This December, Abu Dhabi will welcome top thinkers, regulators, and innovators in the Web3 space for its annual Global Blockchain Summit. Now in its fifth iteration, the event will take place over two days from December 10–11 in the spectacular new Space42 Arena on the Al Raha waterfront. Leading with the theme “Meet the Top 1% in Web3,” the 2025 summit is designed to nurture meaningful, lasting connections between like-minded individuals – from C-suite executives to day-one crypto enthusiasts.
Like Dubai’s Blockchain Summit 2025, which takes place in October, Abu Dhabi’s Global Blockchain Summit will shift the narrative away from hype and speculation to long-term architecture, finding ways to build with blockchain rather than build around it. Over the two days, it will spotlight emerging frameworks around digital identity, institutional custody, decentralised finance (DeFi), and cross-border regulation. The choice of venue speaks volumes here – Space42 Arena, named after the UAE-based AI space-tech firm, echoes Abu Dhabi’s growing alignment with future-facing tech and engineering.
What’s On and How To Attend Global Blockchain Summit Abu Dhabi 2025
This year’s event is one of the biggest yet, with a presence of more than 5,000 attendees, 200 speakers, and 150 media outlets. The speaker line-up draws heavily from senior leadership, with a noticeable shift toward institutional and infrastructure voices. Confirmed names include Stephan Lutz, CEO of BitMEX, and Sergej Kunz, co-founder of 1inch. Tether co-founder Reeve Collins will also return to the summit stage, joining a number of key figures to discuss how stablecoins are being shaped by (and indeed shaping) regulated financial markets.
Representing the UAE, Abdulla Al Dhaheri, CEO of the Abu Dhabi Blockchain Centre, will lead discussions around policy and regulation. While much of the agenda leans technical, there are broader, culturally relevant themes at play too – from the rise of artificial general intelligence to the intersection of blockchain and the metaverse, with Sébastien Borget (co-founder and COO of The Sandbox) bringing his take on where digital identity is heading.
Tickets are open to the public, with different tiers depending on the kind of access you're looking for. Early bookings can claim a Standard Pass for free, which includes full access to the exhibition, conference stages, and the official event app. Once those run out, the price will increase to $145.
For those attending with business in mind, the Business Pass ($199) grants access to a curated networking zone designed for structured, high-quality introductions. And for deeper access, the VIP Pass ($599) includes speaker lounge entry, lunch, and afterparty entry – a worthwhile upgrade if you’re looking to have longer, less interrupted conversations with other senior attendees.
Where to Stay in Abu Dhabi
If you’re flying in for the event or travelling from another emirate and want to avoid the daily drive, Abu Dhabi has a number of world-class hotels near Al Raha that turn the summit into a full weekend escape. The most polished option is the Four Seasons on Al Maryah Island, which is a short drive from the venue and well-positioned if you're planning meetings in the city or within ADGM itself.
For something livelier, W Abu Dhabi Yas Island is positioned directly above the Yas Marina Circuit and is around 20 minutes from the venue. The atmosphere here is famously upbeat, with a younger crowd drawn to the busy rooftop pool and cocktail bars. It’s an ideal base if you’re heading to the summit afterparty or simply want a change of pace once sessions wrap up.
To explore Abu Dhabi beyond the event itself, the Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque is just 15 minutes from the venue, while the Saadiyat Cultural District – home to the Louvre Abu Dhabi and the future Guggenheim – is around half an hour away.
Space42 Arena is easily reachable by car or taxi.
Abu Dhabi, ADGM, and Blockchain Adoption
Over the past decade, the UAE has emerged as a natural base for crypto founders and users, and Abu Dhabi’s financial centre – Abu Dhabi Global Market (ADGM) – has been instrumental in that shift. In 2018, ADGM became one of the first jurisdictions worldwide to roll out a full regulatory framework for spot crypto asset activities, well ahead of Europe and the US. Supervised by the Financial Services Regulatory Authority (FSRA), the framework has empowered a number of virtual asset providers to build and operate within a well-regulated yet forward-looking local ecosystem.
This momentum gained further pace in 2023 when MidChains, an FSRA-regulated digital asset platform, went live with the full backing of Abu Dhabi’s sovereign wealth fund. Matrix, another local cryptocurrency custodian, followed with an expanded roster of trading pairs and integrated custodial services. That same year saw Venom Foundation – the first Layer-1 blockchain licensed under ADGM – launch its testnet, designed with an eye on CBDCs, stablecoins, and asset tokenisation.
ADGM has also been proactive in forging alliances with well-established international players in the world of blockchain, including the Solana Foundation, Chainalysis, and Hedera.
Other Blockchain and Crypto Events In the UAE This Year
Abu Dhabi’s Global Blockchain Summit isn’t the only headline event in the UAE’s Web3 calendar this year. On October 12, Dubai will host the Future Blockchain Summit – a four-day programme at Dubai Harbour that runs alongside Fintech Surge and GITEX Impact. The following week, the Blockchain Life Forum will return to Dubai for its fifteenth year, with more than 15,000 attendees and a stronger focus on trading, DeFi, and crypto mining.
Together, these events signal a broader shift: blockchain is now firmly part of the financial fabric in the UAE, with the infrastructure and regulation now in place to support meaningful scale. Whether you’re building, investing, or simply observing the space to see how it evolves, the Global Blockchain Summit Abu Dhabi 2025 will offer a clear lens into where things are heading and who’s helping shape what comes next.
