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The Abu Dhabi Securities Exchange has signed a strategic agreement with DFNS that grants it access to enterprise-grade wallet infrastructure for digital assets, according to an announcement from the exchange. The partnership will enable ADX to develop integrated wallet and tokenisation capabilities to facilitate the issuance, listing and trading of digital assets on its platform. This initiative aligns with growing institutional interest in blockchain-based financial products across the region.
According to the exchange, the collaboration forms a key element of its wider digital assets strategy that has already delivered the listing of digitally native bonds together with ongoing development of tokenised equities. The new infrastructure will allow ADX to expand its support for on-chain investments while maintaining regulatory compliance and operational security. Such capabilities are increasingly viewed as essential for modern financial market infrastructures seeking to bridge traditional markets with distributed ledger technology.
DFNS, founded in 2020, supplies wallet infrastructure used by banks, fintech companies and other institutions to execute on-chain transactions, company information shows. Its platform supports workflows across more than 30 blockchains and over 1,000 tokens, providing the technical foundation required for scalable digital asset services. In 2026 the firm repositioned itself as a core banking platform for digital assets rather than solely a wallet provider, according to statements on its website.
The agreement positions ADX among the first financial market infrastructures in the region to implement combined digital asset wallet and tokenisation capabilities, the exchange said. This infrastructure is designed to streamline the full lifecycle of tokenised products from creation through to secondary market trading. The development reflects Abu Dhabi’s continued focus on building a comprehensive ecosystem for innovative financial instruments.
DFNS secured a $16 million series A funding round in January 2025 led by Further Ventures, the venture capital arm backed by Abu Dhabi’s ADQ sovereign wealth fund, a DFNS statement from that period confirmed. That earlier investment from an Abu Dhabi-linked entity laid groundwork for deeper operational ties with local institutions that have now materialised in the ADX partnership. The alignment highlights the emirate’s dual role as both an investor in and adopter of advanced digital asset technologies.
ADX’s announcement noted that the partnership will accelerate its ability to offer secure, compliant solutions for market participants interested in tokenised real-world assets. DFNS has built a track record of serving more than 400 clients globally without security breaches since inception, according to its published metrics. The combined expertise is expected to strengthen ADX’s position in the evolving landscape of digital finance within the UAE and beyond.
