Shyft Taps Blockchain Center Abu Dhabi to Drive Institutional Onchain Adoption in the UAE

(MENAFN) Shyft has appointed the Blockchain Center Abu Dhabi (ADBC) to its Strategic Global Council to connect its infrastructure with the UAE's digital asset ecosystem. Shyft is a yield management platform offering self-custodial access to professionally curated vaults. ADBC works closely with UAE federal entities and the Capital Markets Authority and brings institutional connections across the Middle East. The appointment follows Shyft's partnership with GAP 3 Partners, the Gulf's first licensed Virtual Asset Investment Advisor, to co-curate its first two Ethereum-based vaults, shCORE and shYIELD.

In this Q&A, Diego Grassano, Commercial Director at Shyft, discusses ADBC's role, the barriers to institutional adoption of onchain strategies and what the next phase of participation could look like.

Q: What will the Blockchain Center Abu Dhabi's role be on Shyft's Strategic Global Council?

Diego Grassano: Their role is to help Shyft build the right institutional relationships in the UAE, support engagement with governmental entities and guide us on regional market requirements. A key part of the value is connecting us with the right institutions and helping turn those conversations into meaningful partnerships.

What's holding UAE institutions back from allocating more capital onchain?

For institutions, the challenge is getting familiar with how an onchain strategy works and whether they can oversee it properly. That requires clear regulatory guidance and reliable information about how capital is managed. Investment committees need enough confidence to approve an allocation and assess how it performs over time.

What are institutions in the region asking for now that they weren't two or three years ago?

I think the biggest change is how practical the questions are now. There is more focus on where yield comes from, how it can be independently verified and what happens during extreme market volatility. Institutions want to understand how an onchain allocation fits their existing investment process, including reporting, accountability and access to their capital.

Which institutions do you expect to engage first?

I would expect family offices and asset managers already familiar with digital assets to be the first starting point. They are better placed to evaluate the strategies and consider an initial allocation. Banks, pension funds and governmental entities are part of the longer-term opportunity, with their own approval processes and requirements.

How does Shyft manage risk, transparency and due diligence for institutions?

Independent verification and aligning with institutional standards are central to our approach. GAP 3 Partners, a VARA-licensed advisor, co-curates Shyft's vaults bringing institutional-ready guidance. Ember vault technology guarantees battle-tested infrastructure backed by multiple smart-contract audits. Accountable and RedStone verify underlying portfolio data for offchain allocations, while Chainlink brings reported reserve data onchain. This gives institutions real visibility, helping them understand how their capital is deployed and assess performance through transparent reporting.

What milestones should the market expect over the next 6–12 months?

Shyft is targeting initial institutional allocations in the UAE and new regional partnerships to expand access to its vaults. Working with ADBC, the first milestones are completing due diligence with prospective institutions and onboarding them for pilot deployments. This would establish a track record of live allocations and independently verified reporting, supporting larger commitments and vault offerings tailored to regional demand.

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