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Gulf Business
9 hours ago
- Business
- Gulf Business
Aqua Index founder sees Dubai as launchpad for water trading
Yaacov Shirazi, founder, Aqua Index Aqua Index, a company founded in 2007 by high-tech entrepreneur and commodities expert Yaacov Shirazi, is working to reshape how the world values, prices, and trades water. With a recently signed Shirazi, who holds over 700 approved patent claims covering water pricing algorithms and blockchain-based trading systems, says Aqua Index's core innovation lies in its ability to transform both virtual and physical water into a structured asset class. 'At Aqua Index, we've developed two foundational technologies. The first transforms virtual water, embedded in agricultural commodities, into a financial benchmark,' he said. 'Given that over 70 percent of the world's freshwater is used in agriculture, we extract a water index price by analysing international commodity futures, each product's water footprint, its wet mass, and yield efficiency.' This proprietary process produces a virtual water index, much like the S&P 500, which can then be used to create structured financial products and debt instruments. The company's second core innovation is physical water tokenisation. 'We've patented the ability to assign a financial instrument to localised water sources based on verified quality metrics, mineral composition, and regional utility,' said Shirazi. 'These water-backed tokens are issued on blockchain and function much like warehouse certificates for gold, representing real-world, auditable reserves stored in aquifers or lakes.' The tokens are tradable and, critically, redeemable. 'Yes,' Shirazi confirmed. 'Our first physical tokens are backed by water sourced from a regulated aquifer in Texas, which already supplies manufacturers and industrial users. Holders can redeem tokens by taking delivery at established distribution points where you simply connect your tanker and draw down your allocation.' Market value and pricing dynamics Aqua Index's pricing model is built around standardised inputs. 'We use globally recognised commodity prices and water usage metrics to derive regional and international benchmark indices,' he said. 'These indices aggregate supply and demand variables through a weighted-average model, similar to how energy or food indices are constructed.' Physical water tokens reflect more granular variables like source quality and infrastructure proximity. 'While the index provides macro-level benchmarking, the token's floating price will ultimately reflect real-time market dynamics and local scarcity, encouraging transparent price discovery and global liquidity,' he explained. Read: New trading infrastructure via DMCC With the DMCC agreement in place, Aqua Index plans to help build a full water-trading ecosystem in Dubai. 'We are actively working with DMCC and Dubai-based regulated entities to set up the full ecosystem, which includes digital exchanges, custodians, brokers, and licensed trading platforms,' Shirazi said. 'Liquidity will be enhanced through market-making arrangements, listing mechanisms, and eventually, the introduction of derivative contracts and structured products.' He credits DMCC's regulatory clarity and commodities infrastructure as key advantages. 'The DMCC, under the visionary leadership of Ahmed bin Sulayem, is the world's premier free zone for commodities and already houses infrastructure for trading metals, energy, and now water.' Overcoming regulatory hurdles and enabling ESG finance Tokenising a finite natural resource like water is not without challenges. 'One of our main focus areas is meeting VARA's (Virtual Assets Regulatory Authority) criteria for token issuers,' Shirazi said. 'While we intend to become a licensed issuer, we may initially launch tokens via an existing regulated entity.' Importantly, Aqua Index's approach aligns with ESG frameworks. 'Our model incentivises better water stewardship by recognising water as a valued, collateralised asset,' Shirazi noted. 'It naturally encourages investment in conservation, infrastructure upgrades, and long-term water security—critical ESG goals for both private and public sectors.' Adoption, hedging tools, and future roadmap Initial adopters include commodity traders, institutional investors, and large-scale water consumers such as agriculture groups and manufacturers. 'These entities seek efficient tools for hedging, cost control, and capital optimisation,' he said. As the platform matures, Aqua Index aims to introduce a suite of risk mitigation products. 'We are developing derivatives, insurance mechanisms, and contract pools, similar to how oil or electricity markets function,' said Shirazi. 'Different tokens will represent different geographies, allowing users to choose exposure according to their risk tolerance.' Looking ahead, Shirazi envisions a five-year roadmap that includes ETFs, sovereign bonds backed by water reserves, and tokenised debt instruments for infrastructure development. 'Ultimately, our goal is to establish Aqua Index as the global benchmark for water trading, on par with what ICE or CME represents for traditional commodities.' Global vision, regional commitment Although its operations are based in Dubai, Aqua Index is pursuing global partnerships with governments, utilities, WaterTech firms, and NGOs. 'We're engaging with stakeholders across North America, Latin America, South Asia, and the MENA region,' Shirazi said. 'In addition to our core financial products, Aqua Index will support initiatives in education, water purification, and equitable access.' He concluded, 'We believe the time has come to assign water its rightful place in the global financial system as a tradeable, collateralised, and transparent commodity. Our mission is to provide the tools, platforms, and governance models to make this a reality, starting from the UAE and expanding globally.'
Arab News
15-07-2025
- Business
- Arab News
Saudi Arabia raises $1.34bn through July sukuk issuance
RIYADH: Saudi Arabia's National Debt Management Center raised SR5.02 billion ($1.34 billion) through its riyal-denominated sukuk issuance for July, marking a sharp 113.6 percent increase compared to the previous month. In June, the Kingdom issued sukuk worth SR2.35 billion, while May and April saw issuances of SR4.08 billion and SR3.71 billion, respectively. Sukuk are Shariah-compliant financial instruments that offer investors partial ownership in an issuer's underlying assets, making them a popular alternative to conventional bonds. According to NDMC, the July issuance was divided into four tranches. The first tranche, valued at SR776 million, will mature in 2029. The second, worth SR1.34 billion, is set to mature in 2032, followed by a third tranche of SR823 million due in 2036. The largest tranche, totaling SR2.08 billion, will mature in 2039. Saudi Arabia's debt market has witnessed robust growth in recent years, attracting strong investor interest in fixed-income instruments amid a global environment of rising interest rates. In April, Kuwait Financial Center, also known as Markaz, reported that Saudi Arabia led the Gulf Cooperation Council in primary debt issuances during the first quarter of the year. The Kingdom raised $31.01 billion from 41 offerings, accounting for over 60 percent of total issuances across the region. Credit rating agency S&P Global noted in April that Saudi Arabia's expanding non-oil sector and steady sukuk issuance volumes are likely to support the growth of the global Islamic finance industry. The agency forecasts global sukuk issuance to reach between $190 billion and $200 billion in 2025, with foreign currency-denominated offerings contributing up to $80 billion, assuming market conditions remain stable. Echoing that outlook, a report by Kamco Invest published in December said Saudi Arabia is expected to account for the largest share of bond maturities in the GCC between 2025 and 2029, with $168 billion set to mature during the period. Earlier this month, S&P Global reiterated its positive view, stating that the global sukuk market is on track to maintain its momentum in 2025, with foreign currency-denominated issuances projected to reach between $70 billion and $80 billion.
Times of Oman
14-07-2025
- Business
- Times of Oman
Oman's central bank issues treasury bills worth OMR10.25 million
Muscat: Oman's central bank has issued treasury bills worth OMR10.25 million on Monday. The value of the allotted Treasury bills amounted to OMR10.25 million, for a maturity period of 91 days. The average accepted price reached OMR98.941 for every OMR100, and the minimum accepted price arrived at OMR98.930 per OMR100. The average discount rate and the average yield reached 4.24871% and 4.29421%, respectively. Treasury Bills are short-term highly secured financial instruments issued by the Ministry of Finance, and they provide licensed commercial banks the opportunity to invest their surplus funds. The Central Bank of Oman (CBO) acts as the Issue Manager and provides the added advantage of ready liquidity through discounting and repurchase facilities (Repo). It may be noted that the interest rate on the Repo operations with CBO is 5.00% while the discount rate on the Treasury Bills Discounting Facility with CBO is 5.50%.
Reuters
09-07-2025
- Business
- Reuters
India markets regulator mulls allowing ratings agencies to rate instruments not regulated by it
July 9 (Reuters) - India's markets regulator on Wednesday proposed allowing credit ratings agencies to rate financial instruments regulated by other financial sector regulators. Any agency that expands ratings to such instruments will need to set up a new unit within six months, the Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI) said in a consultation paper. SEBI, under new chairman Tuhin Kanta Pandey, has signalled a more pragmatic approach to oversight and also relaxed certain regulations. Agencies that rate non-SEBI-regulated instruments must charge a fee for the same and maintain arm's length from the business that rates SEBI-regulated entities, the regulator said. "SEBI has been receiving feedback from the industry towards permitting credit ratings agencies to undertake rating of financial instruments under the purview of other regulators," it said, including instruments such as unlisted securities.
Zawya
03-07-2025
- Business
- Zawya
Trade Crypto Without Purchasing It: Octa Broker About Crypto-CFDs
KUALA LUMPUR, MALAYSIA - Media OutReach Newswire - 3 July 2025 - Crypto volatility poses both potentially spectacular possibilities and enormous risks. For example, by investing in crypto assets on the spot market, traders buy the crypto and, hence, risk their budget if the price drops and never returns to the initial position. Instruments like crypto CFDs (Contracts for Difference) provide more opportunities for flexible capital management and allow traders to expand their financial horizons. Octa Broker, a broker with globally recognised licenses, explains how one can trade crypto without actually buying the asset with the help of crypto CFDs. Understanding Crypto CFDs and Their Mechanism A crypto CFD is an agreement between a client and a broker where a client profits (or loses funds) based on the variation of price. This financial instrument allows investors to use price movements of cryptocurrencies to their benefit without holding the underlying asset. This gives them more flexibility, security, and convenience, compared to spot trading where asset purchase is a must. 7 Reasons to Trade Crypto CFDs Instead of Buying Crypto on the Spot Market 1. Trading in Any Market Direction In traditional crypto trading, profits are made only when prices rise. With CFDs, if the price is expected to increase, traders go long (buy). If they believe the price may decrease, they go short (sell). This two-way direction trading creates more strategic avenues than storing cryptocurrencies in a wallet with the expectation for prices to escalate. 2. No Need for Crypto Wallets or Exchange Accounts One of the biggest direct hazards of crypto ownership is security. Hackers consistently target exchanges, and personal wallet management can lead to missing funds. Over $1.7 billion in digital assets has been pilfered from crypto websites using cyberattacks since 2024. Private keys, seed words, and exchange security risks are no more relevant with crypto CFDs since everything is safely handled by licensed brokers. 3. Simplified Access Without KYC Delays Crypto exchanges tend to have inconvenient identity verification (KYC) processes that could take a number of days or even weeks. CFD brokers, on the other hand, offer faster account opening so traders can get on the market quickly and enjoy price action without bureaucratic delays. 4. Diversified Portfolios Volatility is inherent to crypto markets, and trading solely in crypto can increase vulnerability. Investors can hedge their exposure by trading a number of other asset classes with crypto CFDs, such as major currency pairs (EUR/USD, GBP/USD), stock indices (S&P 500, Nasdaq 100), and commodities (gold, oil, natural gas). This reduces dependence on a single asset class and provides greater options for traders to hedge losses in times of market decline. For example, if Bitcoin is falling due to regulatory uncertainty, a trader can hedge loss by buying gold CFDs, which typically perform better with financial uncertainty. 5. Advanced Trading Tools for Enhanced Risk Management One of the best features of CFD trading is the built-in risk management options that enable traders to protect their capital. Unlike crypto spot trading, where prices can destroy whole portfolios overnight, CFDs offer: Stop-loss and take-profit orders to automatically close trades at pre-set levels. Negative balance protection, ensuring traders never lose more than their deposit. Advanced charting and technical indicators to identify trading opportunities. With these features, traders have greater control over their strategies, making crypto CFDs a more precise tool for managing risk compared to traditional crypto exchanges. 6. Enhanced Security Crypto exchanges have a long history of security breaches, regulatory shutdowns, and liquidity issues. With CFDs, traders avoid risks like: Exchange collapses (e.g., the high-profile FTX bankruptcy in 2022). Withdrawal freezes due to liquidity shortages. Unexpected delistings of assets, leaving traders unable to exit positions. Unlike exchanges, where withdrawals can take days or even weeks, regulated brokers offer transparent deposit and withdrawal processes. Funds are typically withdrawn using the same method they were deposited with, ensuring fast, secure, and predictable transactions. 7. Lower Entry Barriers & Greater Trading Flexibility Not all traders have the funds to buy whole units of Bitcoin or Ethereum. With CFDs, though, traders access these instruments with fractional deposits, leveraging their market exposure. Additionally, CFDs allow quick exits and re-entries, which is far more versatile than actually buying crypto, where price execution and liquidity delays can result in unnecessary losses. Cryptocurrency trading has developed more diverse, secure, and trustworthy substitutes to simple buying and holding cryptocurrencies. Crypto CFDs present traders with a choice to make a profit from price differences without security risks, slow payments, or considerable capital outlay associated with spot trading on crypto exchanges. By offering greater risk management, diversification, and trading flexibility, crypto CFDs have become an effective tool for traders today in the volatile world of digital assets. ___ Disclaimer: This press release does not contain or constitute investment advice or recommendations and does not consider your investment objectives, financial situation, or needs. Any actions taken based on this content are at your sole discretion and risk—Octa does not accept any liability for any resulting losses or consequences. Hashtag: #Octa The issuer is solely responsible for the content of this announcement. Octa Octa is an international CFD broker that has been providing online trading services worldwide since 2011. It offers commission-free access to financial markets and various services used by clients from 180 countries who have opened more than 52 million trading accounts. To help its clients reach their investment goals, Octa offers free educational webinars, articles, and analytical tools. The company is involved in a comprehensive network of charitable and humanitarian initiatives, including improving educational infrastructure and funding short-notice relief projects to support local communities. In Southeast Asia, Octa received the 'Best Trading Platform Malaysia 2024' and the 'Most Reliable Broker Asia 2023' awards from Brands and Business Magazine and International Global Forex Awards, respectively. Octa
