Startale Selected for Abu Dhabi's National Strategic Hub71, Accelerating Full-Scale Entry into Middle East Digital Asset Market — BigGo Finance

Singapore-based blockchain company Startale Group has been selected for the digital asset sector program of Hub71, the Abu Dhabi government-backed startup support ecosystem, marking a major step in its planned full-scale entry into the Middle East market. Startale was one of 27 companies chosen from more than 2,400 global applicants and will use the Abu Dhabi Global Market (ADGM) as its regional base to expand offerings including the public blockchain Soneium, the L1 blockchain Strium, and the yen-denominated stablecoin JPYSC.

"Abu Dhabi is increasing its presence as a key hub in the digital asset sector. This selection holds significant meaning for deepening collaboration with regulators and institutional investors while keeping an eye on both Eastern and Western markets," said Sota Watanabe, CEO of Startale.

Context and details

Hub71 was established in 2019 and receives backing from Mubadala Investment Company as part of Abu Dhabi's Ghadan 21 economic diversification policy. The initiative functions as a platform connecting startups, investors and government entities, and launched a dedicated ecosystem called Hub71+ Digital Assets last year to strengthen focus on the sector. For this round, Hub71 received over 2,400 applications and selected 27 companies; selected firms receive support for business activities within ADGM, opportunities for collaboration with regulators, access to institutional investors and networking venues.

ADGM is a special economic and financial free zone that allows foreign firms to retain 100% ownership and benefits from preferential measures such as corporate tax exemptions. More than 370 startups in fields including Web3 and artificial intelligence have already joined Hub71. Peter Abou-Hashed, Head of Growth & Strategy at Hub71, has said of the program: "We help bring RWAs (Real World Assets) on-chain," underscoring the ecosystem's interest in tokenizing traditional assets for institutional markets.

Startale’s selection aligns with partnerships and products developed with major Japanese corporations. The company is jointly developing the public blockchain Soneium through Sony Block Solutions Labs, its joint venture with Sony Group. It is also building the L1 Strium blockchain and the yen-denominated stablecoin JPYSC in collaboration with SBI Group. Earlier this year, Startale raised approximately ¥8 billion (about $50.3 million) from SBI Group to accelerate development.

• Key partners: Sony Group, SBI Group, Mubadala Investment Company
• Core products highlighted: Soneium, Strium, JPYSC, Startale App
• Hub71 selection: 27 companies chosen from over 2,400 applicants

Outlook

Startale plans to leverage ADGM's regulated environment as a third major operational base alongside Japan and Singapore, with particular emphasis on infrastructure-grade blockchains, JPYSC-related services and RWA solutions for institutional investors. Divya Claudia Nair, a startup executive at Hub71, welcomed the move: "The commitment to digital asset infrastructure aligns closely with Hub71's focus areas." Future developments — including specific partnerships, regulatory engagements and product launches in the Middle East — will be closely watched as Startale seeks to convert its Japan-rooted blockchain technology into a corridor of digital finance and entertainment between Asia and the Middle East.