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Controversial crypto trader James Wynn believes that the crypto market will nuke, and we are heading for World War 3 as the Iran-Israel conflict escalates. Although he’s a long-term bull for Bitcoin and crypto, Wynn believes that the market will first see a downside before entering a major bull phase. Wynn said that he’s adding
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The Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region is quickly becoming a notable force in the push for global crypto adoption. With growing participation from institutions and enterprises and supportive regulations for Web3 technology, MENA is set to expand its impact.
BeInCrypto interviewed Stephan Apel, CEO of Outlier Ventures, to explore the characteristics of these tech-driven economies and their anticipated innovations.
MENA has emerged as a significant center for Web3 development, facilitated by a combination of demographic, technological, and cultural factors. The region’s entrepreneurial spirit has also fostered an environment conducive to the adoption of decentralized technologies.
“The MENA market has set a standard for adopting next-gen technologies and using them to boost their economic transformation. This is especially true for Web3 technologies— the region recognised their potential early on, offering the resources needed for these projects to scale and thrive on both regional and global levels,” Apel told BeInCrypto.
Consequently, the region is witnessing an increase in startups, investors, and developers exploring Web3 and its diverse applications.
A 2024 Chainalysis report revealed that MENA was the seventh biggest crypto market worldwide. From July 2023 to June 2024, the region saw $338.7 billion in online crypto transactions, representing 7.5% of all crypto transactions globally.
While the MENA region’s overall cryptocurrency market size may be smaller than others, it boasts significant adoption within its borders.
Notably, Turkey and Morocco ranked among the top 30 countries globally in crypto adoption. Turkey secured the 11th spot, while Morocco ranked 27th. These nations alone accounted for $137 billion and $12.7 billion in received cryptocurrency value, respectively.
Furthermore, the MENA region’s crypto activity is predominantly driven by institutional and professional players, as a substantial 93% of all value transferred involves transactions exceeding $10,000.
Meanwhile, Gulf Corporation Council (GCC) members have distinguished themselves through their ambitious technological initiatives.
The onset of artificial intelligence (AI) has prompted governments and businesses within the Middle East to acknowledge the global trend towards related advanced technologies. Countries like Qatar, Saudi Arabia, and the United Arab Emirates (UAE) are considering their strategic position concerning this technological transformation.
According to a report by PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC), AI could contribute up to $15.7 trillion to the global economy in 2030. The consulting firm predicts that the Middle East will bring 2% of the total global benefits, equal to $320 billion.
“Unsurprisingly, MENA is now a major global hub for technological and economic activity in emerging sectors like Web3 and AI. Abu Dhabi, Dubai, Qatar, and Saudi Arabia are especially notable for the scale of their ambitions and the attractiveness of more prominent international players. The proximity of the network effect of these rapidly developing tech-focused economies should not be underestimated, along with the region’s natural location as a global geographic hub,” Apel said.
The PwC report also indicates that Saudi Arabia will see the largest absolute gains from AI by 2030, with an estimated US$135.2 billion added to its economy, or 12.4% of GDP. In terms of GDP percentage, however, the UAE is expected to see the greatest impact, approaching 14% of its 2030 GDP. Meanwhile, for GCC states Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, and Qatar, AI is expected to contribute 8.2% of their GDP.
Given the region’s latest initiatives and investments in AI innovation, these numbers come as no surprise.
In 2016, the Saudi Arabian government launched Vision 2030, a program to promote economic, social, and cultural diversification. Integral to this vision is a strategic shift towards artificial intelligence and data-driven innovation, a key component of the nation’s economic diversification efforts.
Saudi Arabia is making notable advancements in AI. The country aims to reduce its reliance on oil by developing advanced technology sectors through targeted investments, infrastructure development, and workforce training.
“Fueled by its Vision 2030 initiative, Saudi Arabia has already created a thriving startup ecosystem, dedicated significant investment in emerging technologies,and designed policies to attract global talent and entrepreneurship,” Apel told BeInCrypto.
The Saudi Data and Artificial Intelligence Authority (SDAIA) spearheads Saudi Arabia’s push into artificial intelligence, shaping and implementing the country’s national data and AI strategy. The National Data Bank is a cornerstone of their efforts. It is designed as a central hub for data access and analysis, facilitating AI applications across public and private sectors.
Last November, Saudi Arabia also unveiled Project Transcendence. The $100 billion investment initiative focuses on accelerating the integration of AI and advanced technologies.
Similar to its neighbor, the UAE has actively pursued AI adoption.
In 2017, the UAE launched its National Strategy for Artificial Intelligence, which aims to make the country a global leader in the field by 2031. The UAE AI and Blockchain Council oversees this strategy, which impacts sectors like education, energy, and tourism.
“This financial and regulatory support for AI development will unlock new revenue streams and elevate the region’s international competitiveness,” Apel explained.
The UAE is already reaping the benefits of its AI initiatives. In April, Microsoft announced a $1.5 billion investment in G42, an Abu Dhabi-based technology holding company. G42 is known for its data centers and the development of Jais, a leading Arabic-language AI model.
In September, G42 and Nvidia partnered to create AI-driven solutions for improved weather forecasting. The collaboration aims to advance climate-related technologies by using Nvidia’s Earth-2 platform, which enables AI-augmented climate and weather simulations.
Three months later, Abu Dhabi-based global technological ecosystem Hub71 partnered with Google to boost startup growth in the UAE. This collaboration will bring Google’s “Google for Startups” program to Abu Dhabi, including a dedicated accelerator for Hub71 startups in 2025.
“The Middle East is well-positioned to lead in transformative technologies. MENA’s robust support for entrepreneurship and rapid AI adoption drive groundbreaking change across industries. I see the Middle East becoming a home for startups. There are pre-established policies, resources, and investment opportunities for businesses to scale from the ground up,” Apel added.
He also drew attention to the planned convergence of AI and Web3 technologies in these prominent regions.
Integrating the Internet of Things (IoT), blockchain, and AI technologies is gaining traction among businesses in the Middle East. By combining these technologies, organizations can access new avenues for growth, increase efficiency, and create novel user experiences.
“These technologies complement one another, enabling automation, transparency, and efficiency at scale. Distributed ledger technology, combined with AI, unlocks new possibilities for decentralized systems, while IoT-driven data networks feed advanced analytics and machine learning models,” Apel told BeInCrypto.
In 2018, the Dubai Airport Freezone Authority launched Dubai Blink, a platform that integrates AI, blockchain, and virtual licenses to facilitate global trade. This system enhances supply chain innovation through ‘smart commerce’ by expediting trade with a unified online platform. Furthermore, it addressed the cumbersome process of supplier identification by using AI algorithms to streamline and accelerate the validation process.
“The region is already ahead of many global trends. Strategic investments in smart cities, renewable energy infrastructure, and advanced manufacturing highlight the region’s ambition to construct sustainable, technology-driven economies. These initiatives create the perfect ecosystem for scaling and building solutions to regional and global challenges,” Apel concluded.
Ultimately, MENA’s proactive approach to technological advancement, coupled with its strategic focus on Web3 and AI, signals a future where the region will be a pivotal architect in shaping the digital economy.
The post Outlier Ventures CEO Discusses Pioneering Role of Middle East and North Africa in Web3 Adoption appeared first on BeInCrypto.
Bitcoin (BTC) is up more than 7% over the past seven days, holding firm above the $100,000 level and showing signs of continued bullish momentum. However, recent whale activity paints a more cautious picture, with only a slight increase in large holders and mixed signals over the past month.
While the Ichimoku Cloud and EMA indicators remain supportive, they also reflect a market lacking strong conviction. With key resistance and support levels in focus, BTC’s next move could determine whether it pushes toward new highs or risks falling back below six figures.
The number of Bitcoin whales—wallets holding between 1,000 and 10,000 BTC—has slightly increased, rising to 2,012 as of today, up from 2,009 on May 9.
While this uptick may appear marginal, whale activity is closely monitored by analysts and investors because these large holders often influence market direction through significant transactions.
Whale accumulation typically reflects growing confidence in Bitcoin’s medium- to long-term outlook, while reductions in holdings can signal caution or profit-taking.
That said, the current pace of growth in whale numbers remains modest, and their activity has been far from stable over the last 30 days.
The last month has shown mixed signals, with whales alternating between accumulation and distribution amid macro uncertainty and volatile price action, as all 12 Bitcoin ETFs see red as the market shrugs off $96 million exit in the last 24 hours, their biggest single-day outflow since April 16.
This inconsistency suggests that, despite the slight rise in recent days, major players are still navigating the market cautiously rather than committing to a sustained buying trend, despite some analysts stating that Bitcoin could reach a new all-time high soon.
The Ichimoku Cloud chart for Bitcoin currently shows a relatively neutral-to-bullish setup. Price candles sit just above the Kijun-sen (red line) and Tenkan-sen (blue line), indicating that short-term support is holding for now.
The cloud (Kumo) ahead is bullish, with the Senkou Span A (green cloud boundary) positioned above the Senkou Span B (red cloud boundary), reflecting a positive forward-looking trend.
The Chikou Span (lagging green line) remains above the price from 26 periods ago, signaling cautious bullish sentiment.
Price is still above the cloud, which is a bullish zone, but sideways action and a narrowing gap between the Tenkan-sen and Kijun-sen show indecision.
For the uptrend to gain strength, the blue line must cross above the red line clearly, with a thicker and steeper cloud forming ahead.
Bitcoin price has been steadily holding above the key psychological level of $100,000 for the past six days, with its EMA lines indicating a clear uptrend—short-term averages are positioned above long-term ones, signaling sustained bullish momentum.
If BTC can break above the immediate resistance at $105,705, it could trigger another leg up toward $107,038.
A strong continuation could push the price further to $109,312, with a potential breakout toward $110,000, which would mark a historic milestone.
However, if the current trend loses steam, Bitcoin may face a pullback toward its first key support at $101,296.
A break below that level could bring the price back under $100,000, opening the door to deeper corrections at $97,766 and potentially $93,422.
The post Bitcoin Whales are Increasing, But Their Activity Remains Unstable appeared first on BeInCrypto.
Wyoming, one of the fifty States in the United States, is working on plans to launch its stablecoin. With the plan to fully back the stablecoins with the US Dollar, Wyoming is positioning itself as the first in the country to issue such payment tokens. According to Governor Mark Gordon, the state is making moves to jump onto the bandwagon as early as July.
According to a Bloomberg report, Governor Gordon is very positive about the stablecoin push. He believes most financial stakeholders are not bullish enough about the stable asset firm.
The Governor reference the position of JPMorgan Chase CEO, Jimon Dimon a while back regarding plans to venture into the stablecoin niche earlier. He said he once pitched Wyoming to him and the bank as the state has the right “framework to do it.”
While only a few mainstream firms have entered the stablecoin scene, Wyoming may be pioneering a new wave in the digital payments ecosystem. This move comes as the President Donald Trump administration is pushing for legislation for the ecosystem.
At the Digital Asset Summit recently, President Trump urged Congress to pass stablecoin legislation. He believes this regulation can support entities looking to enter the space.
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