-The MENA Fintech Association adds Abu Dhabi’s ADI Foundation as a member, tightening links between regulators, banks, startups and Web3 builders across the region.
-The ADI Foundation, active across 20+ countries and 50+ institutions, with 500m+ people already in its ecosystem and a goal to reach 1bn by 2030, brings scale and UAE-led priorities
-The partnership will focus on practical collaboration on blockchain and digital assets, including policy-aligned work and real-world adoption.
By : Rasha Hagag
The MENA Fintech Association (MFTA), the region’s leading not-for-profit fintech industry body and globally ranked among the top four fintech associations, committed to fostering innovation, collaboration, and regulatory dialogue across the Middle East and Africa, is pleased to announce the ADI Foundation as a new member of the Association.
The ADI Foundation is an Abu-Dhabi based technology company that empowers governments and institutions to create digital economies through blockchain infrastructure. The Foundation was founded by Sirius International Holding, the technology arm of $240b holding company IHC.
The ADI Foundation is catalyzing large-scale social and economic inclusion by bringing 1 billion people globally into the digital economy by 2030, building on a strong foundation of the 500+ million people already within its project ecosystem. The ADI Foundation has strategic partnerships in over 20 countries and across 50 major institutions, and a growing portfolio of use cases such as the upcoming UAE Dirham-backed stablecoin.
The ADI Foundation joins MFTA at a defining moment for the regional fintech ecosystem, as financial institutions, startups, regulators, and technology providers increasingly converge around digital assets, blockchain infrastructure, and Web3-enabled financial services. As a foundation focused on building trusted, scalable, and responsible blockchain infrastructure, the ADI Foundation brings a strong alignment with MFTA’s mission to bridge innovation, regulation, and real-world market adoption.
Over recent years, MFTA has played a central role in convening industry leaders, policymakers, and innovators to shape the future of finance in MENA through working groups, high-level roundtables, ecosystem partnerships, and thought leadership initiatives.
With the addition of the ADI Foundation to its growing member base, MFTA further strengthens its commitment to advancing next-generation financial infrastructure, supporting responsible Web3 development, and positioning the region as a global hub for fintech innovation.
As part of the MFTA ecosystem, the ADI Foundation will actively collaborate with fintech startups, financial institutions, regulators, and technology companies across the region. The partnership aims to support dialogue on emerging technologies, contribute to policy and regulatory discussions, and enable practical collaboration around blockchain, digital assets, and decentralized technologies that underpin the future of finance.
Ajay Bhatia, Principal Council Member of the ADI Foundation, commented on the partnership: “Joining the MENA Fintech Association is a natural step for the ADI Foundation as we continue to support the development of a strong, collaborative fintech and Web3 ecosystem in the region.
As a foundation focused on building trusted blockchain infrastructure, we see strong alignment with MFTA’s mission to bridge innovation, regulation, and market adoption.
This partnership reinforces our commitment to responsible growth, regional collaboration, and positioning MENA as a global leader in the future of finance.”
Nameer Khan, Chairman of the MENA Fintech Association & Founder of Fils, welcomed the ADI Foundation to the community, stating:
“ We welcome the ADI Foundation to the MENA Fintech Association. The ADI Foundation’s leadership in building trusted blockchain infrastructure reflects the growing role of MENA-based institutions in shaping the future of Web3 and digital financial infrastructure. Through this collaboration, MFTA is strengthening engagement between the Web3 ecosystem, major financial institutions, regulators, and an expanding group of venture and strategic capital partners active across the region. Together, this ecosystem is supporting policy-aligned innovation, institutional adoption, and the development of globally relevant standards emerging from the MENA market ”
Through this collaboration, MFTA and the ADI Foundation share a common objective: to advance fintech innovation while ensuring trust, transparency, and regulatory alignment, particularly in the rapidly evolving Web3 and digital assets landscape. By working together, both organizations seek to support sustainable ecosystem growth, encourage cross-sector collaboration, and reinforce MENA’s position as a forward-looking leader in the global financial system.
