Regulating digital assets In the mena region

Regulating Digital Assets in the MENA Region

Finance regulators, fintech founders, a major telecom operator and senior government officials met in Dubai to work through what a balanced digital-asset framework looks like — one that protects consumers and sovereignty without stalling innovation.

About the event

A working session on the rules that will govern digital money.

The roundtable brought together finance regulators, top executives from leading fintech and digital asset companies, a major telecom operator, and distinguished government officials. Together they shared insights on the evolving digital landscape, regulatory innovation, and best practices tailored for the region.

Attendees heard from some of the foremost digital assets and fintech experts in MENA, giving a rich and diverse perspective on the challenges and opportunities shaping the future of finance — and on how to navigate financial sovereignty, consumer protection, and the integration of new technologies in a fast-moving landscape.

The rise of digital assets presents both immense opportunity and significant risk. The session was a platform for dialogue on how governments and regulators in the MENA region can build a balanced framework: one that supports fintech innovation while mitigating market volatility, illicit finance, and challenges to financial sovereignty.

The discussion examined practical strategies — using the DIFC’s risk-based framework as a case study — and the future of finance in a world increasingly shaped by digital currencies and AI.

Four lines of inquiry.

Financial sovereignty and digital assets

How state-led digital currencies affect national monetary control and competitiveness, and what the global race for financial sovereignty means for MENA financial systems.

Building a robust regulatory framework

The practical challenge of regulating in MENA: balancing consumer protection against the need for innovation, and cooperating globally so regulatory gaps don’t open up.

The future of finance

Integrating digital and traditional systems — interoperability, modern infrastructure, and the role financial centres play in guiding the industry’s evolution.

Generative AI in public sector digital assets

How generative AI can transform the management of public digital assets, improving efficiency and transparency inside government institutions.

The people who set the rules — and the people who build under them.

Policymakers. Officials from regulatory bodies and government agencies.

Industry leaders. CEOs, founders and senior executives from fintech firms, banks and financial institutions.

Technology and telecom. Operators and platform executives working on payments and digital infrastructure.

Four outcomes from the session.

Knowledge sharing. An exchange of best practice and expert insight from distinguished industry leaders.

Networking. Room to connect and collaborate with peers and decision-makers.

Policy recommendations. Clear recommendations identified for regulators and stakeholders.

A future roadmap. A contribution to the roadmap for digital currency and fintech development in the UAE and the wider MENA region.

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Regulating Digital Assets in the MENA Region

A working session on the rules that will govern digital money.

Four lines of inquiry.

Financial sovereignty and digital assets

Building a robust regulatory framework

The future of finance

Generative AI in public sector digital assets

The people at the table.

Dubai, 25 September.

The people who set the rules — and the people who build under them.

Four outcomes from the session.

Partner with the next roundtable.

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