ADGM Registration Authority Welcome (His Excellency Rashed Abdulkarim Al Blooshi)

For the first time in its history, Solana Breakpoint has arrived in the Middle East, and Abu Dhabi is making a powerful statement about its ambitions to become the global epicenter of blockchain innovation. His Excellency Rashed Abdulkarim Al Blooshi, representing the Abu Dhabi Global Market (ADGM), delivered a landmark welcome address that positioned the UAE capital as not just a venue, but a strategic partner in the future of decentralized technology.

Summary

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His Excellency's address came at a remarkable convergence of global finance and technology, with Breakpoint 2025 coinciding with Abu Dhabi Finance Week—a massive gathering featuring 300 conferences, 800 speakers, and 31,000 attendees representing companies managing over $60 trillion in assets. This staggering figure represents more than 50% of global GDP, underscoring Abu Dhabi's emergence as a serious player in institutional finance.

The speech served as both a welcome and a comprehensive overview of ADGM's regulatory achievements in the digital assets space. Al Blooshi was careful to emphasize that Abu Dhabi doesn't just make promises about future frameworks—it points to tangible regulatory infrastructure already in operation. Since 2018, ADGM has pioneered comprehensive virtual asset regulations, and in 2023 launched the world's first purpose-built legal framework for blockchain protocols and decentralized autonomous organizations.

The timing of Breakpoint's arrival is significant. With Bitcoin MENA also taking place alongside the Formula 1 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix, the city has orchestrated a convergence of traditional finance, digital assets, and global capital. Al Blooshi framed this as intentional strategy rather than coincidence, declaring Abu Dhabi as "the capital of capital" that is increasingly becoming "the capital of blockchain innovation."

The message to the Solana community was clear: ADGM offers regulatory clarity across the full spectrum of blockchain activities, from custody and trading to tokenization of real-world assets. For developers and protocols seeking institutional adoption, Abu Dhabi presents a compelling case as a jurisdiction where innovation can scale with regulatory confidence.

Key Points:

ADGM's Pioneering Regulatory Framework

In 2018, ADGM made history by introducing the world's first comprehensive regulatory framework for virtual assets. What distinguishes this achievement is the absence of hedging—there was no pilot program, no sandbox environment, but rather a complete operational regime covering the full spectrum of digital asset activities from day one. This bold approach signaled the UAE's serious commitment to becoming a leader in the digital economy.

The framework has continued to evolve, with ADGM now providing regulatory clarity across custody services, trading platforms, lending operations, tokenization of real-world assets, and utility token issuance. This comprehensive approach means that blockchain projects don't need to navigate regulatory uncertainty or operate in gray areas—they can build with confidence knowing exactly where they stand legally.

DLT Foundation Regulations: A Global First

In 2023, ADGM launched what Al Blooshi described as the world's first purpose-built legal framework for blockchain protocols, decentralized autonomous organizations (DAOs), and emerging governance structures. This was a groundbreaking development that addressed one of the fundamental challenges facing the blockchain industry: how to give legal recognition to decentralized entities.

For the first time, decentralized organizations could achieve formal legal status while preserving their decentralized governance models. This seemingly simple innovation has profound implications—it allows DAOs and protocols to enter into contracts, hold assets, and interact with traditional financial systems without compromising their core principles of decentralization. This framework positions ADGM as uniquely attractive to protocols considering international expansion.

Convergence of Global Finance and Blockchain

The strategic timing of Breakpoint 2025 reflects Abu Dhabi's deliberate effort to create convergence between traditional finance and digital assets. With Abu Dhabi Finance Week bringing 5,000 companies representing $60 trillion in managed assets—alongside Bitcoin MENA, Formula 1, and now Breakpoint—the city has engineered an unprecedented concentration of financial and technological power.

Al Blooshi emphasized that this convergence is not coincidental but intentional. By bringing together traditional finance, digital assets, and global capital in the same place at the same time, Abu Dhabi is facilitating connections that could accelerate institutional adoption of blockchain technology. For Solana builders attending Breakpoint, this means access to potential institutional partners who might otherwise be difficult to reach.

New Emerging Technologies Function

To ensure ADGM remains at the forefront of technological evolution, the organization established a dedicated emerging technologies function in 2025. This specialized team focuses on blockchain, artificial intelligence, crypto mining, utility token issuance, and protocol support—reflecting an understanding that these technologies are increasingly interconnected.

The creation of this function signals ADGM's proactive approach to regulation. Rather than waiting for innovation to outpace existing frameworks, they are actively engaging with emerging trends like the convergence of AI and blockchain. This year has already seen the publication of guidance on staking activities and strategic partnerships to advance cross-chain compliance infrastructure.

Open Invitation to the Solana Ecosystem

Al Blooshi concluded with a direct invitation to the Solana community, encouraging protocols considering international expansion, developers seeking regulatory clarity, and institutions exploring digital asset integration to connect with ADGM representatives present at Breakpoint. This wasn't mere diplomatic courtesy—it represented a concrete offer of engagement.

The partnership that brought Breakpoint to Abu Dhabi reflects shared ambitions between ADGM and the Solana ecosystem to build infrastructure connecting blockchain innovation with institutional finance. For projects seeking to scale globally with regulatory confidence, ADGM is positioning itself as the obvious choice among jurisdictions actively courting blockchain innovation.

Facts + Figures

• Solana Breakpoint 2025 marks the first time the conference has been held in the Middle East

• Abu Dhabi Finance Week features 300 conferences with 800 speakers and 31,000 attendees

• Companies attending Abu Dhabi Finance Week manage assets worth over $60 trillion—more than 50% of global GDP

• 5,000 companies are represented at Abu Dhabi Finance Week

• ADGM introduced the world's first comprehensive regulatory framework for virtual assets in 2018

• In 2023, ADGM launched the world's first purpose-built legal framework for DLT foundations and DAOs

• ADGM provides regulatory coverage for custody, trading, lending, tokenization of real-world assets, and utility token issuance

• A dedicated emerging technologies function was established at ADGM in 2025

• Strategic partnerships to advance cross-chain compliance infrastructure were announced this year

• New guidance on staking activities has been published by ADGM

Top quotes

• "We at ADGM, our role is to bring the national vision of life and an operational reality to provide the regulatory infrastructure where innovation meets institutional confidence."

• "This is not a coincidence. This is convergence—traditional finance, digital assets, global capital, all at the same time and in the same place."

• "Abu Dhabi is the capital of capital. And increasingly, it is also becoming the capital of blockchain innovation."

• "We do not make promises about the framework we intend to build. We point to what we have already delivered."

• "No pilot, no sandbox. A complete operational regime covering the full spectrum of the digital assets activity."

• "For the first time, decentralized entities could achieve legal recognition while preserving the governance decentralization."

• "Whether you are a protocol considering international expansion, or you are a developer seeking regulatory clarity, or you are institutional exploring digital asset integration—connect, communicate, and take advantage of us being around you here."

• "This partnership reflects the shared ambitions to build infrastructure that connects blockchain innovation with institutional finance."

Questions Answered

Why is Solana Breakpoint being held in Abu Dhabi for the first time?

Abu Dhabi represents a strategic choice that reflects the growing importance of the Middle East in global blockchain adoption. The timing coincides with Abu Dhabi Finance Week, which brings together 31,000 attendees representing companies managing over $60 trillion in assets. This convergence creates unique networking opportunities between blockchain innovators and traditional finance leaders. ADGM's pioneering regulatory framework also makes Abu Dhabi particularly attractive for protocols seeking regulatory clarity and institutional adoption.

What makes ADGM's regulatory framework for digital assets unique?

ADGM's framework stands out for being comprehensive from the start—launched in 2018 as the world's first complete regulatory regime for virtual assets without pilot programs or sandbox limitations. It covers the full spectrum of digital asset activities including custody, trading, lending, and tokenization. Most significantly, ADGM introduced the world's first legal framework specifically designed for blockchain protocols and DAOs in 2023, allowing decentralized entities to gain legal recognition while maintaining their decentralized governance structures.

How can Solana developers benefit from ADGM's regulations?

Developers and protocols can operate with regulatory clarity across multiple blockchain activities, from building decentralized applications to issuing utility tokens. The DLT foundation regulations provide a legal structure for protocols that want formal recognition without sacrificing decentralization. ADGM representatives were present at Breakpoint specifically to engage with the Solana community, offering direct access to regulatory guidance for projects considering expansion into the UAE market.

What new initiatives has ADGM launched for emerging technologies?

In 2025, ADGM established a dedicated emerging technologies function focusing on blockchain, AI, crypto mining, utility token issuance, and protocol support. This team is actively engaging with the convergence of AI and blockchain technologies. Additionally, ADGM has published new guidance on staking activities and announced strategic partnerships to advance cross-chain compliance infrastructure, demonstrating a proactive approach to evolving regulatory needs.

Why should institutional investors care about Abu Dhabi's blockchain initiatives?

The presence of companies managing over $60 trillion at Abu Dhabi Finance Week—coinciding with Breakpoint and Bitcoin MENA—signals that major institutional players are already paying attention to the region. ADGM's regulatory framework provides the institutional confidence necessary for traditional finance to engage with digital assets. The legal clarity around tokenization of real-world assets and custody services removes significant barriers that have historically prevented institutional adoption of blockchain technology.

What is the significance of the DLT Foundation regulations?

These regulations solve a fundamental problem that has plagued decentralized organizations: how to exist as legal entities while remaining decentralized. Before these regulations, DAOs and protocols operated in legal gray areas, unable to hold assets, enter contracts, or interact with traditional systems in their own right. ADGM's framework allows these entities to achieve legal personhood while preserving their governance structures, opening doors to institutional partnerships and regulatory compliance that were previously impossible.