Stablecoins go mainstream

Our new FinTech Pulse mini-series features leading market participants, regulators and industry specialists exploring the trends, challenges and opportunities shaping the future of the Middle East payments sector. In the first episode, Dubai-based Senior Associate Ratul Roshan is joined by Mohamed Helmy, Compliance Director – EMEA at XTransfer, the world's largest and China's No.1 B2B cross-border trade payment platform.With more than 16 years' experience across banking, FinTech and payments, Mohamed shares his perspectives on the regulatory and commercial developments driving growth in the UAE and the wider Middle East, including the evolving role of compliance, the future of cross-border payments and the opportunities emerging for FinTech innovators. The conversation explores:• The growth of XTransfer and its role in the regional payments ecosystem• Payments products expected to see the strongest demand over the coming years• Regulatory expectations and licensing considerations in the UAE• The Central Bank of the UAE's evolving payments framework and supervisory approach• The potential impact of payment tokens on the future of payments• Areas where greater innovation and competition are needed• Why the UAE has become a leading global fintech hubFrom the front lines of compliance, regulation and payments innovation, this episode explores the realities of operating in a rapidly evolving payments ecosystem.

Tokenisation, stablecoins and regulatory implementation take centre stage in this month's episode.   Julie Frizzarin and Hannah Meakin examine key developments from September 2026, including the UK's wholesale tokenisation roadmap, MiCA's future evolution, the SEC's innovation exemption for tokenised securities, and significant stablecoin developments across multiple jurisdictions. They also discuss regulatory updates from Canada, Australia, the UAE and Singapore, and consider what these developments mean for firms operating in the digital assets markets.

James Morris is joined by Jonathan Muthana, Chief Legal Officer and Co-Founder of Anchorpoint Financial Limited, to discuss the rapidly evolving world of regulated stablecoins.From Anchorpoint securing one of Hong Kong's first stablecoin issuer licences to the importance of regulatory clarity and trust in digital finance, they unpack the developments shaping the next generation of payments, tokenisation and financial services.

Join Julie Frizzarin and Hannah Meakin as they discuss the most significant global digital asset regulatory developments from July and August, in their 10-minute round-up.  From the UK's tokenisation agenda, UK-US regulatory cooperation and MiCA developments to regulatory milestones in Dubai and Hong Kong, SEC proposals and the growing role of stablecoins, the pace of change continues to accelerate.  

Join host Julie Frizzarin and regulatory expert Hannah Meakin for their latest whistle-stop tour around the globe digesting June's most important digital‑asset regulatory developments. Topics include:UK crypto regulation moves a step closer as the FCA publishes final rules and guidance.Major developments in UK stablecoin regulation from the House of Lords and the Bank of England.The end of MiCA's transitional period and what it means for firms operating in Europe.The latest developments in US crypto regulation and DeFi.ASIC extends its no-action position for certain digital asset businesses in Australia.Continued momentum for tokenisation in the UAE, Hong Kong and Singapore.

Ben Davis, CEO and Co-Founder of Native  joins Tim Chan to unpack what Australia’s new digital assets licensing regime means in practice for insurance. They explore the cover digital asset platforms will need, how insurers are approaching crypto risk, and whether new licensing rules are helping or complicating insurability. From billion-dollar hacks to global regulatory lessons, this episode explores the risks, the realities, and where the market is heading next.

In this special edition of Fintech Pulse, Sean Murphy and Hannah Meakin are joined by Coinbase UK CEO Keith Grose to explore how the digital assets market is evolving in practice. They discuss the rapid growth of stablecoins, the emergence of tokenised financial assets, and the rise of agentic payments. Keith also shares how Coinbase has evolved into a full-stack platform spanning retail, institutional and developer services, as well as why the UK remains a strategically critical market. In this episode:Why stablecoins are scaling rapidly and reshaping paymentsReal-world progress in tokenisation (starting with debt markets)What agentic AI means for payments and commerceCoinbase’s evolution beyond a retail exchangeThe UK’s regulatory direction and global positionWhat the next 3–5 years could look like for digital assets

Join host Julie Frizzarin and regulatory expert Hannah Meakin for a round up of April's most significant crypto regulatory developments.They cover what’s changed, and what it means in practice across the UK, US, UAE, Europe, Singapore, Australia and Canada, including:• where regulatory expectations are tightening,• key licensing and implementation timelines, and• the latest stablecoin, market structure and tokenisation developments.A concise, digestible update for anyone navigating the evolving global crypto regulatory landscape.

Join host Julie Frizzarin and regulatory expert Hannah Meakin for their latest update on the most important digital‑asset regulatory developments across the UK, EU, US, UAE, Asia and Australia.In under 10 minutes, we break down the policy shifts, regulatory deadlines and supervisory priorities that matter most for firms preparing for the next phase of crypto regulation.