DeFi Technologies Inc., a Nasdaq-listed digital asset management firm, has expanded into the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) and MENA region through the registration of DEFI DMCC in Dubai, according to an announcement.
The company opened a new office at Jumeirah Lake Towers and launched a trading desk at the Dubai Multi Commodities Centre (DMCC) under its subsidiary Valour and Valour Digital Securities Limited.
The expansion aims to address rising institutional demand for regulated digital asset exposure across the UAE and broader Gulf region, the company said.
The new trading desk will offer access to exchange-traded products (ETPs), leveraging Valour’s platform, which currently lists more than 65 digital assets. The company plans to increase this number to 100 by the end of 2025.
DeFi Technologies’ move comes amid growing interest in spot Bitcoin and Ethereum ETFs globally, with the UAE emerging as a key market for institutional crypto investment.
Recent activity by regional sovereign wealth funds, including expanded holdings in BlackRock’s spot Bitcoin ETF, signals accelerating adoption of regulated digital asset products in the region.
The firm’s strategy includes offering digital assets wrapped in familiar, regulated instruments to attract a wider range of investors, including sovereign funds, family offices, and retail participants.
DeFi Technologies believes this will facilitate greater international capital flows into regional markets via exchanges such as the Abu Dhabi Stock Exchange and Dubai Financial Market.
The Dubai expansion follows earlier initiatives in Turkey and East Africa, including a partnership with Misyon Bank in Turkey and GulfCap Investment Bank in Kenya, where the company is preparing a cross-listing of its ETPs on the Nairobi Securities Exchange.
Valour’s ETPs are also traded on major European platforms including Xetra, Spotlight, and Euronext.
DeFi Technologies is positioning itself as a leading global provider of regulated Web3 investment products amid surging institutional interest in crypto ETPs.