Three key financial organizations in the United Arab Emirates introduced a national stablecoin project pegged to the dirham. The issuance of the asset will be regulated by the Central Bank of the UAE.
International Holding Company (IHC), Abu Dhabi Developmental Holding Company (ADQ), and First Abu Dhabi Bank (FAB) announced the launch of a new stablecoin backed by the dirham. The initiative is supported by the Central Bank of the UAE and aims to further digitize the nation’s economy. Issuance of the asset will be carried out by FAB, the country’s largest bank, under the supervision of the regulator.
The new stablecoin will operate on the ADI blockchain, developed by the UAE-based nonprofit ADI Foundation. The ADI infrastructure combines technological innovation with full regulatory compliance. The solution is designed to enable secure, scalable, and transparent payments across both private and corporate sectors, including use cases involving artificial intelligence (AI) and machine-to-machine (M2M) communications.
According to the press release, the ADI Foundation already maintains strategic partnerships with over 20 governments, integrating its blockchain platform to expand access for developing countries to the global financial infrastructure through a UAE-built Web3 framework.
H.E. Mohamed Hassan Alsuwaidi, Managing Director and Group CEO of ADQ, stated that the launch of the stablecoin marks an important step in advancing and strengthening the country’s digital infrastructure. Syed Basar Shueb, CEO of IHC, emphasized the initiative as a tech breakthrough in the field of digital assets. Hana Al Rostamani, Group Chief Executive Officer of FAB, noted that the bank, as a key initiator of the project, will facilitate widespread adoption of the stablecoin across both financial and commercial sectors.
The introduction of this new stablecoin is expected to significantly impact the UAE’s FinTech ecosystem, reinforce its position as a global innovation hub, and contribute to the further development of the local digital asset industry.
Just a month ago, the Central Bank of the UAE confirmed its plans to launch a digital dirham (CBDC) in Q4 2025 as part of a large-scale transformation of the country’s financial infrastructure.
