Arab Bank's fintech accelerator, AB Xelerate, has made a strategic investment in infrastructure provider Ubyx Inc. The move aims to strengthen global connectivity for regulated digital money, including tokenized deposits and stablecoins, as these assets transition from pilot programs to real-world execution in financial markets.
The investment, announced on February 19, 2026, underscores Arab Bank's focus on supporting the next phase of cross-border financial infrastructure. A key driver is the growing role of regulated digital money in international trade, treasury, and payment flows, particularly those connecting the Middle East with global markets.
Ubyx is developing a shared network that allows regulated financial institutions to issue, accept, and redeem digital money at par value across multiple blockchains and jurisdictions. This infrastructure is designed to operate within established regulatory and compliance frameworks.
"Digital assets and stablecoins represent a major opportunity for financial innovation in the MENA region," said Hala Zahan, Head of AB Xelerate. "Our investment with Ubyx reflects our confidence in their infrastructure and their ability to support the secure, compliant, and scalable adoption of this emerging ecosystem."
Ubyx CEO Tony McLaughlin emphasized the need for interconnected systems, stating, "The future of digital money depends on global networks, not isolated platforms. For digital money to scale, it must move seamlessly across institutions, markets and jurisdictions while retaining par-value integrity and regulatory confidence." He cited AB Xelerate's banking innovation experience as ideal for building infrastructure aimed at global adoption.
The partnership between AB Xelerate and Ubyx shares a common objective: to enable cross-border financial flows using regulated digital money infrastructure that supports international trade, liquidity management, and settlement, all within supervisory frameworks.
