UAE Emerges as a Global Beacon for Tokenization

Abu Dhabi signals a watershed moment in the global digital‑asset arena, positioning itself at the heart of the tokenization ecosystem.

Abu Dhabi’s Digital‑Asset Playbook: The ADGM Edge

■In 2018, the Abu Dhabi Global Market (ADGM) rolled out one of the world’s first comprehensive virtual‑asset regulatory frameworks, offering a trusted haven for regional and global crypto firms.

■Today, over 20 firms hold active virtual‑asset licences, underscoring the jurisdiction’s regulatory allure.

■Binance secured an ADGM licence in 2025, handling $4.74 trillion in trading volume – roughly 39.5% of the market tracked by CoinMarketCap.

Coinbase’s International Tokenisation Hub: A Strategic Leap

■Coinbase has been granted a licence to operate a tokenisation hub within ADGM, enabling the arrangement and custody of tokenised securities.

■Custody services give institutional investors confidence in digital assets, boosting market liquidity.

■The firm’s vision is to shift traditional finance onto blockchain, moving tokenised securities from a “pilot” to a full‑market stage via Abu Dhabi.

Regional Ecosystem Gains Momentum: SettleMint and ADI Foundation

■SettleMint partnered with the ADI Foundation to build a digital‑asset lifecycle infrastructure on ADI Chain.

■ADI Chain secured a $50 million strategic investment to expand across the Middle East, Africa, and Asia.

■The region’s first dirham‑pegged stablecoin, DDSC, was launched through a collaboration of First Abu Dhabi Bank, International Holding Company, and Sirius International Holding.

■Mubadala Capital tokenised a private‑market strategy via KAIO, showcasing sovereign‑wealth‑fund‑driven tokenisation.

Tokenisation’s Economic Upside for the GCC

■Consulting firm Kearney projects that by 2030, $500 billion of GCC assets could reside on blockchain.

■Private markets dominate this outlook, with an estimated $154 billion market size, poised to reshape the region’s capital structure.

■Tokenisation promises greater accessibility, efficiency, and global integration of capital markets, potentially positioning the GCC as a leader in financial innovation.

Captain Rıza Deniz – Global Supply‑Chain and Freight‑Market Strategist: Abu Dhabi’s tokenisation push is more than a financial novelty; it paves the way for digitising logistics and freight contracts, injecting transparency and speed into maritime trade. A solid regulatory foundation enables large‑scale infrastructure financing on blockchain, which could lower shipping costs and inject stability into indices like the BDI, signaling a more resilient global freight market.