Dubai has cemented its position as a global leader in blockchain innovation, with cryptocurrency penetration at 39.13% and more than 2,040 active blockchain organisations—marking a 13.3% rise in the past year. Initiatives like the Dubai Blockchain Strategy, which aims to digitise all government documents by 2025, reflect the region’s commitment to integrating blockchain across public and private sectors.
At the heart of this transformation is Sui, a high-performance blockchain platform with a US$13 billion market cap and nearly 500% growth over the past year. With its first global hub, SuiHub, based in Dubai’s Expo City, the company is driving Web3 innovation through hackathons, developer meetups, and industry networking. Its partnership with the American University of Sharjah (AUS) is further strengthening the UAE’s blockchain ecosystem by equipping students with real-world skills in blockchain development, smart contracts, and Web3 entrepreneurship.
Kasun Illankoon, Editor-in-Chief at Tech Revolt, spoke to Christian Thompson, Managing Director of Sui Foundation, about why Dubai was the ideal choice for Sui’s expansion, how its initiatives are shaping the future of blockchain in the UAE, and what lies ahead for the industry.
- What inspired Sui to establish SuiHub in Dubai, and how does it contribute to the UAE’s blockchain ecosystem?
An acknowledged global leader in emerging technologies and blockchain innovation, Dubai was the obvious choice for SuiHub, our first global hub. Our location in Expo City Dubai attracts the top blockchain professionals, entrepreneurs, and developers – not just in the Middle East, but globally – with high-quality programming like hackathons, workshops, and networking.
Establishing SuiHub honors Sui’s long-term commitment to strengthening Dubai’s position as a global leader in blockchain and Web3 innovation, and we’re proud that SuiHub will help the next generation of industry professionals in the UAE and beyond increase their expertise and experience.
- How does Sui’s partnership with the American University of Sharjah equip students with the skills needed to excel in the Web3 space?
The AUS-Sui Blockchain Academy is laser-focused on equipping the next generation of blockchain and Web3 professionals with the foundational and advanced skills they need to thrive in the industry like blockchain development, programming with the Move language, and smart contract deployment. And because we know that success in the industry requires real-world execution, our entrepreneurial approach ensures that students will graduate knowing how to build a business from the ground up – from designing business models to how to launch a Web3 startup.
The overwhelming demand in the program demonstrates the strength of young people’s interest in blockchain and Web3 technology careers – and we expect this interest to only continue growing as the UAE solidifies its position as a global leader in the industry. Along with AUS, we’re proud to offer these students the tools they need to succeed.
- What do you believe sets the UAE apart as a global leader in blockchain innovation and adoption?
Far beyond a surface-level commitment to fostering blockchain innovation, the UAE has differentiated itself from global competitors with visionary leadership, a supportive and forward-thinking regulatory environment, and impressive investments in technology. This creates an ecosystem where innovation thrives, and continues to attract international companies and top talent to the region.
The UAE has also demonstrated creative ways to foster collaboration between academia, startup, and global companies. Initiatives like the Dubai Blockchain Strategy and our own partnership with the American University of Sharjah highlight the government’s commitment to integrating blockchain into the public and private sector alike, accelerating the development of practical, scalable blockchain applications.
- How does Sui’s rapid growth and $13 billion market cap reflect the evolving opportunities in blockchain technology?
We let the market cap speak for itself. We feel that the $2B in Total Value Locked (TVL) is a testament to the product market fit of the suite of rich DeFI protocols built on Sui as well as the global demand for scalable, high-performance blockchain solutions – and the high levels of trust and adoption Sui has achieved with developers and end-users.
One of the key trends for blockchain in 2025 and beyond is its maturation from niche applications to mainstream solutions that address real-world challenges and decrease friction in global systems. With sub-second transaction finality, unparalleled scalability, and a thriving ecosystem of dApps, Sui is well-positioned to capitalize on this transition through partnerships and offerings that grow the pie for blockchain and Web3 technologies.
- With the Dubai Blockchain Strategy aiming to digitize all government documents by 2025, how do you see Sui contributing to this ambitious transformation?
The UAE’s goal of digitizing all government documents by 2025 is an ambitious and forward-thinking initiative that requires secure and scalable blockchain solutions that are optimized for real-world implementation. Sui’s blockchain architecture emphasizes transparency, security, and efficiency – core principles that align with the objectives of the Dubai Blockchain Strategy.
As the UAE demonstrates its visionary commitment to public-sector adoption of blockchain technology, we are equally committed to being the UAE’s preferred innovation partner and helping unlock the full potential of blockchain to increase efficiency and improve operational flow.
- What are the biggest challenges in driving Web3 adoption in the UAE, and how does Sui address these effectively?
The UAE has a strong foundation to drive Web3 adoption with a proactive government and an engaged population, with more top talent arriving every day. The biggest challenge we see is how to effectively harness and channel this energy – and the solution is providing access to high-quality blockchain education and platforms that enable hands-on learning and collaboration.
Sui is helping bridge the gap between curiosity and action by establishing SuiHub, hosting recurring developer meetups through Sui Connect, and our Blockchain Academy partnership with AUS. These initiatives demonstrate our long-term commitment to fostering a strong, builder-driven community and accelerating adoption of blockchain and Web3 in the UAE and the Middle East more broadly.
