The United States Treasury Department sanctioned two Dubai-based cryptocurrency exchanges, Shelbit and Aban Tether, alleging they processed billions of dollars in transactions for Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps and facilitated sanctions evasion. The action is part of the Trump administration's 'Economic Fury' campaign targeting Iranian financial networks.
Mobility company Moove has secured $250 million in Series C funding led by Mubadala Investment Company, with co-leads Woven Capital (Toyota) and Ion Pacific, to scale its autonomous vehicle fleet infrastructure. The Dubai-based company, which started in Lagos in 2020, now operates approximately 42,000 vehicles across 13 countries.
Dubai Duty Free has launched Crypto.com Pay across its retail network at Dubai International Airport, Al Maktoum International Airport, and its online store, making it the first airport retailer in the Middle East to offer regulated cryptocurrency payment options. The rollout implements a strategic partnership established through a July 2025 memorandum of understanding between Dubai Duty Free and Crypto.com.
A Reuters investigation revealed that Shelbit, an unlicensed Dubai-based cryptocurrency exchange, processed at least $4 billion for an Iranian sanctions-evasion network linked to the IRGC, Iran's central bank, and illegal gambling operations. At least $676 million from wallets connected to this network flowed to Binance.
Emirates has integrated Crypto.com Pay on its website and mobile app, enabling eligible UAE residents to book flights using cryptocurrency with payments settled in UAE dirhams. The launch represents the airline's expansion of digital payment options aligned with Dubai's digital economy initiatives.
Brooke George, a 23-year-old British influencer from Kent, has been charged with murder in Dubai and faces possible execution after allegedly stabbing to death a man she met online. According to advocacy groups, George claims the man repeatedly assaulted her and she acted in self-defense.
