Today's Edition
A. SREENIVASA REDDY(ABU DHABI)
A fully home-grown digital trading platform — BurjX — has gone live in the UAE after securing Financial Services Permission from the Financial Services Regulatory Authority (FSRA) of ADGM, the international financial centre of Abu Dhabi.
The platform, which was launched at a recent event in Abu Dhabi, allows users to trade in over 100 digital assets with seamless access through UAE bank accounts.
Speaking to Aletihad on the sidelines of the launch, Omar Abbas, Co-Founder and CEO of BurjX, said: “We were focused on building something for the UAE, for the MENA market. There are a lot of competitors entering this market, but we are building something from scratch for the UAE. We're not an exchange that's trying to enter this market and capture market share.”
Highlighting the platform’s user-friendly approach, Abbas added: “Our product is tailored for both retail and institutional traders. We've made it super simple, where first-time traders can connect directly, and signup is instant. You can trade directly in any of 100 digital assets by routing dirhams from your local account.”
BurjX, now officially licensed for both brokerage and custody services, aims to set a new benchmark for regulatory depth and digital asset access in the region. It is integrated with Zand Bank to offer instant dirham on-ramps, enabling users to fund accounts in seconds and begin trading immediately under ADGM’s regulatory framework.
Abbas, who previously co-founded Canada’s leading crypto exchange NDAX, said the FSRA licence and launch with over 100 digital assets proved “what’s possible when you build with conviction from the ground up.”
Co-founder and Chairman Adam Ferris, a Harvard JD/MBA graduate and former Goldman Sachs executive, said: “This launch validates the strength of our infrastructure, the calibre of our team, and our ambition to position BurjX as a global player from day one.”
BurjX is also one of the few platforms in the region licensed for both brokerage and custody, offering NASDAQ-grade execution systems, Fireblocks’ MPC wallet technology, and institutional-grade infrastructure. It combines fast execution and deep liquidity with multi-layer governance and comprehensive insurance across hot and cold wallets.
To serve private wealth clients, BurjX has launched a dedicated Private Client Division offering bespoke OTC services and tailored digital asset solutions. As part of its governance framework, BurjX has appointed Dr Ryan Lemand — a former Binance board member and ex-Head of Risk at the UAE’s Securities and Commodities Authority — to its Board.
With the UAE’s crypto user base projected to reach nearly four million by 2026 and adoption among the highest globally, BurjX aims to become the Middle East’s homegrown bridge to the global crypto economy.
