Summary:
- COTI becomes a founding member of the Saudi Arabia AI & Blockchain Centre (SAAIBC).
- The partnership highlights growing interest in integrating real-world assets (RWAs) with blockchain and traditional finance.
- Saudi Arabia’s Vision 2030 and tech investments position the MENA region as a global AI hub.
- COTI’s privacy-preserving blockchain solutions address compliance concerns for institutional adoption.
- SAABIC launched during the RWA Summit Roundtable in Dubai with global leaders and investors.
- CEO Shahaf Bar-Geffen emphasizes the significance of early-stage collaboration in shaping blockchain infrastructure and policy.
COTI: Founding Member of Saudi Arabia’s AI & Blockchain Centre
COTI has officially joined the newly launched Saudi Arabia AI & Blockchain Centre (SAAIBC) as a founding member. This strategic move underscores COTI’s sustained commitment to the MENA and African regions, particularly in driving the adoption of real-world assets (RWAs) through blockchain technology. SAABIC’s mission is to unify Saudi leaders, policymakers, and industry practitioners to fast-track the integration of AI and blockchain technologies across the region.
Vision 2030: A Tech-Driven Transformation
Saudi Arabia’s economic strategy under Vision 2030 aims to transform the Kingdom into a global AI and tech powerhouse. The country is seeing unprecedented investment in digital infrastructure, such as the $100 billion Project Transcendence and a $40 billion AI fund through the Public Investment Fund (PIF). Additionally, the $1.5 billion commitment from AI chip company Groq supports this ambition.
As a result of this rapid momentum, Saudi Arabia’s AI sector is projected to reach $61.85 billion by 2033, growing at a remarkable CAGR of 46.6%.
COTI’s Role: Bridging Web3 and Traditional Finance
COTI is well-positioned to bring its advanced compliance privacy technologies to address one of the biggest challenges in public blockchain adoption—institutional trust. Its privacy-preserving infrastructure supports secure, auditable, and confidential transactions, opening doors for RWA integration in sectors such as commodities, infrastructure, and financing.
With the help of COTI’s technology, RWAs can be tokenized and traded securely, allowing conventional financial systems to benefit from blockchain efficiencies while remaining compliant with regulations.
SAABIC’s Launch at RWA Summit Dubai
SAABIC was formally unveiled during the Real-World Asset (RWA) Summit in Dubai, coinciding with the TOKEN2049 conference. The event served as a high-level platform to discuss the challenges and opportunities in tokenizing assets across MENA and Africa.
Attendees included royal family members, high-ranking government officials, and institutional investors from countries such as Saudi Arabia, UAE, Kazakhstan, Nigeria, Sierra Leone, France, and the UK. Together, these 40 distinguished guests represented nearly $500 billion in assets under management (AUM).
A Word from the CEO
Shahaf Bar-Geffen, CEO of COTI, commented on this milestone:
“This is a rare opportunity to shape blockchain policy and infrastructure at an early stage throughout the Africa and MENA region. By bringing together infrastructure providers, including COTI, with investors, government officials, and businesses, we will be able to trial meaningful projects with input from all relevant stakeholders – giving the greatest possible chance of success.”
Shaping the Future Together
SAABIC extends an open invitation to professionals from law, regulation, governance, entrepreneurship, and investment to contribute to this innovative initiative. Interested individuals are encouraged to apply via the SAABIC website or follow the center’s progress on LinkedIn.
As COTI and other founding members collaborate through SAABIC, the stage is being set for transformative projects that bridge DeFi and TradFi, delivering real-world impact through emerging technologies.