The global landscape for Web3 is in a major shift toward jurisdictions that have a more regulatory friendly regime than just providing tax incentives. On April 20, 2026, Startale, the main developer of the Soneium blockchain backed by Sony, announced that it would be expanding its Middle Eastern presence by joining the Hub71 Programme in Abu Dhabi. The partnership between Startale, the Abu Dhabi Department of Economic Development (ADDED) and Mubadala shows Startale intends to use the strength of the UAE’s strong legal framework to scale their core infrastructure projects internationally.
A Strategic Gateway – The Hub71 Ecosystem
Hub71 is located in the Abu Dhabi Global Market (ADGM) and serves as an incubator for technology startups. Hub71 is designed to support the growth of technology companies at a rapid pace. Joining Cohort 18 gives Startale direct access to a global regulatory framework that is comprehensive and widely accepted.
The Abu Dhabi Global Market (ADGM) has developed very specific guidelines for digital assets that give companies working on both Layer-2 solutions and stablecoins a level of certainty that is still lacking in many western jurisdictions. Mubadala, the Abu Dhabi Sovereign Wealth Fund, has been instrumental in this partnership by helping to identify blockchain infrastructure. This infrastructure can contribute to Abu Dhabi’s long-term economic diversification objectives.
Scaling Soneium and Stablecoin Infrastructure
It seems that Soneium has benefited the most through this expansion. Soneium is an Ethereum Layer 2 created by Sony Block Solutions Labs (a collaboration between Startale and Sony Group). Startale would like to help Soneium grow into a globally adopted platform as part of the Hub71 ecosystem, especially for enterprise applications that need to follow high levels of compliance.
Startale is adding to its current initiatives around Layer-2 by ramping up its stablecoin projects starting with SUSD (Startale USD) and JPYStableCoin. Stablecoins are one of the highest focus areas of regulators in the Middle East, and by launching these fiat-pegged assets, Startale plans to position itself as a transaction facilitator between traditional finance and decentralized finance. The overarching strategy will also help to create a vision of “Agentic Commerce” through which commercial transactions – using stablecoins – are conducted by autonomous, AI agents.
The Broader Context – Abu Dhabi as a Global Web3 Hub
The trend of large players in the Web3 space moving to the UAE continues with Startale’s decision to establish itself in that region. The UAE’s emphasis on connecting industries like finance, supply chain to blockchain technology has also been a large part of other recent updates to the ecosystem. In fact, past examples of companies working together around blockchain technology to enhance reward and retention within Web3 gaming demonstrate the capability of the infrastructure that Startale is developing.
Recently, Forbes published a report discussing how the UAE is developing a new standard for regulating cryptocurrencies to attract institutional investors from around the world. With the presence of Startale in Abu Dhabi, there will likely be an increase in interest from Japanese technology companies to invest in the region. This could lead to more partnerships between countries in the MENA region and those in East Asia.
Conclusion
The addition of Startale to Hub71 represents a significant milestone in Soneium’s ecosystem. Startale will obtain regulatory approvals and financing from both the Abu Dhabi Department of Economic Development and Mubadala to allow Startale to advance as the Web3 space continues to grow in its next iteration. With the global economy continuing to incorporate stablecoins and Layers-2 Networks, Startale’s entry into ADGM will put it at an integral position within one of the premier digital asset hubs in the world.
