Abdulla Kanoo, a fifth-generation member of Bahrain's wealthy Kanoo family, is expanding into crypto through ARP Digital, a blockchain-based payments infrastructure firm focused on the Global South. ARP Digital aims to solve a structural gap in trade between emerging economies by using digital assets to move money faster, cheaper, and with fewer intermediaries than legacy banking systems. Headquartered in Bahrain and licensed by the Central Bank of Bahrain with in-principle approval from Dubai's VARA, ARP has processed over $3.5 billion in volume across more than 450 institutional clients. It recently integrated with Fireblocks Network for Payments, linking Gulf payment corridors to a global institutional digital asset network. Kanoo, who has been invested in digital assets since 2015, believes the next phase of global commerce will rely on blockchain rails. Trade between emerging economies exceeded $6 trillion in 2024, roughly a quarter of global trade, and Kanoo sees a market opportunity that could reach $32 trillion by 2030. The structural gap ARP addresses is that Global South institutions often rely on outdated correspondent banking, leading to slow settlement and uneven liquidity. ARP provides a regulated, efficient alternative for cross-border payments.

Key facts

• ARP Digital is a blockchain-based payments infrastructure firm founded by Abdulla Kanoo, a member of Bahrain's wealthy Kanoo family.
• The company has processed over $3.5 billion in transaction volume across 450+ institutional clients.
• ARP holds a Category 3 license from the Central Bank of Bahrain and in-principle approval from Dubai's VARA.
• It integrated with Fireblocks Network for Payments to link Gulf payment corridors to global institutional networks.
• The target market is cross-border trade between emerging economies, which exceeded $6 trillion in 2024.

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