The Bitcoin MENA 2025 conference, a panel discussion with Omar Al Yousif, Bill Qian, and Alexandre Laizet, moderated by Nolan Bauerle, discussed Bitcoin’s gradual transformation from being called a speculative asset to an institutional favorite.
Big institutions, corporations, and governments’ participation and acceptance of Bitcoin as a global asset came as no surprise. The recent developments in the crypto landscape have shifted from disagreement to an acknowledgment of a new era of digital finance.
UAE: A Global Crypto Hub
The UAE is a global hub for cryptocurrency, alongside the U.S. The countries’ well-fixed regulations draw the attention of firms and investors. Binance secures a license in Abu Dhabi and establishes the first government-backed Bitcoin miner downtown. Financial institutions based in the UAE currently hold approximately 7,000 BTC.
Strict regulations have not deterred startups in the UAE. Such a mix of regulations allows the institutional players to explore Bitcoin.
Europe: Growing Interest
Though the European market is still pretty much behind the U.S. and UAE, it still displays a growing interest in the area of cryptocurrencies. In 2025, European banks and financial institutions increasingly see Bitcoin as a way to engage younger and professional clients while protecting against monetary devaluation.
The old question “Does Bitcoin work?” has now turned into “How much shall we allocate?” Capital B, focusing only on Bitcoin, has recently received major attention from banks and financial institutions. There are already some retail access offers from France’s big banks to Bitcoin, which is an encouraging sign.
From Selling to Allocating
The institutions are not anymore focusing on educating the stakeholders about Bitcoin, but rather on coming up with the strategies for allocation. The securities can be classified as follows:
- Security and decentralization
- Cryptocurrencies serve as an integral part of diversified portfolios.
- Bitcoin backs financial products like stocks, ETFs, and digital credit.
Miners produce 450 BTC each day, but institutional and fund demand fuel Bitcoin’s valuation.
