Dubai, United Arab Emirates – May 12, 2025 – 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) tokenization, and Commercial Bank International (CBI), the summit explored the future of RWA tokenization, regional growth trends in the Middle East, and global market opportunities.
The summit received overwhelming attention, with cross-platform livestream views surpassing 50,000. 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 Mr. Abdulla Al Sada, SEVP of QNB Group Asset and Wealth Management and Mr. Ajay Kumar, Executive Vice President – QNB Group Asset Management underscoring QNB’s strategic commitment and strong support for advancing RWA tokenization. Mr. 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 tokenization, with key topics covering regulatory frameworks, enabling infrastructure, and real-world applications such as exchange mirror collateralization, stablecoins, and trade finance solutions.
In the opening remarks, Mr. Silas Lee, Chief Executive Officer of QNB Singapore, emphasized the bank’s leadership in financial innovation and introduced the upcoming QCD Tokenized Money Market Fund, co-developed with DMZ Finance. Designed to transform traditional assets such as U.S. Treasuries into on-chain tokens, the initiative aims to provide compliant, secure, and liquid digital asset instruments for both regional and international markets. “Tokenization 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 tokenized assets are poised to redefine paradigms in collateralization, 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 tokenization 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.
Appendix: Full Transcript of the Opening Keynote by Mr. Silas Lee, Chief Executive Officer of QNB Singapore, at the RWA GULF SUMMIT 2025
Good morning, ladies and gentlemen,
Distinguished guests, partners, and colleagues,
It is my great pleasure to welcome you all here today at RWA GULF SUMMIT 2025. Thank you for taking the time to join us — whether you’re based in Dubai or traveled here from afar. Today we are gathered at an exciting juncture in the evolution of finance, and your presence is a testament to the shared curiosity, ambition, and collaboration that drives this space forward.
Today is also more than just a meeting — it’s a moment to align on where the world is heading and how we, together, are shaping that journey.
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.
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.
At QNB, we are not just observing this transformation — we are pioneering it. A flagship example is our work on the tokenized 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.
Tokenization 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.
So once again, thank you for being here with us today. Your presence reinforces the belief that we are not alone in this vision — that there is a strong community of like-minded leaders ready to shape the future, together.
I invite you now to sit back and engage with the rest of today’s program, where we’ll dive deeper into the exciting projects and partnerships driving this transformation forward.
Thank you!
About RWA GULF SUMMIT
The RWA GULF SUMMIT is a premier, high-level conference dedicated to the future of Real-World Asset (RWA) tokenization. Co-hosted by Qatar National Bank, DMZ Finance, and Commercial Bank International, the summit convenes the region’s top banking executives, wealth funds, digital asset exchanges and global RWA pioneers. With a sharp focus on how RWA innovation is redefining global finance and investment, the summit provides a strategic platform for regulatory insight, institutional collaboration, and practical implementation across traditional finance and digital assets. It aims to accelerate the growth of tokenized asset adoption in the Middle East and on the global stage.
Learn more at the official website
www.rwagulf.com
About DMZ Finance
DMZ Finance is a fintech company, headquartered in Singapore, specializing in the tokenization and custody of Real World Assets (RWA). It was co-founded by Lee Kai Yang, former CEO of China Merchants Bank International (Singapore), and Nathan Ma, a seasoned fintech serial entrepreneur. DMZ has established a strategic partnership with Qatar National Bank, the largest bank in the Middle East and Africa, and was selected to join the Digital Assets Lab of Qatar Financial Centre in July 2024.
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