The United Arab Emirates has strengthened its position as one of the world’s leading cryptocurrency hubs, climbing from fifth to second place in the 2026 Henley Crypto Adoption Index.
The UAE ranked behind only Singapore in the latest global assessment and received a perfect 10 out of 10 for tax friendliness, as worldwide cryptocurrency wealth reached an estimated $2.6 trillion.
The rankings were published by Henley & Partners as part of its Crypto Wealth Report 2026, which evaluates 36 jurisdictions that provide residence and citizenship options. The index uses more than 900 data points to assess factors including regulation, taxation, infrastructure, innovation and crypto adoption.
The UAE’s jump to second place marks a three-position improvement from last year. The report attributed its strong tax score to the absence of taxes on activities such as crypto trading, staking and mining.
Singapore retained the top position for the fourth consecutive year, followed by the UAE, Hong Kong, the United States and Switzerland.
UAE Moves Into Second Place Globally
Singapore continued to lead the index, supported by its strong performance in technology and innovation.
The UAE recorded one of the biggest improvements among the leading jurisdictions, moving from fifth place in the previous edition to second in 2026. Hong Kong took third place and achieved particularly strong results in infrastructure, adoption and economic factors.
The United States ranked fourth and stood out as the only jurisdiction to receive a perfect score of 10 for public adoption.
Switzerland rounded out the top five, benefiting from strong performances in innovation, technology and economic factors.
Malta ranked sixth, followed by Thailand, the UK, Cyprus and The Bahamas. The Bahamas entered the index this year in 10th place, while Bahrain was another new addition, ranking 13th globally.
Dubai’s Crypto Regulation Strengthens UAE’s Position
Henley & Partners highlighted the growing competition among international financial centres to attract wealthy digital-asset investors and other globally mobile individuals.
According to the report, clear regulations and favourable tax policies have become increasingly important as countries compete for cryptocurrency-related wealth and investment.
Dubai’s decision to establish a dedicated virtual-asset regulator in 2022 was highlighted as an important development. The emirate’s regulatory framework was discussed alongside approaches adopted by other major financial centres, including Singapore and Switzerland.
The UAE also ranked first in Henley & Partners’ separate Wealth Mobility Competitiveness assessment, scoring 85.3 out of 100. Singapore followed with 79.5, while New Zealand scored 75.8, the Cayman Islands 74.3 and Cyprus 73.5.
Global Crypto Millionaire Population Reaches New Levels
The report estimates that 135,694 people worldwide now hold at least $1 million in cryptocurrency wealth.
Bitcoin accounts for a significant share of that wealth, with approximately 92,272 Bitcoin millionaires globally.
At the higher end of the market, Henley & Partners estimates that around 290 crypto centi-millionaires hold digital assets worth at least $100 million.
The report also identifies approximately 23 cryptocurrency billionaires worldwide, including nine whose fortunes are primarily linked to Bitcoin.
As of August 31, 2026, the global cryptocurrency market was estimated to be worth approximately $2.6 trillion, with Bitcoin accounting for around $1.6 trillion of the total.
The latest figures underline the UAE’s growing role in the global digital-asset economy and its efforts to position itself as an attractive destination for cryptocurrency investors, entrepreneurs and high-net-worth individuals.
