UAE and U.S. Deepen Cooperation on Crypto and AI

In a diplomatic visit that attracted global attention, the United Arab Emirates and the United States advanced their dialogue on artificial intelligence (AI) and digital assets. The engagement included high-level meetings at the White House between U.S. President Donald Trump and Sheikh Tahnoon bin Zayed Al Nahyan, the UAE’s National Security Adviser.

While details of the meetings were not officially disclosed, both President Trump and David Sacks — the newly appointed U.S. advisor on crypto and AI — acknowledged the significance of the visit in public posts. Sheikh Tahnoon also confirmed the meeting via his official account on X, describing it as a “fruitful” discussion on new cooperation opportunities.

The visit highlights the strategic importance of AI and blockchain technologies in shaping the next era of U.S.-UAE relations.

On the sidelines of the visit, the UAE announced a 10-year investment framework with the U.S. valued at $1.4 trillion, aimed at strengthening cooperation across technology, infrastructure, and energy. While full details have yet to be disclosed, the scale and duration of the commitment underscore the long-term nature of the relationship — and the strategic role that advanced technologies, including AI and digital assets, are expected to play within it.

Strategic Focus on Chips, AI, and Digital Investment

As reported by Bloomberg, the UAE is seeking expanded access to U.S. AI chip technology and opportunities to collaborate on building next-generation infrastructure. This follows a series of global investments by the UAE in AI and cloud computing — particularly through national champions like G42, which has partnered with Microsoft and OpenAI.

In a previous interview with CNBC, G42 CEO Peng Xiao emphasized that the UAE has demonstrated its ability to guarantee the “safety and security” of advanced chip technologies — a message that continues to resonate amid tightening U.S. export controls.

The White House visit adds weight to ongoing efforts to align both nations on technological, economic, and regulatory fronts.

UAE’s Regulatory Leadership in Digital Assets

The UAE has become a global leader in digital asset regulation by establishing clear frameworks across key jurisdictions. The Central Bank regulates fiat-backed stablecoins under its Payment Token Regulation, while Dubai’s VARA oversees crypto exchanges and custodians. ADGM defines its digital assets as offshore instruments, RAK DAO supports blockchain startups, and DIFC continues to develop its own fintech and digital asset strategies through the DFSA. This regulatory clarity has made the UAE a preferred destination for global crypto firms seeking compliance and growth.

U.S. Creates First-Ever Bitcoin Reserve

Earlier this month, President Trump signed an executive order to establish a Strategic Bitcoin Reserve and a U.S. Digital Asset Stockpile. Under the order, Bitcoin assets forfeited to the U.S. Treasury — totaling more than 200,000 BTC — will be held as reserves rather than sold.

This policy marks the first time a world power has formally recognized Bitcoin as a sovereign financial asset. The order also requires federal agencies to audit their digital asset holdings and propose governance strategies within 60 days.

The move is already shaping global discussions on crypto policy — and may influence how other nations evaluate digital reserves.

Will the UAE Consider Bitcoin Reserves?

The UAE has not announced any intention to establish a sovereign Bitcoin reserve. However, the country’s structured approach to digital assets, combined with its long-term investment vision, makes such a consideration plausible.

Entities like ADQ, IHC, and Mubadala are deeply involved in blockchain and AI — and MGX, chaired by Sheikh Tahnoon, has also begun making strategic moves in the crypto space. On March 12, 2025, MGX committed a $2 billion investment in Binance, the world’s largest crypto exchange. While Binance was not in need of capital, the investment was widely viewed as a gesture of strategic alignment.

Shortly after the investment, Binance founder Changpeng Zhao (CZ) shared an image with His Highness Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, and later updated his X profile to reflect his Emirati citizenship — public signals that resonated across the crypto industry.

Given CZ’s role in shaping global crypto markets, and Binance’s growing presence in the UAE, it is not unlikely that such developments were part of broader discussions in Washington around the future of digital asset infrastructure. Still, any consideration by the UAE to hold digital assets at the sovereign level would be rooted in long-term economic planning, not symbolic moves.

For now, the UAE continues to build the legal, financial, and institutional foundations of tomorrow’s financial system — while reinforcing its global position as a trusted and regulated hub for digital assets.