DeFi Technologies Expands Middle East Presence with UAE Office Launch

DeFi Technologies, a Nasdaq-listed company bridging traditional finance with decentralized ecosystems, has officially expanded into the GCC and MENA regions through its newly registered entity DEFI DMCC. The firm has established offices in Dubai's Jumeirah Lake Towers, with its subsidiary Valour operating a trading desk at the Dubai Multi Commodities Centre (DMCC).

As the first publicly traded digital asset manager of its kind, DeFi Technologies provides institutional investors exposure to decentralized finance through Valour's regulated exchange-traded products (ETPs), currently offering access to 65+ digital assets with plans to expand to 100 by 2025.

The move comes amid growing institutional interest in the region, highlighted by Mubadala Investment Company's recent investment in BlackRock's Bitcoin ETF. July 2024 saw significant inflows into crypto ETPs globally, with Bitcoin ETFs recording 18,476 BTC and Ethereum ETFs attracting 93,427 ETH in weekly inflows.

Andrew Forson, President of DeFi Technologies, noted: 'The GCC region presents tremendous potential. By packaging digital assets in regulated financial instruments, we're enabling sovereign wealth funds, institutional investors, and retail participants to gain crypto exposure through familiar investment vehicles.'

The expansion follows the company's successful ventures in Turkey through Misyon Bank partnerships and Africa via a collaboration with GulfCap Investment Bank for potential ETP listings on Kenya's Nairobi Securities Exchange. In Europe, Valour already offers 65+ fully hedged digital asset ETPs across major exchanges including Xetra and Euronext.