The United Arab Emirates (UAE) saw a 74% jump in the total value of DeFi transactions compared to last year, according to Chainalysis. Token value sent through DEX surged by 87%, rising from $6 billion to $11.3 billion. This shows its strength as a growing leader in the global crypto and blockchain space.
In their October 9th podcast, Chainalysis CMO Ian Andrews talked about the impressive rise of DeFi services in the UAE. The region has higher DeFi adoption than the global average, with 32.4% of crypto transactions happening through DEXs.
Why Young Investors In UAE Are Driving a DeFi Revolution
This impressive growth is mainly because of a young demographic (63% of its citizens are under 30 years old), the supportive approach of the Abu Dhabi Global Market (ADGM) towards decentralization, and Dubai’s specialized regulatory framework for virtual assets. This demographic is important because younger generations tend to be more open to experimenting with new financial technologies.
On the other hand, UAE’s ADGM, a leading international financial center, has been key to the region’s plan for decentralized finance. Dmitry Fedotov, a well-known figure in the industry, discussed how ADGM’s framework supports blockchain foundations, DAOs), and Web3 entities, creating a business-friendly and compliant environment for companies in these sectors.
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On top of that, Dubai’s Virtual Assets Regulatory Authority (VARA), the world’s first specialized regulator for virtual assets, plays a key role in licensing and authorizing virtual asset activities in the region. Together, ADGM and VARA are making the UAE a global hub for digital assets and blockchain innovation.
Not to forget the UAE recently changed its Value-Added Tax (VAT) regulations, making crypto transactions and conversions VAT-free. This exemption, which started on January 1, 2018, was reaffirmed in an October 2, 2024 update from the UAE’s Federal Tax Authority.
With its regulatory advancements and favorable tax policies, the UAE is emerging as a major player in the global DeFi and cryptocurrency sectors.