE CBDC pilot found that a distributed payment system offers “significant improvement over centralized payment systems.”

Payments

Central Banks of China, UAE Join Blockchain-Based CBDC Payments Project

Jamie CrawleyFeb 23, 2021

The project will explore the capabilities of a DLT-based central bank digital currency in regional payments.

UAE

BitOasis Clears Hurdle in Bid to Launch Regulated Crypto Asset Exchange

Nikhilesh DeMay 13, 2019

BitOasis has secured an in-principle approval, taking it one step closer to offering a regulated crypto exchange to the Middle East.

Exchanges

Bithumb Kicks Off Middle East Expansion With UAE Crypto Exchange

Yogita KhatriFeb 12, 2019

South Korean cryptocurrency exchange Bithumb plans to expand in the Middle East, starting with a licensed exchange in the UAE.

UAE

Ripple

Two Remittance Firms Go Live With Ripple-Based Payments to Thailand

Yogita Khatri

Remittance firms UAE Exchange and Unimoni now offer blockchain-based payments to Thailand using RippleNet.

Payments

Saudi Arabia, UAE Aim to Cut Payments Costs With Common Digital Currency

Yogita Khatri

Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates are hoping a shared digital currency can cut remittance costs between the two countries.

Ripple

UAE Remittance Firm Launching Ripple-Based Payments in Q1 2019

Yogita Khatri

Abu Dhabi-based money transmitter UAE Exchange is working with Ripple to launch blockchain remittances to Asia early next year.

Identity

Blockchain ‘Radically Simplifies’ KYC, Say UAE Trial Participants

Yogita Khatri

An Abu Dhabi financial center and KPMG say they have successfully completed a trial of a blockchain-based know-your-customer application.

UAE

United Arab Emirates to Allow ICOs as Corporate Funding Option

Daniel Palmer

The U.A.E. plans to introduce regulations that would permit initial coin offerings to be used as a means of fundraising for domestic companies.

UAE

Oil Data Firm Platts Rolls Out Commercial Blockchain Platform

Daniel Palmer

Energy markets data provider S&P Global Platts has announced the commercial deployment of a blockchain network for sharing oil inventories.

UAE

UAE Financial Watchdog Warns Investors Over ICO Risks

Wolfie Zhao

A financial regulator in the UAE has issued a warning to investors on the risks of participating in token sale activities.