The FIFA World Cup in Qatar is boosting the value of national soccer club fan tokens despite the cryptocurrency bear market. World Cup Qatar hype boosts fan token prices These digital fan tokens are currently rallying despite the cryptocurrency market downturn, securing up to 170% gains from the Nov. 10 lows. At the core of the massive uptrend is the World Cup, which will be held from Nov. 20 to Dec. 18 in Qatar. Fan tokens are cryptocurrencies that enable fans to engage with and participate in their favorite team's decisions. Moreover, they create new sponsorship opportunities for sports clubs …

The 2.8-million nation of Qatar is going to join a growing range of countries experimenting with the central bank digital currency (CBDC) concept. The Qatar Central Bank (QCB) is currently “in the foundation stage” of issuing its digital currency. On Tuesday during the “Inflation Test” session at the Qatar Economic Forum, QCB Governor Sheikh Bandar bin Mohammed bin Saoud Al Thani revealed that the bank is working to find technological solutions for its CBDC. Right now the project is in its early stage, Al Thani specified: “Many central banks are now considering to issue CBDC, and we are not an …

Blockchain network Algorand has partnered with FIFA inking a sponsorship and technical partner deal as the network becomes the soccer association’s first official blockchain platform. The deal announced on Monday will also see Algorand become a regional supporter in North America and Europe for the 2022 FIFA World Cup to be held in Qatar in November and December. BREAKING: @FIFAcom has announced #Algorand will become the official blockchain of FIFA, empowering the global football community with cutting-edge, sustainable technology. Read more https://t.co/LTTUqGNLNA @FIFAWorldCup #FIFAWorldCup pic.twitter.com/LuEFTY3WK6 — Algorand (@Algorand) May 2, 2022 Algorand will also be an official sponsor of the …

FIFA, an international governing body for many major soccer tournaments, has announced that cryptocurrency exchange Crypto.com will be an official sponsor of its next World Cup in Qatar. In a Wednesday announcement, the association said Crypto.com’s branding will appear both inside and outside of stadiums for the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022 scheduled to begin in November. The crypto exchange will provide opportunities for its users to attend matches and win official merchandise as part of the sponsorship. According to FIFA chief commercial officer Kay Madati, the deal will help grow the games “on a global scale,” citing Crypto.com’s partnerships …

The Qatar Central Bank (QCB) is reportedly investigating the possibility of launching a digital currency and issuing digital bank licenses. According to the head of the fintech section at QCB, Alanood Abdullah Al Muftah, the central bank is expected to set a direction for its future focus soon on a range of fintech verticals. Al Muftah noted that QCB will also determine whether Qatar can establish a central bank digital currency (CBDC). She explained: "Each central bank should study digital banks, considering their growing significance in the global market. We also see the direction of the market moving towards having …

The nation of Qatar is a World Bank “high-income economy,” backed by the world's third-largest natural gas and oil reserves. It has the third-highest GDP per capita in the world (by purchasing power parity), with very high human development. Similar to other Gulf Cooperation Council states — which also include the United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia, Oman, Kuwait and Bahrain — Qatar has had to deal with the decline in global oil and gas prices after they first collapsed in 2014, and the situation has been made even more difficult by a Saudi-led embargo of the nation that started in …

Qatar-based telecommunications giant Ooredoo Group has launched a blockchain initiative, English-language local media The Peninsular Qatar reports on March 18. Per the report, the company already collaborates with entities in the private, public and academic spaces to develop blockchain solutions. Ooredoo Group CEO Sheikh Saud bin Nasser Al Thani is quoted in the article as stating that “blockchain will facilitate new digital business models and revenue in the next five years.” According to him, blockchain enables organizations to optimize costs and enhance efficiency, transparency and trust while allowing secure digital payments. The article’s author cites the use of smart contracts …

On Sept. 4, the government of Bahrain, a constitutional monarchy in the Persian Gulf, emphasized the importance of blockchain for the country’s economy. While the kingdom seems to be taking a rather positive approach toward crypto, the Middle East at large has proven to be a difficult region for virtual currencies, as a large chunk of countries there have banned crypto trading. Nevertheless, the Middle East seems to be on its way to become the global blockchain powerhouse: From Dubai to Tel Aviv, the technology is being thoroughly researched and adopted. The list below is based on thorough news research, …

Arab markets were flooded with new investors in April after an Islamic scholar announced cryptocurrency is halal under Sharia law. The announcement settled contradicting statements issued by several other Islamic experts, but there are still conflicting interpretations of Sharia’s allowance of virtual currencies among Muslim leaders. The mufti’s announcement opened crypto markets to potentially 1.6 billion new customers, but it is certain that Middle Eastern governments will play a central role in the development of the crypto industry in order to ensure individuals and institutions adhere to Sharia law. Sharia law places strict guidelines on economic activity whereby value must …