Plume Secures ADGM Commercial License, Eyes Middle East RWA Expansion

Plume Network, a modular Layer 2 blockchain dedicated to real-world assets (RWAs), has received a commercial license from the Abu Dhabi Global Market (ADGM) Registration Authority, paving the way for expansion into the Middle East.

The license allows Plume to scale RWA origination and distribution across the Middle East, Africa, and emerging markets, pending further approvals in ADGM, the UAE’s premier international financial hub known for its progressive fintech and digital asset rules.

This would help Plume, one of the leading blockchain by the number of RWA holders, establish a foothold in the region that’s attracting global banks, fintech firms and asset managers, including BlackRock, Deutsche Bank and crypto firms like QCP.

Abu Dhabi also hosts major sovereign wealth funds like the Abu Dhabi Investment Authority (ADIA, the world’s largest with over $1 trillion AUM) and Mubadala Investment Company.

“The UAE and the broader Middle East are rapidly becoming global leaders in the tokenization of real-world assets,” Chris Yin, co-founder and CEO of Plume, said in the press release shared with CoinDesk.

“The region’s progressive regulatory frameworks, institutional openness to digital finance, and ambition to diversify beyond traditional commodities make it an ideal environment for innovation. At Plume, we see the Middle East not just as a market, but as a strategic partner in shaping the future of compliant real-world tokenization,” Yin added.

The move builds on Plume’s U.S. momentum, including a recent U.S. SEC transfer agent license for tokenized securities issuance and management.

The latest ADGM approval is a general commercial license and does not authorize participation in regulated activities such as token issuance or custody. However, the firm is exploring partnership plans with local institutions and its own authorization for tokenization services.

A permanent Abu Dhabi office is slated by year-end, with commercial announcements eyed for early 2026, alongside local hiring and ties to regional banks and fintechs.

Plume’s geographic focus spans the U.S., Asia, and Middle East, capitalizing on pro-RWA regimes in UAE’s free zones like ADGM.