“We’re not chasing bags. We’re chasing impact.”— Mo & Saad Ereiqat on why MENA Blockchain Week is 100% community-led and non-profit.In today’s Aura 8 live, hosts Vaibhav Ali and Sarah Fathima Ahmed sat down with Saad Ereiqat (Hadron Founders Club) and Mo (moexzero) — ex-Binance community lead and founder of MENA Blockchain Week — for a raw, no-fluff conversation on the future of crypto events in the UAE.Here are the main takeaways every builder, founder, and crypto enthusiast in the MENA region needs to know:
Key Takeaways from Aura 8
- It’s Not a Conference — It’s a City-Wide MovementMENA Blockchain Week (May 18–24) is fully decentralized. No single ballroom, no gatekeeping. Events are spread across Dubai (Hadron FC, DMCC, Business Bay, Unbox, etc.). “The city is the venue.”
- Community-Led & Truly Non-ProfitBorn after major token events were cancelled, the week was created “by the community, for the community.” They rejected a $200K exclusive sponsorship to keep it open and accessible to everyone.
- Strong Government BackingOfficially supported by Dubai Economy and Tourism (DET) under the Dubai Business Events Division — a huge validation for the initiative.
- Focus is Education, Not SpeculationDaily themes include Builders & AI, Payments & Stablecoins, RWA, Compliance, and Creators Day. The goal: real value and activation, not just trading hype.
- Three Non-Negotiables for Great Events(according to the panel)
- Top-tier AV/production (sound & visuals)
- Proper crowd management & security
- Great food + curation (right people, right conversations)
- Dubai Sets the Tone for the RegionWhat starts in Dubai gets copied across MENA. Future editions are already planned for Abu Dhabi and potentially Bahrain, Saudi, and Qatar.
Bottom line: While the broader market faced setbacks, Saad and Mo decided to build instead of wait. MENA Blockchain Week proves the Dubai crypto community is alive, united, and ready to lead.
Register free →minablockchainweek.aePresented by CryptoniteUAE | Aura 8