ADI Foundation, the Abu Dhabi-based blockchain initiative, returned to Abu Dhabi Finance Week (ADFW) this year, the same platform where it announced its establishment last year as a UAE-based entity focused on building blockchain infrastructure to help governments and institutions accelerate the growth of digital economies.
Speaking to the Emirates News Agency (WAM) during the event, Andrey Lazorenko, CEO of ADI Foundation, highlighted that in just one year the organisation had moved “from concept to execution,” emphasizing its role in creating a globally advanced digital infrastructure.
Lazorenko explained that ADFW provides an ideal global stage to demonstrate ADI Foundation’s achievements, including the launch of the ADI Chain Mainnet, designed specifically for governments and institutional use. The network now operates with partners across more than 20 countries and 50 institutions, alongside a growing portfolio of national pilot projects, which Lazorenko described as “a new concept of blockchain technology.”
He noted that the week also saw the announcement of strategic partnerships aimed at integrating ADI Chain with global financial institutions to advance real-world applications of blockchain, regulated stablecoins, and institutional digital finance, supporting Abu Dhabi’s vision as a leading hub for regulated digital assets.
Lazorenko affirmed that the UAE has moved “from early experimentation to creating one of the world’s most advanced environments for digital assets and Web3 technologies.” He underlined the importance of ADI Foundation’s headquarters at Abu Dhabi Global Market (ADGM), the first jurisdiction globally to adopt a dedicated legislative framework for digital assets, including rules for currency-referenced tokens and a pioneering framework for distributed ledger technology entities, offering regulatory clarity and national-level confidence.
He added that the UAE, with its economic stability, world-class infrastructure, and strategic East-West location, has become a global leader in sovereign blockchain initiatives, digital asset regulation, and Web3 policy development.
According to Lazorenko, ADI Foundation’s mission is to translate forward-looking policies into scalable, practical systems—whether through a dirham-backed stablecoin or compliant frameworks for asset tokenization and cross-border payments.
He confirmed that the organisation operates under an ambitious vision to onboard one billion people into the digital economy by 2030, while preparing national talent capable of deploying large-scale digital systems through the FutureTech 4.0 Academy.
Discussing the pathway to reach one billion people, Lazorenko said the Foundation primarily works with governments and major institutions, noting that 1.4 billion people globally still lack basic financial infrastructure.
He highlighted the strength of ADI Foundation’s network with Sirius International Holding and IHC, which provides access to more than 90 entities that can integrate blockchain into operations, alongside nationwide projects spanning energy, real estate, and digital identity, and collaborations with global financial institutions to advance real-world blockchain, regulated stablecoins, and digital finance in emerging markets.
These partnerships, he explained, help reduce government adoption risks, fund pilot projects, and support social-impact initiatives on ADI Chain, creating a clear pathway to scale from hundreds of millions to a billion users.
Lazorenko emphasized that ADI Chain is specifically built to meet the needs of governments and institutions requiring scalable digital infrastructure aligned with local policies, making it suitable for national digital identity, government records, and public services that demand trust, auditability, and regulatory compliance.
He also discussed the dirham-backed stablecoin, developed by IHC and First Abu Dhabi Bank within the UAE’s regulatory framework, which will serve as a flagship project on ADI Chain. The stablecoin aims to overcome limitations of traditional payment systems, enabling fast, secure, and low-cost transactions for individuals, businesses, and cross-border payments, while maintaining monetary and regulatory sovereignty.
On talent development, Lazorenko stressed that digital infrastructure has no value without human infrastructure. The FutureTech 4.0 platform, developed with ADGM and leading international universities, targets training over 10,000 specialists in Web3, regulation, development, operations, and policy.
(Inputs from WAM)
