Stacks Expands Bitcoin L2 Adoption Efforts in Asia and MENA

The Stacks Asia DLT Foundation has made history as the first Bitcoin-native body acknowledged by Abu Dhabi Global Market (ADGM). With this formal status, it now turns its focus to accelerating Bitcoin Layer 2 adoption across key markets in the Middle East and Asia.

Planned initiatives include tailored educational programs and grassroots developer engagement, with a view to helping governments integrate Bitcoin into public services while setting new standards for transparency and regulatory alignment.

ADGM Access Opens New Operational Horizons

Stacks Asia DLT Foundation’s registration under Abu Dhabi Global Market (ADGM) grants it access to the DLT Foundations regime, a regulatory framework grounded in English common law.

This status enables:

• Governance via decentralized, token-based voting;
• Smart contract execution without requiring physical office presence.

Such features dramatically lower entry barriers for Bitcoin-native companies seeking global expansion under compliant, yet flexible, conditions.

We chose to establish our presence in ADGM because of its unparalleled commitment to fostering innovation in the blockchain space. Their forward-thinking approach to policy-making aligns perfectly with the Stacks ecosystem’s history of creating pathways for Bitcoin builders,

shared Kyle Ellicott, who leads the Stacks Asia DLT Foundation.

The alliance also strengthens a regulatory and educational corridor between Abu Dhabi and Hong Kong—two DeFi-forward jurisdictions.

Together with regional partners, the foundation plans to:

• organize knowledge programs for Bitcoin devs and communities,
• back decentralized finance policy work across Asia and MENA,
• build synergies between blockchain institutions and innovators.

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Stacks Ramps Up Bitcoin Education and Policy Push

From May onwards, Stacks Asia DLT Foundation is rolling out both in-person and virtual sessions to guide institutional players on how to harness Bitcoin's capital more productively.

These sessions will shed light on how programmable Bitcoin apps can serve real-world business needs. Meanwhile, the Stacks team is staying active in global regulatory circles, working to balance innovation with decentralization, security, and compliance.

Next on the roadmap? Bitcoin Policy Bridge — a regional task force set to connect regulators across Asia and the Middle East.

What’s Next: Building the Policy Playbook for Bitcoin

One of the standout projects moving forward is the Bitcoin Capital Activation Framework—a sweeping policy initiative meant to help global regulators integrate Bitcoin as a practical, utilitarian asset. Its ambition? To offer a roadmap for countries looking to establish a legal and economic foundation for a Bitcoin-native financial system.

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The Stacks Asia DLT Foundation’s registration in ADGM highlights our commitment to fostering transformative technologies. As more leading blockchain foundations choose ADGM as their regulatory home, the region continues to serve as a key location for innovators looking for a secure and forward-thinking environment. With this addition, ADGM reinforces the UAE’s growing role in the digital asset space, paving the way for significant advancements in Bitcoin Layer-2 solutions and wider blockchain adoption across the Middle East,

affirmed Hamad Sayah Al Mazrouei, CEO of ADGM Registration Authority.

This ADGM–Stacks alliance, anchored in Abu Dhabi, may trigger a new era for programmable Bitcoin—bridging on-chain finance with off-chain legitimacy.