A Bitcoin Policy Institute report on September 4, 2026, estimated that on-chain crypto transaction volume in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region reached $350 billion across 2025 and 2026. Although this figure remains an estimate from an institute whose methodology has not been fully published, the value represents a more than three-fold increase compared to 2022 levels, which had just crossed the $100 billion mark.
Turkey led the entire region by recording nearly $200 billion in annual transaction volume. A weakening lira exchange rate and intense inflationary pressures pushed the public toward accumulating Bitcoin and stablecoins as both a store of value and a means for cross-border transfers. Consecutive devaluations of the Egyptian pound triggered an identical response, driving local peer-to-peer Bitcoin trading activity up by more than 300%.
Institutional Capital Across the Gulf
While high-inflation nations relied on retail crypto, capital flows across Gulf countries were driven purely by institutions. Saudi Arabia posted the fastest crypto growth in MENA at 154% year-on-year, outpacing Qatar’s 120% rate according to Chainalysis data published in September 2024. Saudi Arabia’s push extends beyond facilitating daily transactions, expanding into advanced blockchain applications and energy tokenization systems.
High smartphone penetration and a young demographic boom paved the way for tech adoption among the Saudi public. The United Arab Emirates took a parallel route by maturing its Virtual Assets Regulatory Authority (VARA) framework. The regulatory setup was specifically crafted to attract global crypto exchanges, institutional trading firms, and tokenization platforms to officially operate out of its financial hub.
The Test of Geopolitical Tensions
The outbreak of conflict between Israel and Iran in June 2025 immediately shaved 3.7% off the total global crypto market capitalization. Under regional selling pressure, Ether fell 7.5%, while Bitcoin’s correction was contained at 2.3%.
Once military tensions eased, Bitcoin dominance across the digital asset market climbed to 64.8%. That dominance figure caps a MENA adoption landscape driven by two distinct camps: retail pocket change seeking shelter from collapsing fiat currencies, and massive capital entering through regulatory clarity. Reported by crypto.news.
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Disclaimer: This article is for informational and educational purposes only, not financial advice. Cryptocurrency assets are highly volatile and carry significant risk. Always do your own research (DYOR) and never invest more than you can afford to lose.
