News

Dubai Adopts Its First Cryptocurrency Legislation

Dubai Police will start using state-of-the-art artificial intelligence technology to analyze the blockchain ledgers.

Published

5 years ago

March 27, 2022

David Morelo

dubai adopts its first cryptocurrency legislation

Shutterstock

Like all technology, cryptocurrency can be used for both legitimate and nefarious purposes.

To establish Dubai as a cryptocurrency leader with a positive influence on the entire market, the United Arab Emirates (UAE) Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum has recently announced the adoption of the first legislation in the UAE to regulate cryptocurrency assets.

To oversee the execution of the new law and serve as a regulator of crypto activities, the Virtual Asset Regulatory Authority (VARA) has been set up in Dubai. One of VARA’s main responsibilities is the monitoring of virtual asset transactions to prevent price manipulations and other financial crimes. That’s no easy task to accomplish because popular cryptocurrencies like Bitcoin are pseudonymous, allowing asset holders to keep their real identities hidden.

Fortunately for VARA, Dubai Police’s cybercrime unit has been developing and using cutting-edge technology to make sense of virtual asset transactions.

“Technology is changing the world, and law enforcement is a part of that change. In order to combat crime, we are constantly researching new technologies” said Brigadier Dr. Saleh Al Hamrani, Dubai Police’s Deputy Director-General of Excellence and Entrepreneurship.

More specifically, Dubai Police is using state-of-the-art artificial intelligence (AI) technology to analyze the blockchain ledgers, which are essentially growing lists of records that are linked together as blocks using cryptography.

Also Read: 5 Gaming Cryptos That Will Explode In 2023

“We are going to work on the next generation of AI technology to help predict how and what are the risks we are going to face so that we are ready both internally and externally” Brig. Dr. Saleh added. “We are working and implementing AI not only for crime but also for traffic, security at the airport, and marine security”.

In the near future, the regulator of DIFC Dubai Financial Services Authority (DFSA) is also supposed to publish its own cryptocurrency regulation, and we will definitely keep you informed about it.

Related Topics:Cryptocurrency Dubai Dubai Police United Arab Emirates

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For etisalat, More Bandwidth Is A Matter Of Digital Sovereignty

The etisalat group plans to expand its international capacity from 20 Tbps to more than 500 Tbps by 2030, with new routes designed for speed and resilience.

Published

2 days ago

October 6, 2026

Nour Nasir

for etisalat, more bandwidth is a matter of digital sovereignty

Emirates News Agency

By 2030, etisalat group plans to lift its international connectivity capacity to more than 500 terabits per second (Tbps), more than 25 times the 20 Tbps it has today. The group presented the expansion as preparation for rising AI demand and an important move for the UAE’s digital sovereignty.

His Highness Sheikh Mansour bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Vice President, Deputy Prime Minister and Chairman of the Presidential Court, witnessed the launch of the project, which covers the UAE and international markets. Sheikh Mansour is also Chairman of the Emirates Investment Authority, etisalat group’s main shareholder.

He emphasized the role of coordinated national efforts in advancing the UAE’s AI and digital economy ambitions. “AI is a central pillar in our development journey moving forward,” he said, adding that developing the country’s digital capabilities would empower every institution, public and private, to build and innovate with AI “at the scale the coming decade will demand”.

“This project reflects our conviction that the UAE should not simply adopt AI, but govern it and build with it,” said H.E Jassem Mohamed Bu Ataba Alzaabi, Chairman of etisalat group. “That requires digital infrastructure at a scale that would prepare us for the future”. He cast greater international connectivity as a strategic answer to the challenges of processing and moving data globally.

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Beyond raw bandwidth, the expansion will introduce new connectivity routes intended to improve reliability and efficiency, and Alzaabi tied them directly to the sovereignty goal. “Delivered through diversified routes and low-latency design, the project is set to keep the country’s connection to the global digital economy fast, direct and resilient, while ensuring the UAE’s digital sovereignty,” he said.

He also linked the plan to the group’s 50-year commitment to building infrastructure for the nation. The announcement didn’t mention what the expansion will cost. Nor did it name the new routes or say who will build them, the details that would show what digital sovereignty means in practice.