DeFi Technologies Inc, a Nasdaq-listed fintech firm, is expanding into the GCC and MENA regions to capitalize on the rising institutional demand for digital assets across the Middle East.
Expanding DeFi Technologies’ Global Footprint
DeFi Technologies Inc, a Nasdaq-listed financial technology company, has announced a significant expansion into the GCC and MENA regions. The company has officially registered and established offices in Dubai and opened a dedicated trading desk within the Dubai Multi Commodities Center (DMCC) in the United Arab Emirates (UAE).
The move, spearheaded by DeFi Technologies and its digital asset managing subsidiary Valour, aims to capitalize on the surging institutional interest in digital assets across the Middle East. The expansion is a key component of the company’s broader strategy to enhance its product offerings and expand its global footprint.
Regarded as the first Nasdaq-listed digital asset manager of its kind, DeFi Technologies provides equity investors with diversified exposure to the decentralized economy while Valour offers access to more than 65 digital assets via regulated exchange traded products (ETPs). There are plans to expand this to 100 by the end of 2025.
The global trend of institutional capital flowing into spot bitcoin and ethereum exchange-traded funds (ETFs) is increasingly mirrored in the Middle East, particularly in the UAE. A recent example includes the UAE sovereign wealth fund Mubadala’s expanded position in Blackrock’s bitcoin ETF, showcasing a growing preference for non-traditional digital asset exposures packaged in familiar ETF wrappers. Total assets under management (AUM) in crypto ETPs globally have now reached $176.3 billion.
Andrew Forson, President of DeFi Technologies and Chief Growth Officer of Valour, emphasized the market demand.
“We believe the demand for digital asset ETPs will increase not only globally but in the GCC and Middle East. Investors, whether sovereign wealth funds, institutional investors, family offices, and even retail investors, are interested in crypto but require familiar and efficient vehicles to get exposure,” Forson stated.
He added that wrapping digital assets like bitcoin and ethereum in regulated financial instruments such as ETPs will not only increase the number of crypto investors but also offer countries such as the UAE, Qatar, Oman, and Saudi Arabia access to international foreign investment. This allows both local and international investors to gain exposure through trusted providers like the Abu Dhabi Stock Exchange and Dubai Financial Markets.
Beyond its Middle East expansion, DeFi Technologies has also broadened its reach into Turkey through a collaboration with Misyon Bank and Misyon Kripto to introduce ETPs, recognizing that over 50% of Turkey’s investor population currently holds digital assets. In 2024, DeFi Technologies, through Valour, partnered with Gulfcap Investment Bank (GCIB) to act as its key Transaction Advisor for the proposed cross-listing of Valour’s ETPs on the Nairobi Securities Exchange (NSE) in Kenya.
This cross-listing would enable Valour’s ETPs to be traded in Kenyan Shillings on the NSE, offering East African investors exposure to leading digital assets via regulated investment vehicles. In Europe, DeFi Technologies’ subsidiary Valour currently offers over 65 fully hedged digital asset ETPs on leading exchanges including Xetra, Spotlight, and Euronext, solidifying its strong presence across key global financial markets.
