The UAE has taken another major step in its drive to become a global hub for digital finance after IHC executed a Dh110 million ($30 million) institutional transaction using the DDSC stablecoin on ADI Chain, one of the largest such transactions in the region.
The transaction is being viewed as a significant validation of the UAE’s fast-evolving digital asset ecosystem and blockchain-based financial infrastructure, particularly following the recent approval by the Central Bank of the UAE for the launch of DDSC.
Executed on ADI Chain — an institutional Layer-2 blockchain developed by the ADI Foundation — the deal demonstrated the operational readiness, scalability and resilience of the platform for high-value institutional financial activity.
DDSC is a UAE dirham-backed stablecoin launched through a strategic collaboration involving IHC, First Abu Dhabi Bank and Sirius International Holding. The initiative aims to support secure, compliant and efficient digital transactions for institutions, businesses and individuals while enabling seamless settlement across markets.
The transaction marks a shift from pilot-stage experimentation to live institutional deployment, signalling the growing maturity of the UAE’s regulated digital finance ecosystem.
Industry experts say stablecoins are increasingly emerging as an important part of the future financial system, particularly for cross-border payments, trade settlement and treasury operations where traditional payment rails often remain expensive and time-consuming.
The global stablecoin market has expanded rapidly in recent years, with total circulation now estimated at more than $250 billion as financial institutions and governments increasingly explore blockchain-powered settlement systems.
The UAE has been among the most proactive jurisdictions globally in developing regulatory frameworks for virtual assets and blockchain innovation. Abu Dhabi Global Market and Dubai’s Virtual Assets Regulatory Authority have introduced comprehensive regulations aimed at attracting digital asset companies while strengthening investor confidence and compliance standards.
Syed Basar Shueb, chief executive of IHC, said the transaction reflected the UAE’s readiness to support institutional-scale digital finance.
“This transaction demonstrates that the UAE’s digital infrastructure is live, resilient and ready to support real institutional financial activity. Executing Dh110 million DDSC on ADI Chain signals that institutional-grade digital assets are now operational at scale,” he said.
The development comes as Gulf economies accelerate efforts to diversify into technology-driven sectors and strengthen their position in the global digital economy.
Analysts believe the UAE is well positioned to become a leading centre for blockchain-enabled finance due to its advanced regulatory environment, strong banking system, global connectivity and growing fintech ecosystem.
The latest transaction is also expected to support the development of new cross-border digital payment corridors linking the Middle East with Asia, Africa and other major global markets.
With DDSC now actively transacting on ADI Chain, the next phase is expected to focus on expanding institutional participation and broadening real-world applications across trade, payments and financial services.
The milestone further reinforces the UAE’s ambition to lead the next generation of financial innovation and digital infrastructure development.
