MENA Blockchain Week to be held in Dubai from May 18 to 24.
MENA Blockchain Week (MENABCW) has officially launched in Dubai as the region’s first decentralized, city-wide blockchain initiative. The event is scheduled to take place from May 18 to 24, 2026, bringing together more than 40 concurrent events, over 5,000 participants, and more than 100 speakers in a coordinated campaign.
MENA Blockchain Week functions as more than a traditional event; it is an ecosystem infrastructure and a shared identity for a campaign that turns Dubai itself into the venue. Accordingly, independent organizers, community leaders, and blockchain projects can host their events simultaneously across various locations in the city.
Dubai: A Global Blockchain Destination
Dubai’s emergence as a global blockchain destination has been bolstered by progressive regulations through the Virtual Assets Regulatory Authority (VARA), strong institutional support under the Dubai Economic Agenda D33, and a continuous influx of international capital and talent.
MENA Blockchain Week is designed with a decentralized structure that distributes authority and economic value among organizers, venues, and community partners.
The initiative is based on a four-tier model: campaign infrastructure, independent organizers, institutional and government partners, and finally the audience, ranging from founders and builders to investors, institutions, and policymakers.
MENA Blockchain Week Schedule
MENA Blockchain Week 2026 will be held in the form of themed days:
May 14: Pre-opening event and Community Resilience Summit
May 18: Community Day and Builders Day
May 19: AI in Blockchain and Automation
May 20: Stablecoins, Neobanks, and Agentic Payments
May 21: UAE Blockchain Regulation, Security, and Compliance
May 22: Real World Assets and Tokenization
May 23: Content Creators Day and Workshops
May 24: Traders and Exchanges Day
The event brings together more than 100 speakers from the global blockchain, Web3, and digital asset ecosystem, including founders, investors, policymakers, and industry professionals.
Prominent entities and companies participating in the event include Binance, CoinMarketCap, VARA, Dubai Blockchain Center, Dubai Digital Asset Association, CoinMENA, and Bitpanda. Other groups such as Hacken, RAKBANK, Animoca Brands, Hadron Founders Club, Ethereum Foundation, Mintlayer, and FearsOff are also present in the program.
Organizers state that MENA Blockchain Week demonstrates that the regional blockchain community is not waiting for uncertainty to pass, but has instead decided to continue building in a city that never stops.