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Crypto traders fight in WBS Dubai for Amir Khan’s charity boxing match

The event saw friendly boxing matches between prominent crypto Twitter entrepreneurs, with RookieXBT taking the WBC Crypto Champion belt.

The World Blockchain Summit in Dubai hosted an exhibition boxing match between top cryptocurrency traders and influencers for the WBC Crypto Belt. The fights were supported by a charity event, featuring an auction of memorabilia including digital currency assets and nonfungible tokens (NFTs).

What started off as a conversation for a friendly match with a small audience, saw the involvement of two-time World Boxing Champion Amir Khan and the Super Boxing League (SBL) as the organizer, in association with ByBit crypto exchange and World Boxing Council.

The event saw friendly boxing matches between prominent Crypto Twitter entrepreneurs such as Luke Martin (@VentureCoinist) Vs. Louis (@barneytheboi) and RookieXBT (@RookieXBT) Vs. loomlock.eth (@loomdart). The winners of the events were Louis and RookieXBT respectively, with RookieXBT taking the WBC Crypto Champion belt.

Here’s the Cointelegraph footage of RookieXBT’s knockout moment:

According to a conversation with Cointelegraph at the WBS press conference, the crypto traders-turned fighters have trained for months day in day out, “no parties, no drinks, just hard work.” In addition, the boxing match attracted many crypto enthusiasts across the world that participated in the charity event, which will be donated to the Amir Khan Foundation.

Khan, too, shared his excitement about SBL's involvement with the crypto community:

“By associating with crypto, we will further augment our endeavour to reach like-minded groups who believe in innovation and transformation.”

Related: UAE regulators approve crypto trading in Dubai free zone

In an ongoing bid to showcase Dubai as the future hub of blockchain, on Sept. 22, financial regulators in the United Arab Emirates officially approved the trade of cryptocurrencies in Dubai’s economic free zone.

A Cointelegraph report from Sept. 23 shows that the Dubai World Trade Centre Authority (DWTCA) signed an agreement with UAE’s Securities and Commodities Authority (SCA) to allow regulated trading of crypto assets within the DWTCA free zone.

Citing the development, SCA acting CEO Maryam Al Suwaidi stated “DWTCA is looking to support businesses underpinned by blockchain and cryptographic technologies.”

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Saudi Aramco dismisses ‘false and inaccurate’ rumors on Bitcoin mining

Saudi’s biggest oil exporter denied claims of involvement in Bitcoin mining activities but continues to bet on blockchain-focused businesses.

The Saudi Arabian Oil Company (Saudi Aramco) stirred interest among crypto enthusiasts last year after investing $5 million in blockchain-based oil trading company Vakt. While this move aimed to digitize and streamline post-trade processing, Saudi Aramco was also rumored to undertake Bitcoin (BTC) mining activities. 

However, Saudi Arabia’s state oil company released an official statement to dismiss the ongoing rumors around mining Bitcoin. It said:

“With reference to recent reports claiming that the company will embark on Bitcoin mining activities, Aramco confirms that these claims are completely false and inaccurate.”

Many governments, including China, have recently unleashed a crackdown on home-grown crypto mining activities, forcing businesses to find refuge in other crypto-friendly countries. 

On the other hand, Middle Eastern countries such as the United Arab Emirates and Saudi Arabia continue to test the latest innovations around cryptocurrency. The Central Bank of Bahrain recently issued a license to an in-house crypto exchange for legally operating within the country.

Related: UAE to experiment and launch an in-house digital currency

Saudi Aramco has an extensive history of investing in blockchain firms. As reported by Cointelegraph, a Saudi Aramco Subsidiary was part of a $6-million deal with Data Gumbo Corp. for developing a commercial blockchain network. 

Just last month, the Central Bank of the UAE announced its 2023–2026 strategy that highlighted concrete steps to experiment and launch an in-house digital currency. As a part of this initiative, the UAE government intends to implement a digital identity system “to bolster financial inclusion and easy access to financial services.”

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