The UAE is on track to become the main bridge for money moving between East and West, and it could happen within just five years. That’s the bold prediction from industry leaders at the Sharjah Investment Forum (SIF) 2026, and if it plays out, it could reshape how GCC investors, businesses and everyday residents think about digital finance.
The forecast came from Saqr Ereiqat, Secretary General of the Dubai Digital Asset Association, speaking on the opening day of SIF 2026 on Wednesday. He joined a panel called “Capital Without Borders: Where Smart Money Is Moving Next,” alongside Jigar Sagar of Triliv Holdings, Amer Al Ahbabi of Vertix Holdings, and Khuloud al Omian, CEO and Editor-in-chief of Forbes Middle East. Oxford Business Group editor-in-chief Oliver Cornock moderated the discussion.
Why crypto investors in Dubai and the UAE should pay attention
Here’s the key point everyone on the panel agreed on: trust, custody and clear rules matter more than chasing high returns when it comes to deciding where global money actually lands. That’s a shift in thinking, and it puts the UAE in a strong position.
Ereiqat explained that the UAE didn’t stumble into this role by accident. The government built it “deliberately,” he said. The UAE was among the first countries in the world to publish an official blockchain strategy. It has also become one of the largest state holders of digital assets globally, which is a significant statement about how seriously the leadership takes this sector.
On top of that, dedicated regulators have been set up specifically for this space, most notably Dubai’s Virtual Assets Regulatory Authority (VARA). This kind of focused oversight is exactly what gives international investors and companies the confidence to set up shop here rather than elsewhere.
The results are already visible. Ereiqat pointed out that global exchanges, including Crypto.com, chose the UAE specifically because of its regulatory environment. That’s not a small thing. In an industry where rules can be unclear or constantly shifting in other markets, having a stable, well-defined framework is a genuine competitive advantage.
Perhaps most striking was his claim that the UAE now competes with the UK on talent density in this sector. For a relatively young industry, that’s a remarkable position for the country to be in, and it suggests the talent pool here isn’t just growing, it’s becoming genuinely world-class.
What this means for GCC businesses and investors tracking capital flows
So what does “East-West capital hub” actually mean in practical terms? Think of it as a crossing point, a place where money moving from Asian markets toward Western ones, or vice versa, naturally passes through because the infrastructure, rules and trust are already there.
For businesses and investors across the GCC, this matters in a few concrete ways. If the UAE does become this kind of hub within five years, it strengthens the country’s role as a financial gateway, not just for digital assets but for broader capital flows connecting continents. That’s good news for anyone following investment news in the region, since it points to more opportunities, more liquidity and more international players setting up operations locally.
It also reinforces something the UAE has been building toward for years: positioning itself as a place where clear regulation, rather than just low taxes or flashy incentives, is the real draw. For everyday investors in the GCC, that could translate into more regulated products, safer custody options and a wider range of licensed platforms to choose from.
The panel’s framing is worth remembering too. It wasn’t about who offers the best returns. It was about who offers the most trust. That’s a mature way to think about digital assets, and it suggests the sector here is moving past the hype phase into something more structural and long-term.
None of this happened overnight, according to Ereiqat. The blockchain strategy, the regulatory bodies, the digital asset holdings, these were all deliberate steps taken over time. The payoff, if the five-year timeline holds, would be a UAE that sits at the centre of global capital movement rather than on the sidelines of it.
What to watch next: whether more global exchanges follow Crypto.com’s lead in choosing the UAE, and whether the talent and regulatory gap with hubs like London continues to narrow. As reported by WAM, the next five years will be the real test of whether this ambition becomes reality.
