Abu Dhabi | Crypto

Circle has secured a license in Abu Dhabi, enabling it to operate as a licensed Money Services Provider as the UAE accelerates its rollout of crypto regulations. Stablecoin issuer Circle has secured regulatory approval to operate as a financial service provider in the Abu Dhabi International Financial Center, deepening its push into the United Arab Emirates. In an announcement Tuesday, Circle Internet Group said it received a Financial Services Permission license from the Financial Services Regulatory Authority of the Abu Dhabi Global Market (ADGM), the International Financial Centre of Abu Dhabi. This allows the stablecoin issuer to operate as a Money Services Provider in the IFC. The USDC (USDC) issuer also appointed Saeeda Jaffar as its managing director for Circle Middle East and Africa. The new executive also serves as a senior vice president and group country manager for the Gulf Operation Council at Visa and will be tasked with developing the stablecoin issuer’s regional strategy and partnerships. Read...

ADGM’s recognition of USDT as an accepted fiat-referenced token lets licensed companies offer regulated custody, marking a step for stablecoins in the UAE. Tether’s USDt, the largest stablecoin by circulation, has secured a regulatory milestone in Abu Dhabi’s international financial center, opening the door for licensed institutions to use the token in regulated services. Announced Monday, USDt (USDT) was formally recognized as an “accepted fiat-referenced token,” allowing regulated firms in the Abu Dhabi Global Market (ADGM) to offer trading, custody and other services involving the stablecoin.  ADGM — an international financial center and free economic zone — has become a magnet for digital asset companies seeking clear rules and institutional access. Read more

Ripple’s dollar-backed stablecoin secures a major regulatory win as Abu Dhabi allows licensed firms to use RLUSD inside its international financial center. Ripple’s dollar-pegged stablecoin was cleared for use by institutions in Abu Dhabi after winning recognition as an Accepted Fiat-Referenced Token by the local watchdog. In a Thursday announcement, Ripple said the approval allows regulated firms to deploy Ripple USD (RLUSD) inside the Abu Dhabi Global Market’s (ADGM) financial zone,  an international financial center and free zone located on Al Maryah and Al Reem Islands in Abu Dhabi. “With a market capitalization of over $1 billion and growing adoption in core financial uses like collateral and payments, RLUSD is quickly becoming a go-to USD stablecoin for major institutions,” said Jack McDonald, senior vice president of stablecoins at Ripple. Read more

Al Warda Investments, an investment arm under the Abu Dhabi Investment Council (ADIC), sharply increased its exposure to Bitcoin in the third quarter. The post Abu Dhabi’s Al Warda Investments Triples Bitcoin ETF Holdings to $518M appeared first on Cryptonews.

The regulator stated that farmland must be used only for agricultural purposes to qualify for government services, subsidies, and utilities. The Abu Dhabi Agriculture and Food Safety Authority (ADAFSA), the agricultural regulator for the emirate of Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates (UAE), announced a ban on using agricultural land for crypto mining. Violators will face a 100,000 AED fine ($27,229), and the ADAFSA will suspend municipal services, confiscate mining hardware, and disconnect the farmland from the electrical grid, according to Tuesday’s announcement. ADAFSA said that using farmland for crypto mining conflicts with “sustainability” policies in the region and undermines existing land use provisions. Read more

Abu Dhabi sovereign wealth fund Mubadala raised its exposure to Bitcoin (BTC) during the first quarter, purchasing 491,000 shares of BlackRock’s iShares Bitcoin Trust (IBIT), according to its latest Form 13-F filing. Mubadala held 8,726,972 shares of IBIT as of March 31, up 6% from the previous quarter and worth approximately $408.5 million at the […] The post Abu Dhabi sovereign wealth fund Mubadala expands Bitcoin exposure via IBIT while Wisconsin fund exits crypto ETF appeared first on CryptoSlate.