In-Kingdom operating entity to enable compliant digital asset innovation for sovereign and enterprise-scale initiatives under Saudi regulatory frameworksAL KHOBAR, Saudi Arabia, Jan 23, 2026 - (ACN Newswire) - Open World Ltd. (“Open World”), a blockchain infrastructure company with experience supporting large-scale digital asset initiatives, today announced the establishment of Saudi Arabia’s first RWA (Real-World Asset) Tokenization Center of Excellence. The news follows Open World’s announcement on January 5, 2026, regarding its plans to merge with VerifyMe, Inc. (NASDAQ: VRME) (“VerifyMe”), positioning the combined entity for participation in public markets as a leading infrastructure provider in the digital asset and tokenization sector.
The RWA Center of Excellence will operate as a fully licensed and, as regulations are defined, in-Kingdom entity designed to accelerate compliant digital asset innovation for sovereign, enterprise, and institutional clients across Saudi Arabia and the broader Middle East. The initiative will directly support the Kingdom’s Vision 2030 Financial Sector Development Program, which seeks to establish Saudi Arabia as a globally competitive financial and investment hub.
As the Saudi regulatory frameworks continue to mature, the Center of Excellence will enable compliant tokenization of real-world assets, including energy infrastructure, tokenized carbon reduction credits, real estate, sovereign bonds and, over time, regulated stablecoins. These initiatives will be launched on Open World’s sovereign and national-scale tokenization infrastructure introduced in December 2025 through its partnership with Abstract. This will provide Saudi enterprises and government entities new pathways to access global capital markets while maintaining full regulatory compliance with Saudi Central Bank (SAMA) and Capital Market Authority (CMA) requirements.
“Saudi Arabia is leading the global conversation on how digital assets can be deployed in service of national economic priorities,” said Matt Shaw, co-founder and CEO of Open World. “By establishing our Center of Excellence in Al Khobar, we are making a long-term commitment to build alongside Saudi partners, under Saudi regulations, with infrastructure that meets the Kingdom’s sovereign data and security requirements. Our goal is to help transform Saudi Arabia’s tremendous real-world asset base into globally accessible, compliant digital instruments that attract international investment while ensuring value creation remains within the Kingdom.”
Initial focus areas for the Center of Excellence include certain types of energy asset tokenization, real estate development financing, and the on-chain verification and storage of carbon reduction credits. The Center has been structured to meet sovereign-grade delivery standards, with a strong emphasis on data residency, local security controls, and national economic considerations aligned with the Kingdom’s localization objectives.
“Welcoming Open World to Al Khobar represents a significant step in our region’s digital transformation journey,” said Dr. Salman Salem Al Khaldi, member of the Industry and Energy Committee at the Eastern Province Chamber of Commerce and Industry.
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