AB Xelerate Partners with Fuze to Explore Digital Assets in Jordan

Arab Bank’s fintech arm, AB Xelerate, has signed a memorandum of understanding with Fuze, a regional digital assets infrastructure provider, to explore new digital asset products and services in Jordan. The agreement, announced on 16 March 2026, links Amman and Abu Dhabi in what could become a significant step for regulated innovation in the Kingdom.

At its core, the partnership is about testing the waters. Digital assets are still an emerging space for traditional banks, and this collaboration will assess use cases using Fuze’s Digital Assets‑as‑a‑Service (DaaS) platform within a regulated framework. Arab Bank brings its long-standing banking expertise and regional footprint to the table. Any rollout, of course, remains subject to regulatory approval.

The move ties directly into Jordan’s Economic Modernisation Vision, which aims to strengthen financial infrastructure and boost competitiveness. In practical terms, the two sides will look at how secure and compliant digital asset offerings can be integrated into Arab Bank’s existing digital channels. That includes product design, operating models, technical integration, and a careful look at risk and compliance structures. Much of this exploration is expected to happen within the Jordan Regulatory Sandbox, known as JoRegBox, under the watch of relevant authorities.

Eric Modave, Arab Bank’s Deputy CEO and Chief Operating Officer, described digital assets as an emerging area for financial services and noted that working with a regulated regional infrastructure specialist supports the bank’s commitment to secure and compliant solutions for its customers.

Mohammed Ali Yusuf, CEO of Fuze, said the company is looking ahead to supporting AB Xelerate with what he called “future-facing digital asset use cases”, adding that responsible innovation must sit on secure and compliant infrastructure. He also pointed to Jordan’s regulated sandbox as an important enabler for experimentation without cutting corners.

If you’ve been following the digital assets conversation across MENA, you’ll know it’s sometimes been a bit of a faff separating hype from substance. Banks stepping into the space, carefully, within clear rules, feels more grounded. I’ve seen, over the years covering startups for Arageek, how founders in Amman often speak about the challenge of building fintech products without strong institutional backing. So when a major bank opens the door, even slightly, it can change the mood. Not overnight, mind you. But it matters.

That said, digital assets still divide opinion. Some executives are chuffed to bits about tokenisation and blockchain rails; others remain cautious, and I’m not a fan of rushing innovation just to tick a “trend” box. What stands out here is the repeated emphasis on compliance and sandbox testing. It suggests this won’t be a free-for-all. Well… I mean, that’s probably the only sustainable way forward.

The agreement also reflects a broader pattern across the region: established financial institutions exploring digital assets, but doing so inside regulated environments rather than outside them. This bank-led model could offer consumers more trust, especially in markets where regulation carries weight and reputaion is everything.

For Jordan’s startup and fintech community, the collaboration may signal that digital asset experimentation is moving from theory to structured pilots. Whether that translates into live products customers can actually use is another question, and one that will depend heavily on regulatory green lights.

For now, AB Xelerate and Fuze are setting the framework. And in a sector where things can sometimes run ahead of oversight, that careful approach might be, I reckon, spot on.

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