HashKey MENA Unveils Institutional-Grade OTC Marketplace in the UAE, Bringing Hong Kong’s Cutting-Edge OTC Innovation to the Middle East

Dubai, UAE, Oct.6, 2025 — HashKey MENA, part of the HashKey Group, today announces the launch of its OTC Marketplace in the MENA region, marking a strategic step in bringing its OTC infrastructure to the Middle East. The platform builds directly on the proven design of HashKey’s Hong Kong Marketplace while adapting to regional requirements and technical parameters tailored for institutional and high-net-worth clients in MENA.

Having already demonstrated success in Hong Kong, where the Marketplace empowered block-trade users to compare live quotes from multiple liquidity providers, select the best all-in price, and settle trades either instantly or with a delay, HashKey is now extending that model to the Middle East. The strength of its regulatory footprint and operational foundation provided the blueprint for this expansion.

In the MENA version, the Marketplace will allow conversion between fiat and a range of digital assets, giving clients seamless access to both entry and exit points in the market. Trades can be as small as US$10, ensuring accessibility for clients who wish to test the platform with minimal exposure. This dual range makes the system equally relevant for accredited investors new to digital assets, family offices, and large professional traders.

“What excites us about launching the Marketplace in the UAE is not just the scale of trades it can support, but the shift in experience it delivers. For the first time, clients in the region can step into a trading environment where transparency, choice, and trust aren’t afterthoughts, but built in from the ground up. Whether you’re testing the waters with a small trade or moving institutional-sized blocks, you can do so knowing the market is finally working in your favor,” said Ben El-Baz, HashKey's Managing Director, Head of Global Expansion.

Building a New Standard for Digital Assets in MENA

The timing aligns with HashKey’s broader MENA ambitions. In May 2025, HashKey Group obtained a Virtual Asset Service Provider (VASP) license from Dubai’s Virtual Assets Regulatory Authority (VARA) for HashKey MENA FZE, enabling the firm to offer exchange and broker-dealer services in and from Dubai. That regulatory foundation allows HashKey MENA to support fiat rails in USD and AED and to integrate institutional-level compliance, custody, and audit trails.

HashKey also sees the MENA region as a priority growth frontier for digital assets. The UAE’s push to become a Web3 hub, combined with rising institutional interest from sovereign wealth funds, family offices, and regional finance firms, makes the region a natural place for regulated crypto infrastructure. HashKey believes its licensed background and its global business reputation provide a strong foundation to meet this growing demand.

Unlike other platforms in the region, the MENA Marketplace aims to unify global compliant liquidity with local compliance and client-focused infrastructure.

“MENA has quickly become one of the most ambitious regions in the world for digital assets. Our role is to match that ambition with the infrastructure it deserves—regulated, transparent, and built to support both today’s investors and tomorrow’s innovators,” said El-Baz.

As the Marketplace goes live, HashKey plans to evolve liquidity coverage, expand supported token pairs, deepen regional integrations, and foster collaboration across local institutions and Web3 ventures. With strong regulatory backing, transparent pricing, and institutional-grade capabilities, HashKey’s MENA Marketplace is poised to be a transformational backbone for institutional crypto flow in the region.

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About HashKey MENA

HashKey (MENA), the flagship business under HashKey Group, offers licensed crypto asset trading services through its operating entity, HashKey MENA FZE, which is licensed by the Dubai Virtual Assets Regulatory Authority (VARA) as a Virtual Asset Service Provider (VASP Reference: VL/25/03/002). The license allows HashKey MENA FZE to provide:

(1) VA Exchange Services: Limited to offering virtual asset (VA) spot trading, serving Retail Investors, Qualified Investors, and Institutional Investors.

(2) VA Broker-Dealer Services: Limited to offering virtual asset (VA) OTC trading, serving Retail Investors, Qualified Investors, and Institutional Investors.

HashKey Global complies with all applicable laws and regulations and does not service users from Hong Kong, United States, Mainland China, and certain other jurisdictions. Additionally, certain services, features, or campaigns may not be available in your jurisdiction.