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  • Starlink

TDRA grants Starlink license to provide satellite internet services in UAE

The Telecommunications and Digital Government Regulatory Authority (TDRA) has granted Starlink Satellite Communications LLC a 10-year General Space Services License, authorising the

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DFSA advances financial competitiveness
  • DFSA

The Dubai Financial Services Authority (DFSA) has introduced a series of regulatory initiatives and technological updates to streamline procedures, expand digital asset regulation, and integrate agentic AI across its operations to bolster the Dubai International Financial Centre (DIFC).

Over the past 12 months, the regulator updated its crypto token regime and revised securities regulations to limit offering rules strictly to DIFC-based issuances, reducing operational overlap while maintaining investor protection.

Updated crypto token rules came into force in January 2026, granting licensed firms greater responsibility for assessing tokens under strict risk management guidelines. The DFSA also recognised three fiat-backed stablecoins for financial services within DIFC and signed a memorandum of understanding with the Virtual Assets Regulatory Authority.

The authority launched public consultations to update the Islamic finance framework and initiated its largest review of the collective investment funds framework since 2010.

On the supervisory front, the DFSA signed an agreement with the Ministry of Economy and Tourism to enhance information sharing while continuing enforcement actions against regulatory breaches, including misleading conduct and non-compliance with suspicious transaction reporting.

Mark Steward, Chief Executive of the DFSA, said the regulator is building on its 21-year foundation by applying a risk-based approach that offers flexibility and transparency. He noted that DIFC’s attraction rests on a framework providing regulatory certainty, reducing complexity, and aligning standards across the region.

The developments coincide with significant growth across DIFC-supervised sectors in 2025. Total assets of operating banks reached $251 billion, up 19 percent year-on-year, while capital markets recorded $30.6 billion in new listings, led by sukuk and ESG-linked instruments. DIFC now hosts 27 of the world’s 29 systemically important global banks and China’s top five banks, contributing to Dubai’s rise to seventh globally in the Global Financial Centres Index.

In line with the Dubai Economic Agenda D33 and DIFC Strategy 2030, the DFSA’s second annual AI survey published in November 2025 revealed that 52 percent of DIFC firms now use AI technologies—up from 33 percent in 2024—with 60 percent planning further expansion in 2026. The regulator is also advancing cybersecurity resilience by upgrading third-party technology risk management and broadening cyber threat intelligence sharing.

IMPORTANT: CONTENT SUBMITTED BY THE CLIENT. THIS IS A PRESS RELEASE ARTICLE. PLEASE READ THE INFORMATION BELOW.

ICN.live neither validates nor guarantees the accuracy, reliability, or quality of the information, promotional materials, or products mentioned herein. Readers are encouraged to conduct independent due diligence before making any decisions related to the featured company. ICN.live bears no responsibility, directly or indirectly, for any harm, loss, or consequences that may result from reliance on or interaction with the content, services, or offerings described in this release.

The details shared in this announcement do not constitute financial, trading, or investment guidance. Readers are strongly advised to carry out independent research and seek advice from a qualified financial professional before making any investment or cryptocurrency-related decisions.

  • 3 min read
Dubai Media Narrative Committee
  • Media

The Dubai Media Narrative Committee will take charge of how the emirate speaks to the world, under a decision issued by the Dubai Media Council. Sheikh Ahmed bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Second Deputy Ruler of Dubai and Chairman of the Council, approved the move. The committee’s job ranges from aligning messages among government bodies to shaping how Dubai deals with international media.

Who leads the committee?

Mona Ghanem Al Marri, Vice Chairperson and Managing Director of the Dubai Media Council, will chair the new body. She frames the decision as a response to how much weight a country’s story now carries. A strong media narrative, she said, drives strategic influence and helps build awareness and shape how people see a place. Mona Al Marri continued:

“In today’s world, a strong media narrative is a key driver of strategic influence and an essential tool for building awareness and shaping perceptions,” she said.

“The ability to develop an influential media narrative has become a strategic imperative. Those capable of shaping their story and communicating it creatively and authentically, while sustaining its impact, are better positioned to build trust and strengthen their influence.”

Al Marri set out how the committee will operate. Its framework rests on clear messaging, coordinated effort, complementary roles, quick response, and the use of facts and figures. Credibility and transparency sit at the center of that approach. She said cities that can tell their story clearly, tie it to shared human values, and turn it into something people find inspiring will hold the advantage.

What the committee governs

The Dubai Media Narrative Committee will propose policies, plans, and priorities, working alongside relevant entities. Its recommendations go to the Dubai Media Council for approval, and the committee then tracks how they are put into practice. This structure keeps decisions accountable to a single body rather than scattered across departments.

It will also design ways to coordinate media work across government, semi-government, and private sector groups. The goal is complementary roles and less duplication. On the global side, the committee guides Dubai’s official presence across international platforms and channels, and works to build steadier ties with foreign media.

Measuring the message

Part of the mandate is self-assessment. The committee will set key performance indicators and prepare analytical reports on media trends at home and abroad. Those insights feed back to the Dubai Media Council to support decisions and point to where the approach can improve. The committee may also give technical advice on media matters when the Council or other entities ask.

Sheikh Ahmed bin Mohammed described the decision as a strategic step toward an integrated institutional framework, one that keeps key messages consistent and strengthens their reach. A clear, unified narrative grounded in facts builds trust, he said, and supports Dubai’s standing as a city focused on opportunity. He linked the effort to the long-running vision of Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President, Prime Minister of the UAE, and Ruler of Dubai.

Sheikh Ahmed bin Mohammed said: “A clear and unified media narrative provides a strategic point of reference grounded in facts, strengthens trust, and further enhances Dubai’s global standing as an inspiring city committed to shaping a future rich with opportunities for all,”.

Wider role in Dubai media strategy

The committee fits inside a broader Dubai media strategy that the Council has pushed over recent years. Permanent or temporary teams may support its work, and the Council can hand it further duties in line with the UAE’s media policies. Under the decision, every government entity in Dubai must cooperate and share the data, statistics, studies, and reports the committee requires. The General Secretariat of the Dubai Media Council will provide administrative and technical backing.

The formation of the Dubai Media Narrative Committee places responsibility for the emirate’s public voice with one accountable body. How it performs will show in the reports it sends back to the Council, and in whether Dubai’s message reads as consistent across the channels it reaches.

  • 4 min read
ADNOC Distribution launches 'Engage'
  • ADNOC

ADNOC Distribution on Wednesday launched Engage by ADNOC, a retail media network designed to connect brands with customers across its integrated mobility, convenience and digital ecosystem, WAM reported.

Engage by ADNOC is the first full-funnel retail media network operated in the UAE by a mobility and convenience retailer, enabling brands to connect with customers at key moments throughout their daily journeys using data-driven, relevant advertising.

Unlike traditional out-of-home advertising, the platform combines physical and digital media inventory with insights and first-party data from ADNOC Rewards members, enabling brands to run full-funnel marketing campaigns within a single ecosystem.

ADNOC Distribution’s network in the UAE serves nearly 700,000 customers every day across its service stations and attracts more than 250 million annual transactions.

Powered by insights from more than 2.7 million ADNOC Rewards members, Engage by ADNOC helps brands deliver more relevant customer experiences while measuring campaign impact, with all audience insights used in accordance with applicable data privacy requirements and customer consent frameworks.

Jacqueline Elboghdadi, Chief Marketing Officer at ADNOC Distribution, said, “Engage by ADNOC reflects our continued evolution as a mobility and convenience retailer. As we pursue our strategy to accelerate growth in Non-Fuel Retail, we are creating a differentiated network that is designed to unlock new value for brands, consumers and our business.

Every marketer needs the ability to turn audience insights into measurable business outcomes. Through our network and customer data platform, we are enabling more meaningful and measurable advertising across the customer journey, helping brands reach consumers when they are most receptive and clearly measure campaign impact.”

From sofa to station, Engage by ADNOC enables brands to connect with customers across ADNOC Distribution’s digital and physical channels, from the ADNOC Rewards app and online platforms to screens across service stations and Oasis by ADNOC stores.

Enabled by ADNOC Distribution’s AI and Digital Transformation (AIDT) programme, the platform leverages first-party data, analytics and AI to help brands drive consideration and conversion and measure campaign effectiveness. With approximately two-thirds of fuel transactions in the UAE taking place across ADNOC Distribution’s network, it also provides access to one of the country’s highest-frequency consumer audiences.

The launch supports ADNOC Distribution’s Non-Fuel Retail growth strategy, which delivered more than 14 percent year-on-year gross profit growth in 2025 and is underpinned by the company’s strategy to accelerate growth in Non-Fuel Retail.

Engage by ADNOC is expected to generate more than $25 million in cumulative gross profit over its first five years, creating a new scalable revenue stream supported by data, analytics and AI.

Engage by ADNOC brings together a growing ecosystem of strategic partners, including Publicis, Pyxis, a subsidiary of International Holding Company (IHC), LiveRamp and Network International, combining expertise across media, AI, data and measurement. ADNOC Distribution will continue to evaluate opportunities to expand Engage by ADNOC’s capabilities and offerings in line with customer needs and future growth opportunities across its markets.

Bassel Kakish, CEO, Publicis Groupe Middle East & Türkiye, said, “ADNOC Distribution has built one of the UAE’s most compelling consumer ecosystems, creating a unique retail media opportunity for brands. We are proud to partner on Engage by ADNOC and help unlock its scale, audience connectivity and measurable impact for advertisers.”

Mukhles Odeh, CEO of Pyxis, said, “Engage by ADNOC marks a significant leap forward in digital advertising for brands. Through this strategic partnership, we are creating a unique advertising platform that enables brands to connect with customers in real-time, creating impactful and measurable experiences. Together, we are setting new benchmarks for digital advertising and retail media.”

Oliver Klander, Regional Vice President, MENA Brands, LiveRamp, said, “ADNOC Distribution’s coverage and first-party data ecosystem create attractive opportunities for brands. Through privacy-conscious data collaboration and measurement capabilities, we are helping advertisers connect with audiences more efficiently while maintaining responsible data practices.”

Görkem Köseoğlu, Group Chief Customer and AI Officer at Network International, said, “By combining Network’s spend insights with advertising performance, ‘Engage by ADNOC’ gives brands a clearer understanding of campaign effectiveness and business outcomes. Together, we will deliver actionable intelligence that brands can use to make informed decisions.”

IMPORTANT: CONTENT SUBMITTED BY THE PARTNER. THIS IS A PRESS RELEASE ARTICLE. PLEASE READ THE INFORMATION BELOW.

ICN.live neither validates nor guarantees the accuracy, reliability, or quality of the information, promotional materials, or products mentioned herein. Readers are encouraged to conduct independent due diligence before making any decisions related to the featured company. ICN.live bears no responsibility, directly or indirectly, for any harm, loss, or consequences that may result from reliance on or interaction with the content, services, or offerings described in this release.

The details shared in this announcement do not constitute financial, trading, or investment guidance. Readers are strongly advised to carry out independent research and seek advice from a qualified financial professional before making any investment or cryptocurrency-related decisions.

  • 5 min read
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