UAE’s Layered Digital Asset Strategy

The United Arab Emirates is not choosing between Bitcoin and broader crypto. Instead, it is deliberately building both, in different cities and for different stages of adoption.

Abu Dhabi, the capital of the UAE, has positioned itself as a hub for Bitcoin (BTC)-focused institutional infrastructure, emphasizing custody, over-the-counter (OTC) liquidity, mining and regulated capital markets. Dubai, by contrast, has built a broader crypto economy that spans payments, stablecoins, Web3 apps, gaming, tokenization and consumer-facing products. 

While this…