In a bold move that positions it at the forefront of blockchain adoption in emerging markets, COTI has simultaneously established itself as a founding member of Saudi Arabia’s premier blockchain center while launching a new council aimed at accelerating tokenization across Africa.
These strategic COTI blockchain initiatives signal the company’s ambitious push into regions poised for explosive growth in digital asset adoption, with potential market opportunities exceeding $1 trillion according to company leadership.
SAAIBC: Saudi Arabia’s $140 Billion Bet on Blockchain and AI
The SAAIBC blockchain center represents Saudi Arabia’s most significant commitment to positioning itself as a global leader in emerging technologies. Launched as part of the Kingdom’s Vision 2030 initiative and backed by a staggering $140 billion investment framework through Project Transcendence, the center aims to transform Saudi Arabia into a hub for blockchain innovation and real-world asset tokenization.
“The Saudi blockchain center isn’t just another tech initiative—it’s a fundamental reimagining of how an entire economy can leverage blockchain technology for transformation,” said Shahaf Bar-Geffen, CEO of COTI, during the center’s inaugural event.
Why SAAIBC Matters
The SAAIBC’s significance extends far beyond Saudi Arabia’s borders. As the Middle East’s most ambitious blockchain and AI initiative, it creates a regulatory and technological sandbox where innovations can be developed, tested, and scaled with unprecedented support and resources.
The Saudi Vision 2030 blockchain objectives align perfectly with this center, as the Kingdom seeks to diversify its economy away from oil dependency. With the Saudi AI market projected to reach $61.85 billion by 2033 (growing at a CAGR of 46.6%), the economic impact could be transformative for the entire region.
The Visionaries Behind SAAIBC
The center brings together an impressive roster of blockchain experts and visionaries:
Dr. Mansour Almalik serves as Executive Director of SAAIBC, bringing over two decades of experience in urban development and smart city initiatives. With a PhD in Architecture, Dr. Almalik has established himself as a leader in integrating cutting-edge technologies into large-scale infrastructure projects. His expertise in sustainable building practices and management of industrial parks provides crucial insights for developing the physical and organizational infrastructure needed for blockchain innovation.
Shahaf Bar-Geffen, COTI’s CEO since 2018, brings extensive entrepreneurial experience to the table. Before leading COTI, Bar-Geffen co-founded WEB3 (2006-2016) and Positive Mobile (2008-2015), demonstrating his ability to build successful technology ventures. His education includes a BS from Tel Aviv University, and he currently serves as Chairman of UNKJD Gaming Studio alongside his COTI responsibilities.
Alaa Bishara contributes deep expertise in financial technology integration and regulatory compliance, having worked extensively on digital transformation initiatives across the MENA region. His background in navigating complex regulatory environments makes him particularly valuable as SAAIBC works to establish frameworks for blockchain adoption.
Joshua Maddox rounds out the founding team with his specialization in blockchain infrastructure and security protocols. His technical expertise ensures that SAAIBC’s initiatives are built on robust, scalable foundations that can support enterprise-level applications.
Project Transcendence: Funding the Future
The COTI MENA expansion strategy gains significant momentum from Project Transcendence, Saudi Arabia’s $100 billion investment initiative focused on data centers, startups, and AI infrastructure. Combined with the Public Investment Fund’s $40 billion AI fund, this creates a $140 billion ecosystem to support technological innovation.
“This level of investment creates opportunities that simply don’t exist elsewhere,” explained Bar-Geffen. “We’re talking about resources that can accelerate blockchain adoption by years, if not decades.”
COTI’s Strategic Position
As a founding member, COTI gains privileged access to this ecosystem, positioning its technology stack as a potential backbone for Saudi Arabia’s blockchain initiatives. The COTI V2 technology provides precisely the kind of infrastructure needed for the large-scale tokenization projects envisioned by SAAIBC.
“Our involvement with SAAIBC blockchain initiatives isn’t just about market expansion—it’s about helping shape the future of blockchain adoption in one of the world’s most rapidly evolving economies,” noted Bar-Geffen.
Africa Tokenization Council: Building the Continental Blockchain Framework
While establishing its foothold in Saudi Arabia, COTI simultaneously launched the Africa Tokenization Council, an initiative aimed at accelerating blockchain adoption Africa-wide through collaborative regulatory frameworks and strategic partnerships.
The Africa Tokenization Council will conduct a series of symposia focused on bringing together African officials and global blockchain leaders to develop cohesive approaches to digital asset regulation and infrastructure development.
The Council’s Ambitious Agenda
The council has outlined several key objectives:
- Developing harmonized regulatory frameworks that can work across multiple African nations
- Creating investment strategies to fund critical blockchain infrastructure
- Establishing educational initiatives to build local blockchain expertise
- Fostering partnerships between global blockchain leaders and African institutions
- Accelerating the adoption of tokenization for real-world assets across the continent
“Current barriers to blockchain adoption Africa faces include regulatory uncertainty and limited infrastructure,” explained Bar-Geffen. “The council aims to address these challenges through collaborative approaches that respect each nation’s unique needs while creating interoperable systems.”
Tokenization Focus Areas
The council has identified several priority sectors for tokenization efforts:
- Agricultural assets and supply chains
- Real estate and infrastructure projects
- Natural resources and commodity markets
- Cross-border payment systems
- Digital identity solutions
These focus areas align perfectly with COTI’s technological capabilities, particularly its COTI V2 technology, which provides the scalability and flexibility needed for diverse tokenization applications.
The Trillion-Dollar RWA Opportunity
In a recent tweet that garnered significant attention in the blockchain community, COTI CEO Shahaf Bar-Geffen highlighted the massive role COTI can play: “COTI is uniquely equipped to solve RWA challenges and spearhead market of trillions..”
This assessment aligns with market research projecting the RWA market growth to reach $18.9 trillion by 2033, representing a compound annual growth rate of 53%. The real estate tokenization segment alone is expected to reach $4 trillion by 2035, growing at 27% annually.
COTI’s Strategic Vision: Connecting the Dots
These dual initiatives reveal a cohesive strategy that positions COTI at the center of blockchain adoption in two of the world’s most promising regions for digital asset growth.
The COTI blockchain initiatives in Saudi Arabia and Africa represent complementary approaches to a single vision: accelerating the tokenization of real-world assets by building the necessary technological and regulatory infrastructure.
Accelerating COTI V2 Adoption
These strategic partnerships create natural pathways for COTI V2 technology adoption across multiple use cases and jurisdictions. As both SAAIBC and the Africa Tokenization Council develop specific implementation projects, COTI’s technology stack is positioned as a ready-made solution for their needs.
Leading the Global RWA Revolution
By establishing itself as a key player in both Saudi Arabia and Africa, COTI positions itself at the forefront of the global RWA tokenization movement. The company’s involvement in shaping regulatory frameworks and technological standards gives it unique insights and influence in how these markets develop.
Industry experts view the COTI MENA expansion as a calculated move to capture market share in regions where blockchain adoption is still in its early stages but poised for explosive growth. By getting in on the ground floor of these regional initiatives, COTI establishes itself as a trusted partner for future developments.
As the real-world asset tokenization market continues its projected growth trajectory toward $18.9 trillion, COTI’s strategic positioning in these key emerging markets could translate into significant long-term value for the company and its technology stack.
“What we’re seeing is a company that’s thinking several moves ahead,” commented one COTI community member who requested anonymity. “While many projects are focused on short-term gains in established markets, COTI is laying the groundwork in regions that represent the future of blockchain adoption.”
With these bold initiatives, COTI has clearly signaled its intention to be a leading force in bringing blockchain technology to emerging markets and unlocking the trillion-dollar potential of real-world asset tokenization. The coming months will reveal how quickly these ambitious visions translate into concrete implementations and market adoption.
