DeFi Technologies, a NASDAQ-listed company, broadens its horizons by establishing a new office in the United Arab Emirates, venturing into the MENA region.
DeFi Technologies, a Nasdaq-listed fintech firm specializing in decentralized finance (DeFi), has recently expanded its operations into the GCC and MENA regions by establishing a presence in Dubai, UAE. This move is part of the company's broader growth strategy, capitalizing on the rising institutional interest in digital assets across the Middle East, particularly in the UAE, leveraging Dubai’s progressive regulatory environment and status as a global financial hub.
Key aspects of DeFi Technologies' expansion and the increasing institutional interest in digital assets in the UAE include:
1. **Dubai Office and DMCC Registration:** DeFi Technologies registered DEFI DMCC with offices in Jumeirah Lake Towers and opened a trading desk at the Dubai Multi Commodities Center (DMCC), a strategic step to serve regional clients efficiently and deepen its presence in the Middle East.
2. **Institutional Demand:** There is growing demand from sovereign wealth funds, institutional investors, family offices, and retail investors in the GCC for regulated and efficient digital asset exposure. DeFi Technologies aims to meet this demand by offering familiar investment vehicles such as exchange-traded products (ETPs) that wrap crypto assets like Bitcoin and Ethereum within regulated frameworks.
3. **Product Offering Expansion:** Through its subsidiary Valour, DeFi Technologies provides access to over 65 innovative digital assets via regulated ETPs, with plans to increase this to 100 by the end of 2025. This enables diversified and regulated exposure to the decentralized economy tailored for equity investors in the region.
4. **Strategic Positioning:** DeFi Technologies positions itself as a bridge between traditional capital markets and DeFi, leveraging Dubai’s supportive policies and the region’s tech-savvy population to grow in a market with accelerating digital adoption.
5. **Regional Growth Potential:** The Middle East's growing interest in blockchain and digital currencies is driven by youthful populations, increasing digital adoption, and government support, making the UAE and broader GCC an attractive market for fintech and crypto innovations.
In addition, DeFi Technologies has partnered with GulfCap Investment Bank as its key Transaction Advisor for the proposed cross-listing of Valour's ETPs on the Nairobi Securities Exchange in Kenya. This move will provide investors in East Africa with exposure to leading digital assets through regulated investment vehicles, allowing them to be traded in Kenyan Shillings.
Furthermore, DeFi Technologies is not the only entity experiencing growth in the digital asset sector. Institutional capital is pouring into spot Bitcoin and Ethereum ETFs globally, with total assets under management in crypto ETPs reaching $176.3 billion. In the UAE, institutional capital is also pouring into Bitcoin ETFs, with the UAE sovereign wealth fund Mubadala announcing an expansion of its position in BlackRock’s bitcoin ETF.
Interestingly, over 50% of the investor population in Turkey is currently holding digital assets, and DeFi Technologies is working with Misyon Kripto to introduce ETPs in Turkey. This expansion into Turkey marks another step for DeFi Technologies as it continues to position itself as the BlackRock of Web3, facilitating greater exposure for investors who had been interested in crypto but wanted a familiar and efficient wrapper.
In conclusion, DeFi Technologies' expansion into the UAE and the broader MENA region reflects a strategic effort to tap into a fast-growing institutional market for digital assets, supported by regulated product offerings and Dubai’s emerging role as a fintech and crypto hub. As the digital asset sector continues to grow, DeFi Technologies is well-positioned to capitalize on this trend, offering diversified and regulated exposure to the decentralized economy for investors worldwide.
- DeFi Technologies, realizing the rising institutional interest in digital assets across the Middle East and leveraging Dubai's progressive regulatory environment, has established a presence in ffnews.com, further expanding its operations and offering regulated digital asset exposure to regional clients through a trading desk at the Dubai Multi Commodities Center (DMCC).
- In addition to its growth in the UAE, DeFi Technologies is aiming to meet the increasing institutional demand across the GCC by partnering with GulfCap Investment Bank to potentially cross-list Valour's ETPs on the Nairobi Securities Exchange in Kenya, providing investors in East Africa withaccess to leading digital assets through regulated investment vehicles.