The UAE has built one of the world’s clearest regulatory frameworks for digital assets — but what does that actually mean for banks, fintechs, and institutional investors on the ground? In this episode, Muhammad Babar, Digital Assets and Compliance Lead at the MENA Fintech Association, joins Raghda Ibraheem to unpack how the UAE’s regulatory journey — from ADGM’s early moves in 2018 to the establishment of VARA — has shifted the institutional conversation from “should we engage with digital assets” to “when.”
- What’s changing on the ground as regulatory clarity matures
- Why global players like BlackRock and Franklin Templeton are establishing a presence in the region
- How UAE-licensed institutions are building successful, regulator-approved cross-border payment corridors using stablecoins
- The three pillars of a well-executed cross-border money movement program: product clarity, regulatory alignment, and counterparty due diligence
- Why governance is struggling to keep pace as AI and digital assets converge
Whether you’re a banker, fintech founder, or institutional investor watching the region, this conversation offers a grounded look at where UAE’s digital asset ecosystem stands today — and where it’s headed next.