The steady push of Abu Dhabi into technology and finance is starting to get noticed at the top. Just recently, Binance founder Changpeng Zhao identified the UAE capital as one of today’s global centers for artificial intelligence and blockchain. Given the region's growing presence in these industries, this remark comes as no surprise.
Considering the recent developments, the timing seems to indicate where things are heading. Only this week, reports confirmed that the U.S. reached a preliminary agreement with the UAE to allow it to import up to 500,000 Nvidia AI chips annually, beginning in 2025. That deal could be a major source of advanced computing power for the Middle East.
Separately, a $408.5 million stake in the iShares Bitcoin Trust (IBIT) was disclosed by Abu Dhabi’s sovereign wealth fund, Mubadala, according to its latest 13F filing. As of the end of Q1, 2025, the fund held just over 8.7 million shares, representing an increase from about 8.2 million shares at the close of 2024.
Mubadala's position is one of the largest known institutional holdings of the product, and it adds to the growing list of data points suggesting that traditional capital in the UAE is warming to digital assets.
Let's not forget that two months earlier, MGX, a state-owned investment firm launched last year with a focus on AI, committed $2 billion to Binance. Described as Binance’s first institutional investment, it was also the largest crypto deal ever paid in stablecoins.
Prior to this deal, MGX had partnered with companies like Microsoft and BlackRock to build a $30 billion AI fund. Investing in Binance, however, marks a shift in strategy for MGX.
Additionally, the black-and-yellow crypto exchange has expanded its footprint in the UAE over the past few years, with 1,000 of its 5,000 global employees now based in the country.
Thus, Zhao’s remarks were not made in a vacuum. In fact, they reflect a close view of what is happening on the ground and are directly tied to huge tech and crypto initiatives emerging from the region.
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