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RWA Gulf Summit debuts at DIFC to explore future of RWA tokenisation
Uniting Middle East financial giants and global digital asset leaders to accelerate the future of tokenised real-world assets
- PUBLISHED: Mon 12 May 2025, 10:31 AM
The inaugural RWA GULF SUMMIT opened with great momentum at the Dubai International Financial Centre (DIFC) during Token2049 week.
Co-hosted by QNB Singapore, DMZ Finance, a leading player in real-world asset (RWA) tokenisation, and Commercial Bank International (CBI), the summit explored the future of RWA tokenisation, regional growth trends in the Middle East, and global market opportunities.
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The summit received overwhelming attention, with cross-platform livestream views surpassing 30,000. It brought together leading voices from top Middle Eastern banks, regulated digital asset exchanges, asset management firms, and pioneering RWA institutions.
Among the distinguished attendees were Abdulla Al Sada, SEVP of QNB Group Asset and Wealth Management, and Ajay Kumar, executive vice-president – QNB Group Asset Management, underscoring QNB’s strategic commitment and strong support for advancing RWA tokenisation. Aditya Kumar Sinha, head of Fintech & Digital Innovation at Qatar Financial Centre (QFC), attended the summit to show support. DMZ Finance was selected to join QFC’s Digital Assets Lab in July 2024.
The event attracted an impressive lineup of participating institutions, including: Qatar Financial Centre, Emirates NBD, Bybit, OKX, Ceffu, Plume, HashKey Group, BNB Chain, Pharos Labs, Plug and Play, Cypher Capital, Galaxy, Avenir Group, OSL, NorthStar, PwC, Alchemy Pay, Copper, Chainlink, Fireblocks, Xweave, LynxCap, Standard Chartered Ventures, and Accenture etc. The summit delivered a comprehensive dialogue on RWA tokenisation, with key topics covering regulatory frameworks, enabling infrastructure, and real-world applications such as exchange mirror collateralisation, stablecoins, and trade finance solutions.
In the opening remarks, Silas Lee, chief executive officer of QNB Singapore, emphasised the bank’s leadership in financial innovation and introduced the upcoming QCD Tokenised Money Market Fund, co-developed with DMZ Finance. Designed to transform traditional assets such as US Treasuries into on-chain tokens, the initiative aims to provide compliant, secure, and liquid digital asset instruments for both regional and international markets. “Tokenisation of real-world assets will be a strategic pillar in the evolution of capital markets,” he noted.
Participants across the summit agreed that RWA is evolving from concept to implementation. Institutional interest is accelerating, and tokenised assets are poised to redefine paradigms in collateralisation, payments and wealth management.
In the closing remarks, Nathan Ma, co-founder and chairman of DMZ Finance, extended heartfelt thanks to all partners and attendees. He stated: “The growth of RWA tokenisation hinges on deep collaboration among regulators, traditional financial institutions, digital asset exchanges, and technology sector.” He reaffirmed DMZ’s commitment to working closely with QNB and leading global exchanges to co-develop a compliant, on-chain financial ecosystem for real-world assets, bridging traditional finance and decentralized innovation.
The successful launch of the RWA GULF SUMMIT 2025 marked Gulf’s emergence as a pivotal hub for RWA tokenization. The summit has laid a solid foundation for the next phase of institutional participation and cross-border collaboration in the tokenized economy.
Leading efficiency in financial system
"At the heart of that journey stands QNB — the largest financial institution in the Middle East and Africa, and a growing global player with presence in over 28 countries. Over the years, QNB has built not only a reputation for stability and scale but also for innovation and leadership," said Silas Lee of QNB Singapore.
"We’re proud to lead initiatives that enhance the efficiency and inclusivity of financial systems. A clear example of this is our use of RippleNet to improve cross-border fund transfers. By leveraging blockchain technology, we’ve made it possible to significantly reduce the cost and time it takes for funds to move across borders 24/7 — benefiting not just our clients, but the broader ecosystem.
"But as we look ahead, we see an even greater opportunity — one that lies in the tokenization of real-world assets, or RWAs," he said.
"At QNB, we are not just observing this transformation — we are pioneering it. A flagship example is our work on the tokenised QCD Money Market Fund, in partnership with fintech innovators like DMZ Finance in Singapore. This fund brings the stability of traditional assets — such as US Treasury bills and USD-denominated deposits — into a digital token, making them more accessible, liquid, transparent and, more importantly, ready for use in smart contracts on blockchains."
He said tokenisation is not a buzzword. It’s a tangible strategy. It’s a tool that we believe will help define the next chapter of capital markets. "Our commitment is clear: to lead responsibly, to innovate sustainably, and to help build the infrastructure of tomorrow’s digital financial ecosystem."
"The pace of change in tokenization is no longer linear — it’s exponential. We are just at the beginning of a steep growth curve.
"As regulators, institutions, and investors converge on this new digital frontier, we believe that tokenized RWAs will become a foundational building block of global finance — democratizing access, improving efficiency, and unlocking new opportunities for all.
"QNB is committed to staying ahead of the curve — not just by adapting to change, but by helping define it," he said.