​Dubai, UAE – 25 September 2026  

​CryptoMondays opens its MENA chapter in Dubai, with Vaibhavv Ali leading the room

​CryptoMondays is landing in the region the same way it started in New York in 2018: a room, a few people who actually build things, and a simple rule. You should leave with more than you brought.  

​On Monday, 28 September, the MENA chapter launches at Tacenda Lounge, 68th floor, JW Marriott Marquis Dubai, Tower B, Business Bay. Doors at 7:00 PM. The night runs through panels, a short keynote, a fireside, and then the part most people come for—open conversation when the stage is done.  

​Vaibhavv Ali, co-founder of CryptoniteUAE and chapter lead for CryptoMondays MENA, is heading the chapter. 

​“MENA already has the builders,” Ali said. “What it has not always had is a regular, no-theatre room that connects Dubai to Abu Dhabi, Sharjah, Riyadh, Doha, and Cairo. That is the job. Not another booth crawl. A chapter.”  

​The lineup is local and global in the same breath:  

  • ​Saqr Ereiqat, Secretary General, Dubai Digital Asset Association | Board Member, Marmin.ai  

  • ​Khalifa Aljaziri Alshehhi, Managing Director, MalyPay  

  • ​Aishwary Gupta, Global Head of Business, Polygon Labs  

  • ​CJ Anand, Director of Advisory, Ghaf Labs  

  • ​Sanjay Saini, Trader | Investor | Creator  

  • ​Sweep, Trader | Investor | Co-Founder, GlydeGG  

  • ​Vaibhavv Ali, Moderator | Co-founder, CryptoniteUAE  

​Program & Agenda

​7:00 – 8:00 PM: Doors Open & Networking  

​8:00 – 8:05 PM: Welcome & Intro  

​8:05 – 8:25 PM: Panel 1: Building Web3’s Next Chapter From Dubai  

​Speakers: Aishwary Gupta (Global Head of Business, Polygon Labs), CJ Anand (Director of Advisory, Ghaf Labs)  

​Moderator: Vaibhavv Ali (Co-founder, CryptoniteUAE)  

​8:30 – 8:35 PM: Keynote Presentation: Minds by Animoca Brands  

​8:40 – 9:00 PM: Panel 2: Crypto Meets Cash: The UAE’s Wild Payments Future  

​Speakers: Saqr Ereiqat (Secretary General, Dubai Digital Asset Association | Board Member, Marmin.ai), Khalifa Aljaziri Alshehhi (Managing Director, MalyPay)  

​Moderator: Vaibhavv Ali (Co-founder, Cryptonite UAE)  

​9:05 – 9:25 PM: Panel 3: How to Actually Catch a Memecoin in 2026 (Without Getting Burned)  

​Speakers: Sanjay Saini (Trader | Investor | Creator), Sweep (Trader | Investor | Co-founder, GlydeGG)  

​Moderator: Vaibhavv Ali (Co-founder, Cryptonite UAE)  

​9:30 PM: Closing Note  

​9:35 PM: Open Networking  

​CryptoMondays now runs 58-plus chapters and more than 150,000 members. The format has not really changed. Builders, founders, investors, operators, and first-timers in one place. Learn, earn, connect. No conference badge required.  

​The launch is a community night, not an official TOKEN2049 production. Photos may be used on CryptoMondays and partner channels.  

​RSVP: luma.com/ecox-vhr5

Community: t.me/cryptomondaysmena

​Huge shoutout to our incredible partners making this event possible:

​Hosts & Organizers: 

Crypto Mondays Mena | Minds by Animoca Brands

Event Partners:

  • BitAngels

  • OffChain Global

  • EcoX Dubai

  • Cryptonite UAE

  • DATS AWARDS (Digital Assets & Tokenized Securities Awards)

  • Proof Of Collabs

  • D2A2

  • DSRPTD

  • Aura8

  • SINGAPORE BLOCKCHAIN WEEK (OFFICIAL)

  • Venture Week

  • Washington Elite

  • CoinEasy

​​CryptoMondays began as a New York meetup in 2018 and grew into the largest in-real-life Web3 community in the world. Chapters meet so people can learn, earn, and connect including people who have never been in a crypto room before.

​About CryptoMondays MENA

​MENA Edition is the regional room: Dubai, Abu Dhabi, Sharjah, Riyadh, Doha, Cairo, and everyone building between them. No conference badge required. No pitch-only floor. Same rule as every CryptoMondays chapter since 2018: leave with more than you brought.

​This is a community event. Photos may be used on CryptoMondays / partner channels. It is led by Vaibhavv Ali.

​Media Contact:

Vaibhavv Ali – CryptoMondays MENA / Cryptonite UAE

Event Page: https://luma.com/ecox-vhr5