MENA crypto transaction volume surged to $350B annually, with Saudi Arabia and UAE leading regional growth driven by currency hedging and institutional adoption.
DeFi & Yields ·
The Middle East and North Africa region has reached $350 billion in annual on-chain crypto transaction volume as of 2025–2026, nearly tripling from approximately $100 billion in 2022, according to the Bitcoin Policy Institute. Turkey leads the region with close to $200 billion in yearly transaction volume, while the UAE recorded roughly $150 billion in 2025. Saudi Arabia emerged as the fastest-growing market with a 154% year-over-year increase, trailed by Qatar at 120%.
The acceleration stems from multiple drivers. Geopolitical conflict and currency depreciation have pushed adoption of bitcoin and U.S. dollar-backed stablecoins as hedging instruments in certain markets. Gulf states have simultaneously positioned themselves as regional crypto hubs through supportive regulatory frameworks and increased institutional participation in digital assets.
The surge underscores shifting capital flows across MENA, though granular breakdowns of which factors dominate in which markets remain unclear, as does the precise institutional versus retail composition of these flows.