CEO of Qatar Financial Centre Yousuf Al-Jaida during the panel discussion on the sidelines of QEF 2025, yesterday.
Doha, Qatar: Qatar Financial Centre (QFC) is spearheading a bold push into the future of digital assets but with a clear distinction of “Betting on tokenization over cryptocurrency”. According to Yousuf Al-Jaida, CEO of Qatar Financial Centre, the focus is on building a robust, regulated framework to digitise real-world assets and unlock new economic opportunities, particularly in real estate and Islamic finance.
“We are an onshore legal environment,” Al-Jaida said during his remarks at the Qatar Economic Forum. He said: “Businesses set up in QFC can operate onshore freely and are taxed, with no physical boundaries, so we have to coordinate closely with local regulators, especially when it comes to digital assets.”
Al-Jaida emphasised that while “crypto” is often the first thing regulators and the public associate with digital assets, the term encompasses much more. “Digital assets could be any type of value in digital format, such as stablecoins, central bank digital currencies, security tokens, and utility tokens. Crypto is just one vertical,” he explained.
Given Qatar Central Bank’s strict stance on crypto with even though trading being heavily regulated, QFC has taken a different route. “Our entire focus, resources, and investment have gone into tokenization,” Al-Jaida said. “Tokenization solves a real problem in the economy. It democratises access to illiquid real assets like real estate and private securities.”
With global tokenized assets expected to hit $30 trillion by 2030, including $15 trillion in illiquid assets and $1 trillion in security tokens, the CEO sees a clear opportunity. “This is where our regulations are focused. We launched our Digital Asset Regulations in 2024, along with the Investment Token Rulebook and security token guidelines. These allow us to license digital asset firms swiftly and efficiently within the QFC framework,” he said.
One key priority for QFC is unlocking liquidity in Qatar’s oversupplied real estate sector. “There’s a huge concentration of ownership in towers across West Bay and Lusail, often held by just a few landlords with ticket sizes of $500m and upwards,” said Al-Jaida. He mentioned that tokenizing even one or two towers could bring tremendous economic benefit and access.
However, to manage risk and ensure regulatory confidence, QFC is deploying a “laboratory” approach. Tokenizing private shares within its own corporate registry, Special Purpose Vehicles (SPVs) or holding companies are then created to hold tokenized assets, beginning with real estate.
“This approach allows us to experiment within a controlled environment. If anything goes wrong, the risk is contained within the QFC — not the broader economy,” he stressed. QFC also sees potential in securitizing other asset classes, including Islamic financial products, corporate bonds, and eventually, energy infrastructure. “We’re looking to use tokenization to drive inclusive access and financial innovation,” said Al-Jaida.
He concluded that the QFC’s unique position — operating onshore under English common law, with full access to the domestic market and offers an ideal launchpad. “Digital asset activity within QFC is fully regulated, giving investors and innovators confidence while maintaining alignment with national policy,” Al-Jaida added.
As Qatar moves to diversify its economy beyond hydrocarbons, QFC’s digital asset strategy could play a pivotal role in balancing innovation with stability, and accessibility with regulation.
