The Dubai International Financial Centre (DIFC) Courts have significantly expanded their technological capabilities to address the growing complexity of digital and financial disputes, introducing specialised digital custody and blockchain intelligence services through approved third-party providers.
The initiative forms part of the DIFC Courts Growth Strategy 2026–2030, aimed at strengthening judicial readiness for disputes arising from the digital economy, including matters involving cryptocurrencies, tokenised assets, and blockchain-linked transactions.
Strengthening Judicial Capacity for Digital Asset Disputes
As digital assets and decentralised technologies increasingly feature in commercial and financial disputes, the DIFC Courts have moved to enhance their ability to manage digital evidence, asset preservation, and financial risk assessment.
Under the new framework, regulated third-party providers will support the courts with secure, neutral technological services, ensuring procedural integrity and transparency in cases involving advanced digital infrastructure.
Introduction of Secure Digital Asset Custody
Zodia Custody has been approved as a specialised service provider to deliver secure and neutral digital-asset custody during legal proceedings. The service is designed to support cases requiring the safeguarding of cryptocurrencies and other tokenised assets, ensuring protection against loss, misuse, or unauthorised access throughout the litigation process.
Zodia Custody operates under the oversight of the Financial Services Regulatory Authority (FSRA) at Abu Dhabi Global Market, through Tungsten Custody Solutions Ltd, and is backed by major financial institutions including Standard Chartered and Emirates NBD.
Deployment of Blockchain Intelligence Services
In parallel, Crystal Intelligence has been approved as a specialised provider of blockchain intelligence and analytics. Its tools will assist in transaction monitoring, asset tracing, sanctions screening, and the visualisation of fund flows, enhancing the courts’ ability to analyse complex blockchain-based evidence.
These capabilities are particularly relevant for disputes involving fraud, asset recovery, regulatory compliance, and cross-border digital transactions.
Legal and Regulatory Significance
The introduction of digital custody and blockchain intelligence services reflects the DIFC Courts’ commitment to judicial neutrality, security, and technological sophistication. By integrating regulated service providers into court processes, the DIFC Courts are reinforcing confidence among litigants, investors, and financial institutions operating in digital asset markets.
The initiative also aligns with the UAE’s broader regulatory ecosystem for virtual assets, complementing frameworks developed by authorities such as the Dubai Virtual Assets Regulatory Authority (VARA) and the Dubai Multi Commodities Centre (DMCC).
Enhancing Dispute Resolution in the Digital Economy
According to the DIFC Courts, the expanded services will enhance asset preservation, evidence assessment, and procedural accuracy in complex digital disputes. As part of its five-year growth strategy, the courts plan to continue assessing additional technical service providers to further strengthen support for advanced legal proceedings.
The measures also extend to the DIFC Courts’ Digital Assets Wills Service, ensuring that estate planning and inheritance cases involving digital assets benefit from robust custody, verification, and oversight mechanisms.
