Abu Dhabi, UAE: The first edition of the Middle East Blockchain Awards (MEBA), held on November 18 at the five-star W Hotel on Yas Island, Abu Dhabi, recognized 14 of the region’s best in Web 3.0. Award winners were announced at a glittering ceremony attended by government officials and industry experts from the Middle East and beyond.
Kevin O’Leary, Chairman of O’Leary Ventures and star of ABC’s Hai tankgave the keynote speech at the first edition of the Middle East Blockchain Awards (MEBA).
Launched to recognize and reward outstanding efforts in blockchain and Web 3.0 innovations, MEBA was organized by Hoko Agency Middle East, in partnership with Abu Dhabi Finance Week, and the Middle East, Africa and Asia Crypto and Blockchain Association (MEAACBA) .
The Middle East Blockchain Awards was supported by GEM Digital Limited as the main sponsor, with supporting sponsors including the Abu Dhabi Residents Office, a division of the Abu Dhabi Department of Economic Development (ADDED); Inery Blockchain, a layer-1 blockchain solution offering decentralized database management solution, and Everdome, the digital frontier’s first hyperrealistic metaverse.
Winners announced at the MEBA ceremony were:
- Best NFT and Gamefi Project 2022: Bonuz
- Most Influential Woman in Blockchain and Crypto 2022: Meera Judge, Binance
- Most Influential Woman in Blockchain and Crypto 2022: Reef
- Most Influential CEO in Blockchain and Crypto 2022: Basil Al Askari, MidChains
- Most Influential Global Crypto News Service 2022: Smashi TV
- Most Influential CMO in Blockchain and Crypto 2022: Haider Rafique, OKX
- Top Global Crypto YouTuber / Influencer 2022: Andrés Meneses
- Most Innovative DeFi Platform 2022: Horizon X
- Most Powerful CEX 2022: MidChains
- Most Promising ESG Crypto Project 2022: Islamic Coin
- Best Mobile Crypto Wallet 2022: Velas
- Best Crypto Investment Fund 2022: Sino Global Capital
- Best NFT Marketplace 2022: Bybit
- Most Promising DEX to Watch 2022: Curve Finance
Bally Singh, Chairman and Co-Founder of Hoko Group said: “On behalf of everyone at Hoko Group and MEBA’s sponsors, I would like to congratulate the well-deserved winners of the first Middle East Blockchain Awards. This has been a spectacular event celebrating the phenomenal caliber of the Web 3.0 innovation and talent across the Middle East. With such a successful first screening, and such a strong field of contenders for each of our award categories, we look forward to future editions of MEBA with great anticipation.”
A panel of prestigious experts selected the winners for each category. The panel included Dr Marwan Al Zarouni, CEO of the Dubai Blockchain Center (DBCC); Jehanzeb Awan, Board Member of MEAACBA, Founder and CEO of J. Awan and Partners; Miriam Kiwan, former head of digital assets at ADGM, board member of BlackOack Global; Misha Hanin, co-founder and futurist at Bedu; Saqr Ereiqat, Co-Founder and CCO of Crypto Oasis, and Matthew Amlot, Managing Editor of Arabian Business.
Abu Dhabi was chosen as the host city for the first awards due to the UAE leadership’s commitment to progression and innovation in blockchain and digital transformation. The UAE as a whole has made significant moves towards the regulation, security and transparency of blockchain and digital assets, driving the importance of global standards for industry compliance that will benefit all aspects of Web 3.0. This forward-thinking approach has attracted many global players to establish their presence in the emirates, creating a strong ecosystem that contributes to its reputation as a hub for crypto and beyond.
For more information on MEBA, please visit www.mebawards.io.
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About ADFW
Building on ADGM’s success with its flagship Fintech Abu Dhabi initiative since 2017, which attracted 18,500 attendees, 200+ speakers, 100+ startups and 75+ ecosystem partners. Abu Dhabi Finance Week is a week-long engagement that addresses a range of financial issues: financial technology and innovation, start-ups and corporates, venture finance and investments, asset management and capital markets, financial policy and regulation.
About Hoko Abu Dhabi
Hoko Agency is a diversified and innovative company that owns and operates a diverse portfolio of businesses within the finance, blockchain, entertainment, sports and food and beverage sectors. Hoko strives to be best-in-class in each of its service lines; offers quality products, world-class service and customization solutions that go beyond the industry’s expectations.
About MEAACBA
The Middle East, Africa and Asia Crypto and Blockchain Association is a not-for-profit member-driven organization, headquartered in Abu Dhabi and supported by the Abu Dhabi Global Market (ADGM). The association has cross-industry representation and has been formed to support the development of accessible, transparent and compatible crypto-blockchain ecosystems. It is controlled by a board of highly respected industry specialists and supported by an advisory board of well-known practitioners and business owners. For more information, go to www.meaacba.org.
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