Abu Dhabi to Launch Dirham-Backed Stablecoin

In a major development aimed at accelerating the UAE's digital financial infrastructure, three of Abu Dhabi's most prominent institutions

ABU DHABI, UAE – Three of Abu Dhabi’s most prominent institutions—ADQ, First Abu Dhabi Bank (FAB), and International Holding Company (IHC)—have joined forces to launch a UAE Dirham (AED) backed stablecoin, which will be regulated by the Central Bank of the United Arab Emirates (CBUAE), the institutions announced on Monday.

The initiative is part of the UAE’s broader strategy to integrate blockchain technology into its financial systems and introduce new forms of digital currency.

The stablecoin, a digital currency designed to maintain a stable value against another asset—in this case, the UAE Dirham—will be available for use by consumers, businesses, financial institutions, and AI systems for seamless and efficient digital transactions. It will be backed 1:1 by the UAE Dirham and operate within a fully regulated framework. This makes it one of the first regionally issued and regulated stablecoins.

Announcing the initiative, Mohamed Hassan Alsuwaidi, Managing Director and Group CEO of ADQ, stated: “As we move forward towards an increasingly digital and connected economy, new and innovative solutions are needed to support this transformation. This initiative will provide a solution that is both secure and efficient, and which will create new opportunities for growth and value creation.”

The ADI blockchain, developed by the ADI Foundation, a UAE-based non-profit, will serve as the underlying infrastructure for the stablecoin. This blockchain has been designed to meet sovereign-grade standards of transparency and cybersecurity to fully comply with the UAE’s national data policies and regulations.

According to the ADI Foundation, it is the first time that a blockchain is being developed in the UAE from the ground up to be used for a national-level initiative of this scale.

The initiative to introduce a Dirham-backed stablecoin is part of a broader effort by the UAE to expand its digital financial capabilities. Earlier this year, Dubai Multimodal World of Wonders Hub also announced plans to launch a new generation of coins to be used in the metaverse.

Earlier this year, Abu Dhabi Global Market (ADGM) also signed a Memorandum of Understanding with Chainlink Labs to explore collaborations in blockchain-based data infrastructure, smart contracts, and Web3 technologies. The partnership aims to integrate Chainlink’s industry-standard technology with ADGM’s regulatory framework.

The move comes as the Gulf nation is rapidly advancing its presence in the metaverse and broader Web3 space. Recently, MGX, a sovereign wealth fund that falls under the umbrella of Abu Dhabi, made a significant investment of $2 billion in Binance, the world’s largest cryptocurrency exchange.

This investment further solidifies Abu Dhabi's position as a key player in the global digital assets landscape.

While the specific launch date for the Dirham stablecoin is yet to be disclosed, the ongoing regulatory and technological preparations showcase the UAE’s commitment to a leading role in the future of blockchain-enabled finance.