Nephos Group has partnered with venture accelerator Brinc to provide accounting, compliance, corporate structuring and tokenization support to more than 250 startups in Brinc's portfolio, the firms announced on Sept. 22. The arrangement targets technology companies across the Gulf Cooperation Council and adds specialized services for startups working on stablecoins, Web3 products and tokenized assets. Financial terms were not disclosed.
Under the agreement, founders can access cross-border tax planning, corporate structuring, banking introductions and visa support. Nephos will also advise digital asset businesses on tokenization and provide proof-of-reserve attestations for products that depend on backing assets. The partners plan workshops on compliance readiness, reserve reporting and cross-border structures. Nephos founder and CEO Joe David said the GCC's tech ecosystem is scaling rapidly and founders need professional infrastructure that keeps pace. Brinc chief marketing officer Nick Ramil said operating across several countries requires the right infrastructure, trusted partners and the ability to navigate complex markets without unnecessary friction.
The partnership lands amid increasing compliance pressure. Dubai's Virtual Assets Regulatory Authority clarified its token issuance framework in April, placing fiat-referenced and asset-referenced tokens in its first category with specific reserve, redemption, disclosure and legal-structure requirements. In May, AE Coin and USD Universal introduced a regulated conversion system connecting a dirham-backed token with USDU, a US dollar-backed stablecoin, for institutional settlement in the UAE. USDU had previously become the first dollar-backed stablecoin registered under the UAE's Payment Token Services Regulation framework for institutional and professional users.
At the same time, U.S. stablecoin rules add another layer for GCC companies seeking American users. The GENIUS Act creates licensing, reserve, redemption, disclosure and compliance requirements for payment stablecoin issuers, with the law expected to take effect on Jan. 18, 2027. The U.S. Treasury has proposed that foreign-issued stablecoins generally cannot be made available to U.S. users unless the issuer can comply with lawful orders and its home jurisdiction meets regulatory reciprocity requirements. From July 18, 2028, service providers would generally be barred from offering payment stablecoins to people in the United States unless an eligible licensed issuer issued the token.
The compliance push also coincides with the Senate failure of the CLARITY Act, which sought federal authority for stablecoins, spot market, custody and intermediary registration. Without federal law, crypto regulation in the United States remains fragmented among the SEC, CFTC, states and courts. Traditional banks benefit because a federally regulated stablecoin could compete directly with deposit products, and the legislative stall delays nonbank competition. Dubai and the UAE, by contrast, reinforce a comparative advantage through defined frameworks at VARA, ADGM and DIFC, with more than 110 regulated virtual asset businesses.
Major dollar stablecoins such as USDT and USDC continue to circulate through offshore channels, and the absence of a U.S. federal framework does not remove demand for digital dollars. Instead, it redirects talent, capital and operating volume toward jurisdictions with enforceable rules. The practical conclusion for founders, exchanges and issuers is that regulatory strategy must be multijurisdictional, with companies balancing U.S. compliance against clearer frameworks in Dubai, Singapore, Switzerland or Hong Kong.
