TradeLens, a Blockchain enable supply chain platform has just issued the first bills of lading in UAE for both Safelin Freight and Fortuna in DMCC ( Dubai Multi Commodities Center) Safeline Freight and Fortuna DMCC  through TradeLens have accessed  digital issuance, transfer, and surrender of original bills of lading using blockchain technology. Combined, the two companies move more than 7,500 containers annually in and out of the UAE. TradeLens was jointly developed by Maersk and IBM. TradeLens allows an original bill of lading to be digitally issued directly from a carrier and moved electronically through its journey with all the stakeholders. This reduces the hassles of sending physical papers from one stakeholder to the other through a courier process, eliminates the costly possibility of documents getting lost or forged, and removes inefficiencies from manual processes. Mr. Ahmed Beyi, CEO Safeline Freight, stated, “I was amazed at how easy and fast I can control...

  When Huda Kattan, an Iraqi American beauty Blogger launched her blog in 2010, she didn’t imagine that in 2022, she would head one of the fastest growing beauty brands in the world with over 50 million followers on Instagram and a net worth of 500 million USD. Her success actually started in Dubai UAE, when Huda and her sisters Mona and Alya created a collection of false eyelashes under the Huda Beauty brand name which later launched at Sephora in Dubai Mall. Recently Huda was invited to speak at Gary Vaynerchuk’s Web3.o and NFT conference Veecon, at US Bank Stadium in Minneapolis.   Only a handful  of women were present at the event, including Mila Kunis and Eva Longoria, Kattan spoke on her recent investments into NFTs (Non Fungible Tokens) and how few women are involved in the crypto space. Kattan currently owns hundreds of NFTs, including those from the project   World of Women NFT . As per their website, WoW’s vision is to build an inclusive web3 t...

It is big news when a leading global strategy and management consultancy firm like Roland Berger partners with UAE Crypto Oasis, a Middle East focused Blockchain Ecosystem supported by initiators of Crypto Valley Switzerland. As per the announcement, Roland Berger will bring forward its talents and resources to propel the Blockchain ecosystem to new heights in the MENA region and globally. Roland Berger was one of the first to herald in a crypto economy advisory practice out of the UAE. The partnership comes at a time when UAE Crypto Oasis is now targeting 1500 Blockchain crypto entities to enter the UAE after UAE reached the target of 1000 blockchain and crypto entities before the end of 2022. Roland Berger has been working with several clients in the region. They are strategic advisors to the biggest blockchain crypto projects in the region including the largest Bitcoin mining facility in MENA as well as the set-up of a tokenized green asset exchange. The combination of bot...

  So while crypto exchanges flock and grow in the MENA region specifically in Bahrain and the UAE, RAIN crypto exchange has laid off more than 120 employees. Speculations loom as to the reasons, yet one thing is certain; the first regulated crypto exchange to launch in the MENA region is facing the heat and is shedding its employees like a snake sheds its skin.  So while Binance and CoinMENA, both competitors of RAIN crypto exchange in Bahrain, were receiving upgrades on their licenses to category 4 and category 3 respectively, and while Crypto.com one of the biggest crypto exchanges globally received provisional approval for its virtual assets license from the Dubai Virtual Assets Regulatory Authority (VARA), RAIN was making no such announcements. On the contrary the only announcement it was making was that of layoffs. On May 1 st 2022, CoinMENA announced it had received an upgrade to its license from a category 2 to a category 3. As the company on LinkedIn stated, “We ...

  Shiran Ben Abderrazak, Co-founder and of Bift crypto entity has launched MONO the first NFT micro gallery in Tunisia. The first artist to showcase her art is Lebanese- Senegalese Linda Dounia Rebeiz, MONO is located in the heart of Tunis, Tunisia. Open to all, it stands as a mysterious portal on a very busy, old and narrow street. Inspired by a science-fiction aesthetic from the 70s, its style makes any passer-by question its utility, as its functionality is rather clashing with the hustle and bustle of its area. MONO is a window to the eccentric world of NFTs (Non Fungible Tokens). MONO invites artists from multiple mediums to exhibit their works on the screen, thereby allowing viewers to explore their artistic universe through the small portal. Through a disruptive cu-ration, the micro-gallery will be using the advantage of its location to provide to a large audience access to digital art, make it curious and trigger conversations and debates around the evolution of digit...

  Ali Sajwani Chief Operating Officer of DAMAC Group told al Roeya media outlet in an interview that UAE DAMAC Properties sold 50 million USD worth of properties in crypto since the beginning of 2022. As he explained, “DAMAC started accepting crypto as part of our efforts to enhance our service offering in the digital economy. We want to make it easier for those dealing in crypto such as Bitcoin and Ethereum to purchase properties and pay using both these cryptocurrencies. We have succeeded in selling 50 million USD worth of properties via cryptocurrencies since the beginning of 2022. Payments happen through a third party regulated by Abu Dhabi global market authority, Havyn digital asset exchange. Clients purchase through Havyn and then Havyn transfers the amount to DAMAC’s digital wallet either in USD OR AED as per the exchange rate of Bitcoin or Ethereum at that time. So we don’t take any risk.” He also sheds light on DAMAC’s metaverse strategy. As he explains the strate...

The Executive President of the Central Bank of Oman, Mr. Tahir Salim Al Amri, commented during the 7t Edition of the new Age Banking Summit on the topic of CBDCs (Central Bank Digital Currencies) As per a tweet from Oman News Agency stated, “The Central Bank of Oman is working to issue its own CBDC. Many central banks are studying the possibility of issuing their own CBDCs and the Central Bank of Oman is committed to supporting innovation in the financial sector." He also mentioned that work was underway to open banking API services and overcoming challenges that face the digitization sector, and stressed the importance of cyber security. In April 2022, Oman Capital Market Authority announced that it would incorporate real estate tokenization within its virtual assets regulation as well as license crypto exchanges. The Oman virtual asset regulation will be finalized by Q3 of 2022. Kemal Rizadi, Advisor at the Oman Capital Market Authority made these comments during the ...

    UAE Sarwa, hybrid automated investment platform regulated by DFSA (Dubai Financial Services Authority) has now added crypto to its trading platform. Sarwa Crypto, a product of Sarwa Digital Wealth Capital Limited regulated by ADGM FSRA,  will offer four major cryptocurrencies, Bitcoin, Bitcoin Cash, Ethereum and Litecoin. The statement on LinkedIn says, “We are super proud to announce that Sarwa is launching Crypto in our trading platform for clients. This latest product release comes after months of hard work.   Sarwa Crypto will allow users to trade crypto coins such as Bitcoin, Bitcoin Cash, Ether, Litecoin, and more to come in the future. In addition there is no account minimum and no transfer fees for local AED accounts.” Co-Founder, Nadine Mezher commented , “People might ask, in this volatile market? Yes, absolutely. Our product offering is not tied to booms and drops. It's about understanding the needs of our community and how we can provide them wi...

  The recent YouGov Survey in the UAE on the opinions of UAE residents about 16 emerging technologies had some very interesting findings. The survey highlighted the responses of those surveyed on their opinions about the future and impact of these technologies on society. Interestingly awareness about a technology did not necessarily correlate with acceptance or feeling this technology was important or should be invested in. So while crypto took top spot in terms of awareness, it didn’t continue to take the lead when it came to which technologies would become widespread or which technologies are good or which technologies should governments invest in. Cryptocurrency as a term topped the list of technologies that UAE residents have heard about. 50 percent of the 1005 residents surveyed have heard a lot about crypto, 36 percent have heard about it a little and only 14 percent have not heard about it at all. This of course is not surprising given all the recent endeavors the UAE ...

  EnjinStarter, next generation Launchpad for Blockchain games and the metaverse, which is based out of Singapore, could be setting up base soon in UAE. Prakash Somosundram CEO and Co Founder at EnjinStarter recently visited Dubai.   Nigel Hawley board advisor and a investor in True Global Ventures (TGV), which also recently invested 3 million USD in a series A round as a lead investor into Enjinstarter hosted the visit. EnjinStarter has received a total of 8 million in funding since its inception. EnjinStarter, built on JumpNet is enabling creators and game developers to run capital raising campaigns and build communities using blockchain tech. Not only do they issue tokens but provide game developers with a way to explore other innovative ways of raising capital including utilizing NFTs.  They even have an incubation program, supported by an accredited partner network. Concurrently the MENA gaming sector is one of the fastest-growing gaming markets in the world, wi...

  The Abu Dhabi Global Market has launched a crypto vending machine in the free zone area. Users can insert cash or credit card and exchange them for Bitcoin or other crypto currencies. Located in the Galleria Mall, on Al Maryah Island next to ADGM.  As per an article in the National , ADGM stated, " the Kiosk withdrawal is logged via the internet and the puchsed Bitcoins are added to the customer's virtual currency wallet for use in future transactions."  The crypto Kiosk or vending machine is an initiative of World Credit savings a brokerage firm regulated by the FSRA ( Financial Services Regulatory Authority) at ADGM.  This is a big thing given that the last Crypto ATM set up in Dubai was decommissioned in 2019. It was a Bitcoin ATM in the Rixos Premium hotel.  In 2019 there was  only one Bitcoin ATM in existence in the GCC in Bahrain.   In a Linkedin Post shared by the CEO of Bahrain Fintech bay  Khalid Saad  states, ” We have the on...

  In a recent article Binance announced that it had enabled a Dubai Hotel to offer crypto payment facilities. The hotel in question is the Manor by JA resorts located in Al Furjan. As per the article the The Manor hotel is settling payments in BNB (Binance coin), Bitcoin and Ethereum through Binance crypto to crypto payment gateway. As per Mohammed Hanif Al Qassim, Managing Partner of The Manor Hotel, “Virtual assets go in line with The Manor's vision for sustainability and digital transformation, considering its position among top eco-friendly boutique hotels in Dubai.” Richard Teng, Regional Head of MENA at the crypto-platform, “Binance has been actively engaging established local businesses and institutions to further increase the adoption of crypto for our users and the crypto community as a whole. Our partnerships with leading, innovative businesses, such as JA are in line with our vision to enhance crypto adoption across the region." Prior to this Property develop...

  During the World Economic Forum in Davos, CoinDesk carried out an interview with UAE Minister Omar Sultan AlOlama, Minister of State for Artificial Intelligence, Digital Economy and Remote Work. Some big takeaways from his interview that I found interesting were the following. First he noted that he was pleased to see more and more governments embracing crypto and finding use cases for it. He also noted that Blockchain had become more popular and as he stated, “This is good for everyone because you can build a more trust based society that will take us into Web3.0” He also made a comment that while most governments just talk about AI (Artificial Intelligence), the UAE is actually walking the talk. He states, “The UAE is taking a proactive role to regulate and deploy AI in environments and is working to attract AI startups.” He believes given the diversity in UAE demographics AI systems developed in UAE will be less biased towards specific ethnicities, genders, etc.. He also s...

  At The World Economic Forum in Davos UAE’s DP World, a global end to end logistics provider announced that it would be utilizing the metaverse not for social networks, entertainment or enhancing customer experience but for increasing operational efficiency. This is the first time that a metaverse solution is being utilized in the logistics industry and for operational and educational purposes. The Metaverse, DPMETAWORLD, will aim to bring cutting edge virtual solutions to real world supply chain challenges driving both efficiency and transparency. Sultan Ahmed Bin Sulayem, Group chairman and CEO of DP World announced this during the World Economic Forum Annual meeting at Davos. The DPMETAWORLD platform will be launched at the end of 2022. Bin Sulayem said: “At DP World, we don’t respond to change – we think ahead and anticipate it. We know that the industries of the future will not be industries of the hand, but of the mind. So we have to deploy industry-leading solutions...

  Qatar will witness a blockchain revolution summit on the 26 th of May 2022 at St. Regis Doha Qatar, with the participation of Dr. Don Tapscott , Executive Chairman of the Blockchain Research Institute, and well known as a leading Blockchain expert. The summit is being organized by the Blockchain Research Institute Middle East, the first regional branch of Blockchain Research Institute based out of Qatar. The event is set to discuss opportunities to create industry solution frameworks and guidelines leveraging blockchain technologies to secure data, reduce costs and improve timelines. The interesting highlights of this summit are the speakers and sponsors. Aside from Don Tapscott, speakers include Fadi Nasser, Chief Commercial Officer of Meeza Qatar. Meeza is also sponsoring the event. Nebil Ben Aissa, Chief Executive officer for Nexxo, a private equity investment network dedicated to FinTech is also participating. In addition Khalid Al Ansari a Doctor of Law (JD) and a P...

  Cheeze, rooted in the UAE, welcomes Ex Netflix Co-Founder Marc Randolph to its board of Directors. This comes after the completion of Cheeze’s second seed round where Randolph continued his investment. As quoted on Forbes Randolph stated, "I am very excited about joining the Cheeze, Inc. board. The team Simon (Hudson, Cheeze CEO and Founder) is building is really impressive, and I am excited to see the progress they make," Randolph said. In March 2021, Cheeze Blockchain NFT photo application teamed up with UAE Based SRG Holding to develop minting studio for NFTs. Cheeze partnered with UAE based property developer to offer its engineering team a new base to develop and launch a new minting studio for NFTs (non-fungible tokens). Cheeze has partnered with Mohamed AlRafi, Founder of SRG Holding in the UAE, to start work on creating an engineering headquarters in Dubai and will continue to hire engineers over the coming months. Cheeze was established in Silicon Valley in ...

  BSV Global Blockchain Convention which commenced today in Dubai UAE is aiming to bring Blockchain back to Satoshi’s true vision and make it useful efficient and good. Jimmy Nguyen, Founding President of BSV Blockchain, told attendees in his opening speech, “In the world today we are seeing too many coins, more than 10,000 cryptocurrencies listed on CoinMarket. We are seeing algorithmic stablecoins crash like in the case of Luna from Terra, with many of these coins being connected to crime. This is not the world I entered into when I started in Blockchain. Today we are here to start a conversation around building a world of Blockchain that is better. Build a world where Satoshi’s vision for BSV original protocol, one of P2P electronic payment transactions, and a data blockchain infrastructure useful for everyone. We are here to make the blockchain useful again.” He goes on to state that the Satoshi vision was one of efficiency, honesty, a world of good. Bitcoin was created to ...

WadzPay will list its token on a Middle East crypto asset Exchange soon, according to its Group CEO. In a tweet WadzPay CEO Anish Jain states “We will also expand presence to regional exchanges in UAE, India, Africa and South America.” The WadzPay ecosystem provides infrastructure for emerging CBDC and Stable coin technologies allowing governments and institutions to sandbox or commercialize programs both at a domestic or international level. WadzPay is building an interoperable and agnostic blockchain-based payments ecosystem. The company was founded in 2018 in Singapore and is currently operating in South East Asia, South Asia, Middle East and Africa. As per their website the company saw the potential for CBDC and Digital Assets leading the next revolution in the payments industry: by enabling faster payments, improvements in security, cost efficiency with optionality. They claim to be working with large international payment companies, banks and other large global companies t...

  CoinMENA Chief Operating Officer Dina Semaan announced today on twitter that CoinMENA crypto exchange is now serving clients in Qatar. This would be the first crypto exchange to officially announce that it is serving clients in Qatar. As per her tweet , “Starting from today, CoinMENA services are now being offered in Qatar, making us the first regulated crypto exchange to be offering services in Qatar.”   She adds with this expansion we now offer CoinMENA services in six Arab countries, and we continue to achieve our goals of offering the simplest and easiest method for trading crypto.” This comes after Qatar’s FIFA 2022 took on sponsors such as Crypto.com, one of the international crypto exchanges globally. It also comes after FIFA signed up AlGorand Blockchain as a sponsor and partner for their digitization plans in the sports and entertainment sector. CoinMENA was first regulated in Bahrain, and then sought regulation in UAE, and offers its services in KSA, Kuwait, Om...

  800,000 Saudi’s used digital currencies in 2021 with the value of virtual asset transactions in Saudi at around 20 billion USD and this is expected to grow five times over the next five years. The information was shared by Ali AlObaid, Managing Director of BitOasis crypto exchange, to Arab News In the article he states, “We believe that this can grow by five times over the next five years. Last year, KSA probably represented 15 percent of Gulf Cooperation Council and Middle East and North Africa activity.” He added that around 4 percent of adult population in MENA will have invested in crypto by the end of 2022. While in the USA 20 percent of adults have invested in crypto. BitOasis user base in KSA is primarily millennials, 25-34 year old's, with 30 percent of those trading on BitOasis between the ages of 35-44 years. In a YouGov survey recently it noted that 1.8 percent of Saudi Arabian residents currently trade in cryptocurrencies. Yet it is Morocco that tops crypto own...