OFZA and Trakx Forge Strategic Partnership for Crypto Index Methodologies

Mohammed Fathy

Last updated 29-01-2026

3 min

OFZA and Trakx agreed a non-binding collaboration on crypto index research, not new products.

The aim is “clear, rules-based frameworks” to analyse digital assets beyond hype.

Work will cover governance, risk, and thought leadership for institutional audiences.

Leaders stressed transparency, regulatory alignment, and “informed dialogue” over sales.

It signals a slower, more responsible direction for crypto in the UAE.

The crypto market loves big promises, but now and then there’s a quieter move that feels more spot on. OFZA Fintech Virtual Asset Exchange, a UAE-based regulated player, has entered a non-binding strategic collaboration with Trakx, a Paris-rooted fintech registered with France’s AMF, to push forward research and discussion around crypto tradable index methodologies. In plain English, it’s about better ways to analyse slices of the digital asset market using clear, rules-based frameworks, rather than gut feeling or hype.

If you’ve spent any time around startup founders in the MENA region, this will sound familiar. I remember a roundtable a few years back where everyone was scratching their heads over how to “cut through the noise” in crypto without it becoming a bit of a faff. Indices, long used in traditional markets, do exactly that by setting transparent rules on what gets included, how it’s weighted, and when it’s rebalanced. Trakx focuses specifically on this area through what it calls Crypto Tradable Indices, or CTIs, which aim to help professionals compare themes, understand risk, and see where portfolios might be overly concentrated.

That said, this collaboration isn’t about launching shiny new products tomorrow morning. It’s firmly research-led. The two firms are looking at thought leadership, governance principles, and risk frameworks, with possible output including joint research papers and participation in industry discussions aimed at institutional and professional audiences. Amir Tabch, CEO of OFZA, framed it as a push for “strong governance, transparency, and informed dialogue”, stressing that the goal is market understanding and regulatory alignment, not immediate commercial activity.

From the Trakx side, founder and CEO Lionel Rebibo pointed to the role indices can play in bringing structure and clarity to how crypto markets are analysed. Working alongside a VARA-licensed exchange like OFZA keeps the conversation anchored in regulated market realities, which is no small feat in a sector that still scares off plenty of cautious institutions.

On the flip side, indices are not a silver bullet. I reckon they’re only as useful as the governance behind them, and crypto has burned enough people to justify a healthy dose of scepticism. Still, the focus on methodology rather than marketing feels refreshing. For readers at Arageek who’ve watched the region’s ecosystem mature, this kind of collaboration hints at how crypto in the UAE might grow up—slowly, maybe, but more responsibly.

The partnership remains non-binding and any future steps would move ahead only within existing regulatory frameworks. It definately won’t make headlines like a blockbuster funding round, but believe it or not, these are the building blocks many in the industry have been waiting for… you know?

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