Recent data indicates that 71% of ultra-wealthy families in the UAE now see it as necessary to allocate a portion of their investment portfolios to digital assets, compared to a global average of 69%. This is a clear sign that digital assets in the country have transitioned from an individual experimental phase to strategic allocation within wealth management systems. Furthermore, 39% of high-net-worth individuals in the UAE already own digital assets, reflecting a high level of confidence and comfort with this asset class. In this context, the 2025 annual report from 'Bit Oasis', a digital asset trading platform in the Middle East and North Africa, revealed that institutional investors and high-net-worth individuals drove over 66% of trading volumes on the platform during 2025. This was fueled by a 66% year-on-year increase in the number of high-value traders and a 100% growth in the corporate client base and their treasuries across the region. The report also explains that this institutional shift in the UAE was driven by the development of regulatory frameworks that have made the country, alongside Bahrain, leading regional models for regulating the digital asset sector. Additionally, the range of institutional trading offerings has expanded through tiered 'VIP' programs, providing over-the-counter (OTC) trading services, priority in banking channels in UAE dirhams, personalized relationship management, and an advanced technical infrastructure for low-latency APIs with a 99.9% operational readiness rate. On the individual investor level, data shows a notable shift from short-term speculation to investment discipline, with the average user portfolio containing 3 digital assets. Bitcoin remains the most held and traded asset, while Dogecoin recorded the highest total trading volume, and the BTC–AED pair was the most active by trading volume. The co-founder and CEO of 'Bit Oasis', Alaeddin AlDoudin, stated: '2025 was a pivotal year globally for the digital asset sector, with the total market capitalization exceeding $4 trillion for the first time, supported by regulatory developments in the US and other major markets. In our region, the UAE and Bahrain emerged as global models for advanced regulatory frameworks that foster innovation.' AlDoudin also added that the wealth of Gulf Cooperation Council countries is expected to reach $3.5 trillion by 2027, emphasizing that the next phase will focus on building a robust regulatory infrastructure capable of integrating the expansion of digital assets into long-term wealth management strategies, while also preparing for the launch of regulated derivatives in Bahrain and continuing to invest in security, liquidity, and governance.
