Recognising the potential in regulation
MidChains was founded to bridge a gap in the crypto market: a lack of options for investors to deposit capital, invest, and cleanly exit the banking system, and a shortage of blockchain service providers able to meet the rigorous compliance standards required.
Financial services experts Basil Al Askari and Mohamed Al Hashemi set out to build a regulated company to meet the needs of institutional investors. MidChains was born.
Becoming the first fully regulated platform of our kind in the UAE
Created by finance experts for the global money market
We are the Middle East's regulated gateway between sovereign capital and global digital asset markets – connecting UAE institutions to the world.
Built on a formidable track record of institutional trust
Led by a team with a profound commitment to financial integrity
Operating at the most rigorous level of compliance for our clients and our people.
Basil Al Askari
Founder & Chief Executive Officer
Basil founded MidChains after a career spanning private equity and commercial finance, including roles at Mubadala Capital, GE Capital, and Merrill Lynch. With nearly two dedaces of experience, he leads MidChains' mission to bring regulated, institutional-grade digital asset infrastructure to the Middle East and beyond.
Syed Manzoor
Chief Financial Officer
Syed is a founding team member of MidChains and executive lead for finance, treasury and corporate strategy across the group's licensed entities. He has held executive roles at ADS Securities, Bin Butti International Holdings and Emirates National Holdings, and has a deep network across the MENA financial sectors.
Daniya Arinova
Compliance Director
Daniya joined MidChains in 2024, bringing many years of legal expertise to the company. She leads on regulatory compliance, risk management, and governance within the digital assets, fintech, and financial services sectors in the UAE and wider region.
