Cryptonite is a free source for journalists covering digital-asset regulation in the UAE and wider MENA region. Our trackers and indices are open, ungated and free to cite. Our editor is available for comment on deadline.
Data you can cite
All three are free, require no signup, and are revised whenever a regulator moves. Each carries a suggested citation line on the page.
- MENA Crypto Regulation Tracker — primary regulator, licensing regime and current stance for 11 MENA jurisdictions, from VARA and ADGM through to Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Oman, Kuwait, Egypt and Israel.
- MENA Crypto Regulation Index — quarterly scored ranking of 10 Gulf and MENA markets by regulatory completeness.
- Agentic Finance Readiness Index — readiness assessment for autonomous AI agents transacting in financial systems.
Expert comment
Vaibhavv Ali, founder and editor of Cryptonite, is available for named comment, background briefing and data questions. He is based in Dubai (GST, UTC+4), which covers the Gulf, European and early US news cycles.
Topics he can speak to on the record:
- Dubai’s Virtual Assets Regulatory Authority (VARA) — licensing categories, scope, and how it differs from the DIFC and ADGM regimes
- ADGM / FSRA and DFSA virtual-asset frameworks
- UAE Central Bank payment-token and stablecoin rules, including dirham-denominated instruments
- Comparative Gulf regulation — Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, Qatar, Oman, Kuwait
- Real-world-asset tokenisation in the Gulf
- Agentic AI in financial systems — autonomous agents that transact and settle
How to reach us on deadline
Use the contact page and put PRESS in the subject line. Say your outlet and your deadline in the first sentence and we will prioritise accordingly.
Advance access to index releases
Reporters who cover MENA digital-asset policy can receive the quarterly index under embargo, with the full underlying dataset, ahead of publication. Ask via the contact page.
Citing Cryptonite
No permission needed. A link back to the source page is appreciated so readers reach the current version — our trackers are living documents.
Cryptonite. "MENA Crypto Regulation Tracker." Cryptonite (cryptonite.ae). https://cryptonite.ae/mena-crypto-regulation-tracker/
About Cryptonite
Cryptonite is an independent digital-asset news and analysis publication based in the United Arab Emirates, covering virtual-asset regulation, real-world-asset tokenisation, stablecoins and agentic AI in finance. Every article is human-edited and its sources are linked. Our editorial, ethics, fact-checking, corrections, AI-use and ownership and funding policies are public.