Launched at the Singapore FinTech Festival 2025, the GFTN report finds the UAE and Qatar among the most advanced markets shaping the next phase of regulated digital finance in collaboration with Arthur D. Little
Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC), 11 Nov 2025 – The Gulf Cooperation Council has entered the top tier of global digital-asset markets, according to new data from the Global Digital Assets Report 2025 issued by the Global Finance & Technology Network (GFTN) and in collaboration with Arthur D. Little. The report’s release coincides with the Singapore FinTech Festival 2025, where regulators and institutions worldwide are examining how emerging frameworks can balance innovation and oversight.
The findings align with the GCC’s ongoing drive to harmonise digital-asset regulation with leading global standards. The report links rapid global growth in stablecoins and tokenised assets to the region’s introduction of licensing frameworks, sandbox regimes and institutional pilots, which have positioned Gulf markets among the fastest-adapting worldwide.
According to the report, the UAE ranks alongside Singapore and Switzerland in regulatory maturity. Dubai’s Virtual Assets Regulatory Authority (VAR A) and Abu Dhabi Global Market’s Financial Services Regulatory Authority (FSRA) are recognised for implementing activity-based licensing that connects innovation to investor protection. Saudi Arabia’s SAMA and Capital Market Authority (CMA) are developing supervisory regimes for tokenisation pilots and cross-border payment corridors. In Qatar, the Qatar Financial Centre Regulatory Authority (QFCRA) is progressing frameworks for tokenised-asset applications within existing financial-sector laws.
The study draws on interviews with more than 40 regulators, central bankers and financial executives from Asia, Europe and the Middle East. It finds that investor participation is rising fastest in markets with clear regulatory parameters. GCC jurisdictions are now part of that group, reflecting structured cooperation across the UAE and Qatar to support responsible market development and interoperability.
“The data shows a region that has moved from aspiration to execution,” said Sopnendu Mohanty, Group CEO of GFTN. “Behind the numbers is a simple reality: capital follows clarity. The Gulf’s regulators are building frameworks designed for longevity, not hype. Their focus on interoperability and real-world tokenisation sets them apart from markets still testing the basics.”
Arjun Vir Singh, Partner, Head of Financial Services at Arthur D. Little Middle East said “Our collaboration with GFTN reflects Arthur D. Little’s commitment to evidence-based insight. The GCC’s frameworks demonstrate how clear policy design can accelerate market readiness and strengthen institutional confidence in digital finance.”
The GFTN Global Digital Assets Report 2025, prepared in collaboration with Arthur D. Little, was unveiled during the Singapore FinTech Festival (11 to 14 November 2025). It provides a cross-jurisdictional reference for policymakers and financial institutions assessing the evolution of digital money, tokenisation and decentralised finance, and documents how the GCC’s structured approach now ranks among the world’s most advanced regulatory models, providing a foundation for continued cooperation between regional authorities and global standard-setters.
