MENA crypto volume tops $350B as Saudi Arabia leads growth

The Middle East and North Africa has emerged as one of the world’s fastest-growing cryptocurrency markets, with annual on-chain transaction volume surging from about $100 billion in 2022 to roughly $350 billion between 2025 and 2026, according to the Bitcoin Policy Institute. Turkey remained the region’s largest market with annual transaction volume nearing $200 billion, while the United Arab Emirates recorded about $150 billion in 2025. By growth rate, Saudi Arabia posted the fastest expansion at 154% from a year earlier, followed by Qatar at 120%, the report said. It added that Bitcoin and U.S. dollar-pegged stablecoins are being widely used as hedging tools in some countries facing conflict and currency depreciation, while Gulf Cooperation Council countries have become regional hubs for digital asset growth amid clear regulations and broader institutional adoption.