The company' services include developing power infrastructure as well as building and operating data centres. Victor Besa / The National
The company' services include developing power infrastructure as well as building and operating data centres. Victor Besa / The National
The company' services include developing power infrastructure as well as building and operating data centres. Victor Besa / The National
The company' services include developing power infrastructure as well as building and operating data centres. Victor Besa / The National

ADQ-backed digital assets infrastructure company Zero Two launched in Abu Dhabi


Alkesh Sharma
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Zero Two, a digital assets infrastructure company backed by Abu Dhabi holding company ADQ, has started operations to cater to the growing demand for Web3 technology and its ecosystem.

The company, which offers end-to-end digital assets infrastructure solutions, will support businesses to “capitalise on the broad innovative scope and transformative potential the technology offers”, it said in a statement on Thursday.

Its services include developing power infrastructure, sourcing and testing the latest technologies, building and operating data centres, and providing digital assets management facilities.

“Digital assets hold vast potential that is only beginning to be explored and leveraged,” said Ahmed Al Hameli, chief executive of Zero Two.

“Zero Two enters the market with a robust and broad business model catering to rapidly emerging demand and a demonstrated commitment to meeting the highest standards of security and compliance.”

Web3 is the emerging third generation of the World Wide Web, with blockchain, decentralisation, openness and greater user utility among its core components.

Its market size is expected to reach about $6.2 billion in 2023 and grow at a compound annual rate of 44.6 per cent from 2023 to 2030, according to Market Research Future.

In February, Abu Dhabi technology platform Hub71 unveiled a specialist ecosystem to accelerate the growth of Web3 start-ups.

Hub71+ Digital Assets will give Web3 start-ups access to all stakeholders, such as venture capital companies, customers, technology providers, blockchain platforms and the regulator, the Abu Dhabi Global Market.

Ahmed Al Hameli, chief executive of Zero Two. Photo: Zero Two
Ahmed Al Hameli, chief executive of Zero Two. Photo: Zero Two

Founded this year, Abu Dhabi-headquartered Zero Two is also focused on supporting the resiliency of the local power grid as the Emirates progresses on its net-zero journey, it said.

The company is “set to play an integral role in facilitating the continued stability of the power grid of Abu Dhabi … by utilising excess power in low demand seasons to operate its … data centres located in Abu Dhabi, further supporting the resiliency of the local power grid”, it said.

It has joined forces with companies in the energy and utilities sector as well as government institutions.

“We are confident that our offering that utilises excess power from the local power grid, which is the first of its kind in the UAE and the wider region, will not only meet the needs of our clients but also exceed their expectations with regards to the various benefits that can be derived from deploying distributed ledger technologies,” Mr Al Hameli said.

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Why it pays to compare

A comparison of sending Dh20,000 from the UAE using two different routes at the same time - the first direct from a UAE bank to a bank in Germany, and the second from the same UAE bank via an online platform to Germany - found key differences in cost and speed. The transfers were both initiated on January 30.

Route 1: bank transfer

The UAE bank charged Dh152.25 for the Dh20,000 transfer. On top of that, their exchange rate margin added a difference of around Dh415, compared with the mid-market rate.

Total cost: Dh567.25 - around 2.9 per cent of the total amount

Total received: €4,670.30 

Route 2: online platform

The UAE bank’s charge for sending Dh20,000 to a UK dirham-denominated account was Dh2.10. The exchange rate margin cost was Dh60, plus a Dh12 fee.

Total cost: Dh74.10, around 0.4 per cent of the transaction

Total received: €4,756

The UAE bank transfer was far quicker – around two to three working days, while the online platform took around four to five days, but was considerably cheaper. In the online platform transfer, the funds were also exposed to currency risk during the period it took for them to arrive.

Updated: April 06, 2023, 3:55 PM