Korean crypto venture capital firm Hashed has received regulatory approval to operate in Abu Dhabi’s financial free zone, Abu Dhabi Global Market (ADGM). The move gives Hashed a regulated base in one of the Middle East’s most active digital asset hubs.
According to a report by The Block, the approval allows Hashed to now lawfully operate an investment company in ADGM rather than merely providing services in the area from abroad. By taking this action, the company can connect with local founders, authorities, and institutional investors in the United Arab Emirates.
With the new authorization, Hashed can oversee and offer advice on investments in Web3 projects and digital assets in accordance with ADGM regulations. In practice, this means that Hashed can raise capital from local qualified investors and invest it in companies while adhering to strict guidelines on risk, governance, and reporting.
Establishing a foothold within a reputable, cryptocurrency-friendly financial hub also helps Hashed communicate to partners that it is open to more stringent oversight. Working with banks, family offices, and larger funds that favor doing business with regulated companies may become simpler as a result.
Abu Dhabi’s Growing Role in Crypto Investment
With specialized frameworks for exchanges, custody, and investment managers, ADGM has spent the past few years establishing itself as a global center for virtual assets. The center continues its efforts to attract international companies rather than only local businesses by authorizing a specialized Asian crypto venture capital firm.
Accepting Hashed is part of Abu Dhabi’s larger plan to connect Gulf finance with rapidly expanding Web3 initiatives in North America, Asia, and Europe. It also demonstrates that local authorities are receptive to cryptocurrency companies that agree to comply with unambiguous, legally binding regulations.
For founders, Hashed’s approval in ADGM adds another regulated option when seeking funding in the Middle East. A startup can now pitch a VC that understands Asian crypto markets but also has a legal footprint in the UAE.
If more global crypto funds follow Hashed into ADGM, early-stage Web3 teams may start to see Abu Dhabi as a natural place to raise capital and build partnerships. That could gradually shift more of the sector’s venture activity toward regulated financial centers in the Gulf, rather than relying solely on traditional hubs like Singapore or London.
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