The Gulf didn’t just join the crypto era; it started leading it
The UAE is one of the most active markets and MENA’s second-largest crypto economy
Over the past few years, the Gulf has gone from watching the global digital asset revolution to shaping it. The Middle East crypto market was $110 billion in 2024 and is projected to grow at almost 9 percent a year this decade. That momentum is tangible — especially in Dubai, where regulation and real-world adoption are evolving hand-in-hand.
In the UAE, studies suggest roughly 30 percent of adults – around three million people – now own crypto, and the country received around $56 billion in crypto inflows between 2024 and 2025. That makes the Emirates one of the most active markets and MENA’s second-largest crypto economy (Chainalysis’…
