Mohammed Ebrahim Al Fardan - محمد ابراهيم الفردان

The UAE: from vision to infrastructure 🇦🇪 The UAE’s digital asset success has been years in the making – from ADGM’s regulatory framework to VARA launching as the first authority dedicated solely to virtual assets, they have taken deliberate steps to build for institutions. As regulation, infrastructure and institutional momentum come together, we speak to Dominic Longman, Head of Global Markets, and Anoosh Arevshatian, Chief Product Officer, about why the UAE is such an exciting market and what the future looks like for digital assets in the region. Industry Insights, UAE edition 🎬

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Supported by R3, the #UAE is shaping the future of global infrastructure and digital economies. Ahead of the launch of its cross-border #CBDC, the Central Bank of The UAE (#CBUAE) recently published a progress report on the #DigitalDirham—a key part of the UAE’s Financial Infrastructure Transformation (FIT) programme. The report outlines how the Digital Dirham addresses the needs of an increasingly digital economy and the roadmap for its public rollout. #R3 is proud to support this project by providing the underlying infrastructure for the Digital Dirham’s implementation. This initiative is a testament to the UAE’s leadership in offering #tokenized solutions in the Gulf and advancing the region’s digital economy. As financial infrastructure embraces the digital future, R3 is helping institutions lead the way.

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The GCC states’ fast-growing network of FTA and CEPA partners is part of a multi-pronged strategy to cement their positions as trading hubs and ‘connector countries’ in a fragmenting global economy. Such agreements help ensure stable and predictable market access, even as much of the rest of the world erects higher barriers to trade for protectionist or national-security purposes, providing the GCC states with an advantage. In addition to their network of preferential trade agreements, these states are counting on their world-class connectivity infrastructure, established reputations as reliable energy suppliers and geopolitical neutrality to capture a larger share of global trade. Their success, however, will be shaped by their ability to build an export base beyond hydrocarbons, resolve intra-GCC differences and navigate a worsening security environment.    Read the latest #ChartingMiddleEast analysis by Hasan T. Alhasan ahead of the IISS Manama Dialogue 2025: https://lnkd.in/euRJsrh3    IISS Manama Dialogue 2025  31 October–2 November 2025  #IISSMD25  https://go.iiss.org/MD25 

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If you’re a fintech founder looking for opportunity, Salah Hamawi has a message for you: look to the Middle East. Speaking to Inc. Arabia at this year’s edition of Money20/20 Middle East, Hamawi, who is a Partner at global consulting firm Kearney, pointed out that the region is fast emerging as a global fintech hub—and the opportunity it presents is ripe for the taking. For entrepreneurs thus wanting to make the most out of this ecosystem, Al Hamawi said that the most valuable currency they can make use of isn’t capital—it’s connection. “The one advice I would give fintech founders is network, network, network,” Hamawi said. “Money20/20 is a great example of a platform that brings together all the different players within the sector—you’ve got banks, regulators, consulting firms, and investors. This really is a forum for you to network, to engage, and really support in driving the momentum that we see in this sector.” Check out more of Hamawi's insights in the full video here: https://lnkd.in/dUYXa-Wq #fintech #finance #banking #SaudiArabia #KSA #GCC #MiddleEast #MENA #entrepreneurs #startups #business #leaders #tech #Money2020MiddleEast

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Maalexi secures up to $20M Islamic Credit Facility! The agreement enables Maalexi, the cross-border agri-trade end-to-end transaction platform, to scale in the #UAE and #SaudiArabia while investing in its proprietary #tech stack, including real-time payment #tokenization. Read more here: https://lnkd.in/dvgqFBpy

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eToro has partnered with Lean Technologies to enable instant AED bank transfers for UAE-based users, marking a major step in enhancing the local trading experience. The integration allows customers to securely deposit funds directly from their bank accounts into the eToro app, removing the need for manual card details and reducing errors. The partnership reflects eToro’s commitment to localisation in the UAE, complementing its Abu Dhabi office launch, the addition of local stocks, and integration with UAE PASS. Until 31 December 2025, users will also enjoy zero conversion fees when converting AED deposits into USD. Read more: https://lnkd.in/dCg-d5Gx Source: The Paypers

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ADGM has solidified its position as the Middle East's dominant international financial center, with assets under management jumping 42% in the first half of 2025 as the hub attracted a wave of billion-dollar partnerships and record licensing activity. The financial free zone issued 1,869 new licenses in six months, the highest number since 2015, raising total active licenses to 11,128, a 47% increase from last year. More significantly, ADGM has emerged as the region's largest international financial center by market capitalization, with registered entities listed on the Abu Dhabi Securities Exchange now worth over AED500 billion ($136 billion). Read more: https://lnkd.in/dqvirJ-i #ADGM #AbuDhabi #Assets #Finance #Markets

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🇸🇦 KSA leads MENA VC in funding for the third H1 period in a row In H1 2025, Saudi Arabia raised $860 million in venture funding, nearly twice and five times the UAE and Egypt's funding, respectively. To give clarity on the Kingdom’s strong performance, MAGNiTT is proud to announce our H1 2025 KSA Venture Capital report, in partnership with SVC. The Kingdom’s strong momentum was driven by: 📈 A triple-digit rise in $100M+ MEGA deals (Ninja 🥷🏽 نينجا: $250M, Tabby: $160M) 🪜 A 67% YoY rise in non-MEGA deal flow 🚨 Record 114 deals, capturing 37% of all MENA activity Why this matters: 1. KSA accounted for 56% of total MENA capital in H1 2025. 2. It is now the #1 market by both funding and deal volume in MENA, with deals at par with those of the UAE. 3. Four of the top five sectors in the Kingdom, including FinTech and EdTech, saw remarkable growth in deals. 4. Investor interest is broadening, with international players rising. 🔎 Read the full Saudi VC landscape breakdown in the full report, for FREE: https://lnkd.in/dxnTzk5H #SVC #MAGNiTT #MENA #MAGNiTT

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