Institutional-grade tokenization provider Brickken has revealed a strategic cooperation agreement with the ADI Foundation to deploy its issuance and lifecycle management infrastructure on the ADI Chain. This partnership is aimed at giving governments and institutions throughout the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region a regulated and compliant means to tokenize real-world assets (RWAs) at scale.
What is the ADI Chain?
The ADI Chain is the first Layer-2 blockchain specifically built for stablecoins and RWAs in the MENA region. The ADI Chain is backed by Sirius International [a subsidiary of International Holding Company (IHC)] and First Abu Dhabi Bank (FAB). Additionally, this network has a licensed Dirham-based stablecoin, backed by the United Arab Emirates (UAE) Central Bank. The three pillars of the network include: compliance, efficient blockchain transactions, and security. Designed primarily for use by governments, enabling blockchain infrastructure across the MENA, Asia, and Africa.
Together with the booming crypto economy in the MENA region, the ADI Chain partnership is also timely. According to the Chainalysis report, the total amount of crypto transaction volume in the region surpassed USD 60 billion in December 2024 alone, with the UAE receiving upward of USD 56 billion in the 2024-2025 reporting window, increasingly driven by institutional adoption.
Why is this important?
Much of the RWA tokenized market has now surpassed USD 27.5 billion in value onchain, (excluding stablecoins), yet much of the infrastructure of the sector is still geared towards Western markets. The partnership showcases the first regulated tokenized RWA infrastructure in the MENA region at an institutional scale. The collaboration will also support compliant asset onboarding and enable controlled secondary distribution, addressing a critical gap between institutional intent and onchain execution.
Brickken has a proven issuance and lifecycle management stack that financial institutions currently use. ADI Chain provides a settlement infrastructure that will meet the requirements of the Central Bank. Together will provide a pathway for governments and Institutions to move from interest in tokenised RWAs to actual issuance.
RWAs are winning over all markets in 2026
RWAs in the crypto space have become one of the fastest-growing segments; companies like BlackRock, Franklin Templeton, and Wisdom Tree now offer tokenised funds. To this point, ADI Chain represents a new wave: region-specific, institution-owned infrastructure built to meet local regulatory standards. With the Central Bank in the UAE allowing for digital asset regulations and a stablecoin backed by the dirham, it is set to become the centre of compliant RWA tokenisation.
