ADI Chain lands $50 million expansion investment

ADI Chain has secured a $50 million strategic investment to accelerate the international deployment of blockchain infrastructure designed for governments, enterprises and regulated digital-asset markets.

The funding will support network expansion, institutional integrations and the development of applications that connect public blockchain technology with national payment systems, financial institutions and large corporate users. The company did not disclose detailed commercial terms of the transaction or identify the investor in the initial announcement.

The investment strengthens ADI Chain’s effort to position itself as infrastructure for regulated, large-scale uses rather than speculative cryptocurrency trading. Its strategy centres on payment settlement, digital identity, tokenised securities, treasury operations and the transfer of real-world assets under formal governance and compliance frameworks.

ADI Chain is operated within the ecosystem of the Abu Dhabi-based ADI Foundation, which was established by Sirius International Holding, the technology-focused subsidiary of International Holding Company. The foundation describes its role as providing blockchain systems that governments and institutions can deploy without surrendering regulatory control or operational oversight.

The network is structured as an Ethereum-compatible Layer 2 blockchain, allowing developers to use established tools while gaining lower transaction costs and greater processing capacity. It also supports dedicated Layer 3 environments that can be configured for individual jurisdictions, institutions or commercial projects.

Several projects have moved beyond testing. A UAE dirham-backed stablecoin known as DDSC operates on ADI Chain after receiving approval from the Central Bank of the UAE. The stablecoin was initiated by International Holding Company and First Abu Dhabi Bank, with Sirius International Holding supporting its deployment and integration.

An AED110 million transaction, equivalent to about $30 million, was executed using DDSC on the network in May. The transfer was presented as evidence that the infrastructure can process institutional-scale transactions while meeting operational and regulatory requirements.

ADI Foundation has also partnered with M-Pesa Africa to explore blockchain infrastructure for a mobile-money network serving more than 60 million monthly users across eight African markets. The collaboration is intended to support faster settlement, cross-border transfers and future financial services linked to mobile wallets.

A separate initiative with SettleMint is developing digital-securities infrastructure under the Abu Dhabi Global Market regulatory framework. The platform is designed to combine issuance, trading, settlement and asset servicing within a programmable system for regulated financial products.

Chainlink has been selected as an infrastructure provider for services including market data, interoperability and verification functions. These capabilities are important for stablecoins and tokenised assets, which require dependable links between blockchain records and financial information held outside the network.

The foundation has set a target of bringing access to blockchain-based services to one billion people by 2030, with a focus on the Middle East, Africa and Asia. Its model relies on partnerships with governments, banks, payment companies and technology providers rather than building consumer applications independently.

The new capital is expected to be directed towards engineering, cybersecurity, network operations and institutional onboarding. It will also help fund integrations with traditional banking systems, identity platforms and compliance technologies needed for know-your-customer and anti-money-laundering controls.

Institutional interest in tokenisation has expanded as banks and asset managers examine ways to issue bonds, funds, deposits and other financial instruments on shared digital ledgers. Advocates argue that programmable infrastructure can reduce settlement times, automate compliance and improve the traceability of transactions.

Deployment at national or banking scale nevertheless carries significant risks. Blockchain systems must address data privacy, legal enforceability, cyber resilience, transaction reversibility and the division of responsibility between network operators and regulated institutions. Projects involving tokenised real-world assets also depend on reliable custody, valuation and ownership records outside the blockchain.

ADI Chain’s emphasis on sovereign and institution-specific environments seeks to address those concerns by combining public-network compatibility with controlled access and configurable governance. The approach reflects a broader shift in the sector away from general-purpose cryptocurrency platforms towards infrastructure tailored for regulated finance and public services.