Announcements

The Qatar Central Bank (QCB) is currently exploring a central bank digital currency (CBDC) and digital bank licensing, a top official said. The Middle Eastern nation is also weighing issuing licenses for digital banks as it seeks to digitize payments. The Qatar Central Bank intends to soon reveal its direction on CBDCs, Alanood Abdullah Al…

Buyers on OpenSea, the world’s leading NFT marketplace, can soon pay for non-fungible tokens without having cryptocurrency – with a credit card, debit card, Google Pay or Apple Pay. This move, which could bring in more newcomers to the NFT space, followed after the announcement of Solana NFT integration. The move comes through a partnership…

BitOasis, a Middle East-focused crypto exchange based in the UAE, has received provisional approval from Dubai’s new crypto regulator (VARA), while the UAE pushes to become a global hub for the virtual asset sector. Earlier this month, Dubai enacted its first law governing digital assets, establishing the Virtual Asset Regulatory Authority (VARA) to oversee the…

Crypto exchange Bybit announced Monday an opening of its global headquarters in Dubai, while crypto platform Crypto.com said it would establish a regional hub there. These moves drive the UAE drive to become a global center for the crypto sector. “Bybit has received in-principle approval to conduct a full spectrum of virtual assets business in…

Citizen School in Dubai has announced that it will be accepting cryptocurrencies, such as Bitcoin and Ethereum, as payment. The school, which is scheduled to open later in 2022, has become the first in the Middle East to have this option. According to Arabian Business, Citizens School, located in Dubai, will accept tuition payments in…

Starting in early April, crypto exchange Coinbase Global will require its customers in Canada, Japan and Singapore who send cryptocurrency to non-Coinbase wallets to provide the name, address and, in the case of Japan, the destination wallet of the recipient. Coinbase has been sending notices to its customers in those countries that the changes will…