Open World Ltd., a blockchain infrastructure company, has announced the establishment of Saudi Arabia’s first Real-World Asset (RWA) Tokenization Center of Excellence in Al Khobar, aimed at accelerating compliant digital asset innovation for sovereign, enterprise, and institutional clients across the Kingdom and the broader Middle East.
The establishment of the RWA Center of Excellence follows Open World’s January 5, 2026 announcement regarding its plans to merge with VerifyMe, Inc. (NASDAQ: VRME), positioning the combined entity for participation in public markets as a leading infrastructure provider in the digital asset and tokenization sector. The Center will operate as a fully licensed and in-Kingdom entity, designed to directly support the Kingdom’s Vision 2030 Financial Sector Development Program, which seeks to establish Saudi Arabia as a globally competitive financial and investment hub.
As Saudi regulatory frameworks mature, the Center of Excellence will enable compliant tokenization of real-world assets, including energy infrastructure, tokenized carbon reduction credits, real estate, sovereign bonds, and regulated stablecoins. These initiatives will be launched on Open World’s sovereign and national-scale tokenization infrastructure, which was introduced in December 2025 through its partnership with Abstract. This will provide Saudi enterprises and government entities new pathways to access global capital markets while maintaining full regulatory compliance with Saudi Central Bank (SAMA) and Capital Market Authority (CMA) requirements.”Saudi Arabia is leading the global conversation on how digital assets can be deployed in service of national economic priorities,” said Matt Shaw, co-founder and CEO of Open World. “By establishing our Center of Excellence in Al Khobar, we are making a long-term commitment to build alongside Saudi partners, under Saudi regulations, with infrastructure that meets the Kingdom’s sovereign data and security requirements. Our goal is to help transform Saudi Arabia’s tremendous real-world asset base into globally accessible, compliant digital instruments that attract international investment while ensuring value creation remains within the Kingdom.”Initial focus areas for the Center of Excellence include certain types of energy asset tokenization, real estate development financing, and the on-chain verification and storage of carbon reduction credits. The Center has been structured to meet sovereign-grade delivery standards, with a strong emphasis on data residency, local security controls, and national economic considerations aligned with the Kingdom’s localization objectives.”Welcoming Open World to Al Khobar represents a significant step in our region’s digital transformation journey,” said Dr. Salman Salem Al Khaldi, member of the Industry and Energy Committee at the Eastern Province Chamber of Commerce and Industry. “The Eastern Province is home to Saudi Aramco, King Fahd University of Petroleum and Minerals, Dhahran Techno Valley and the Kingdom’s largest concentration of energy assets, making it the ideal location to pioneer real-world asset tokenization. This initiative aligns perfectly with Vision 2030’s goal to develop our financial sector and diversify our economy beyond traditional energy exports.”The RWA Center of Excellence is expected to commence full operations in 2026, with initial pilot projects targeted for mid-year launch. Open World has established the necessary legal, licensing, commercial, and technological infrastructure required to operate directly within Saudi Arabia’s regulatory environment. To support growing institutional adoption in Saudi Arabia, Open World plans to work with financial institutions, government entities, and regulators to develop frameworks for investor protection, regulatory clarity, and standardized tokenization practices, with strategic partnership announcements expected throughout 2026.
Open World has been a driving force behind numerous blockchain projects, expanding its offerings to traditional finance. Since 2023, Open World has facilitated the inception and growth of over 20 companies and has helped launch over $65 billion in aggregate network value (at peak FDV). The firm advises founding teams on complex intersections of financial regulatory, tokenomics, public markets, exchange strategy, and governance structuring. Teams advised by Open World are partners with leading venture capital firms, including a16z, Multicoin Capital, Dragonfly, and Founders Fund. The firm’s services include token launch advisory, DATs and TradFi strategies, RWA tokenization, stablecoin issuance, policy advocacy, and strategic advisory work.
VerifyMe, Inc. provides specialized logistics for time and temperature-sensitive products, as well as brand protection and enhancement solutions.
