News

Visit Iconic Mosques Worldwide With MetaMosque VR

For those with disabilities or economic challenges, visiting the Great Mosque of Mecca is now a real possibility.

Published

2 years ago

April 5, 2024

visit iconic mosques worldwide with metamosque vr

For Muslims worldwide, visiting mosques is of crucial religious and cultural importance. Unfortunately, not everyone shares easy access to a local place of worship, and many Muslims certainly can’t afford a pilgrimage to Al Haram, the Great Mosque of Mecca — even just once in their lifetime. Now, a new virtual reality project is attempting to break down those barriers.

MetaMosque is a virtual app that enables users to experience mosques around the world. Through the platform, Muslims can take part in a spiritual journey to experience the wonder of some of the world’s most significant mosques, fostering a sense of belonging and connection to these vital religious spaces, regardless of circumstances.

Samera Abed, CEO and founder of MetaMosque, devised the project for her 90-year-old mother, who now struggles to attend a mosque by herself.

“So just like how I taught her to use an iPhone, I am teaching her to be part of a community,” Abed explained. “She can go to her childhood mosque whenever she wants”.

Also Read: Yango App Now Alerts Muslim Drivers To Prayer Times

Available on Meta Quest, the MetaMosques immersive experience offers an engaging virtual exploration of prayer halls and a close look at the fine architectural details of some of the world’s most iconic Islamic buildings. After a virtual visit, users are encouraged to share their experiences in online discussions that aim to grow the accompanying MetaMosque community.

“I also know that this will be a great gift for many Muslims in the world who have disabilities or are facing economic challenges,” Abed adds.

MetaMosque currently offers access to ten mosques and a Majlis. The app is available on multiple platforms, including iOS, Android, PC, and Meta Quest, with inbuilt AI that can answer questions on Islamic knowledge and the history of these mosques, along with personalized reminders for upcoming religious events.

News

Dirham-Backed Stablecoin DDSC Enters Live Phase In UAE

Central Bank approval moves the dirham-backed token into deployment, targeting regulated payments and settlement flows.

Published

4 days ago

February 13, 2026

Nour Nasir

dirham-backed stablecoin ddsc enters live phase in uae

The UAE has cleared the launch of DDSC, a dirham-backed stablecoin now entering live operation after approval from the Central Bank. The move pushes the project beyond its pilot phase and into the country’s regulated financial system.

The token is backed by a consortium led by IHC, Sirius International Holding and First Abu Dhabi Bank (FAB), framing it as an institutional instrument rather than a consumer crypto product. DDSC was first announced in April 2025, but regulatory clearance now allows deployment and integration across approved channels.

DDSC runs on ADI Chain, a Layer 2 blockchain built by the Abu Dhabi-based ADI Foundation. The infrastructure is designed for governance and performance requirements expected by large institutions, linking blockchain settlement with existing compliance and oversight frameworks.

The focus is practical, targeting treasury settlements, high-value payments, trade and supply-chain transactions, and programmable financial flows for regulated entities. FAB plans to offer access to the token through approved platforms for its clients, keeping the rollout inside controlled banking environments.

“DDSC marks a defining milestone in the UAE’s digital finance journey,” said Syed Basar Shueb, CEO of IHC. “With the Central Bank’s approval and our transition into live operation, we are delivering trusted, institutional-grade infrastructure that strengthens resilience, accelerates innovation, and expands what is possible in regulated digital payments”.

Also Read: Basatne Debuts ORBT Platform For Digital Refunds In UAE

FAB says the project reflects how stablecoins can sit within traditional finance when risk controls are built in from the outset. “This milestone underscores that stablecoins can be integrated responsibly into the financial system when built to meet rigorous regulatory and risk requirements,” said Futoon Hamdan AlMazrouei, Group Head of Personal, Business, Wealth and Privileged Client Banking Group at FAB.

The launch reinforces the UAE’s strategy of pushing digital finance through regulation instead of open-ended crypto experimentation. Stablecoins in this model are positioned less as trading assets and more as programmable extensions of national currency, aimed at institutional scale and government use cases.