UAE tops MENA in crypto adoption, ranks 5th globally, reveals report

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The UAE has been named the leading country in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) for cryptocurrency adoption and ranks fifth globally, according to the World Crypto Rankings 2025 report released by Bybit and DL Research.

The report highlights the UAE’s emergence as a regional hub for asset tokenisation and settlement systems, positioning it as a bridge between Asia, Europe, and Africa for digital finance.

Dubai, in particular, has developed into a policy-first global tokenisation centre, offering clear anti-money laundering (AML) guidelines, legal frameworks for digital asset providers, and an attractive environment for talent and enterprises.

Globally, the UAE sits behind Singapore (1), the US (2), Lithuania (3), and Switzerland (4) in adoption rankings.

UAE has progressive policy frameworks to support crypto, tokenisation

The country’s approach combines progressive policy frameworks with high grassroots usage, including remittance-driven demand, and some of the world’s highest crypto user penetration rates.

Saudi Arabia is also strengthening its digital asset infrastructure and expanding licensing regimes, demonstrating growing public interest in cryptocurrencies.

Meanwhile, North African countries such as Morocco show robust grassroots adoption despite stricter regulatory environments.

The report describes MENA as a “hybrid region,” with both institutional leadership in hubs like the UAE and innovation-driven adoption in economically distressed countries, where crypto serves as a workaround for inflation, capital controls, and limited banking access. Despite weak regulatory and infrastructure support across parts of the region, growing demand among younger populations suggests rapid potential growth with appropriate policy frameworks.

“Bybit is honoured to contribute to Dubai’s remarkable rise as the UAE pioneers the future of crypto innovation and regulation,” said Michelle Daura, MENA regional manager at Bybit. “As one of the first exchanges headquartered here, the first to secure the Virtual Asset Platform Operator License from the SCA, and an advisor to partners at DMCC, Bybit is committed to the region’s growth as a global crypto hub.”

Globally, the report notes that adoption thrives where infrastructure, regulatory clarity, and institutional participation align.

Each of the top five countries follows a distinct model: Singapore combines digital literacy with licensing clarity, the US anchors liquidity through ETFs and institutional flows, Lithuania leverages EU gateways under MiCA, Switzerland couples legal clarity with cultural embedding, and the UAE pairs ambitious policy with grassroots-driven usage.