Today it was announced that Al Abraaj Restaurants Group B.S.C. has become the first publicly traded company in the region to adopt Bitcoin as a treasury reserve asset. The Bahrain-based hospitality firm announced today it has acquired 5 Bitcoin for its balance sheet, with plans to significantly increase its allocation over time.
“Our initiative towards becoming a Bitcoin Treasury Company reflects our forward-thinking approach and dedication to maximizing shareholder value,” said Abdulla Isa, Chairman of the Bitcoin Treasury Committee at Al Abraaj. “We believe that Bitcoin will play a pivotal role in the future of finance, and we are excited to be at the forefront of this transformation in the Kingdom of Bahrain. 10X is a proven leader in advising and bringing capital to listed Bitcoin Treasury Companies, and we welcome their partnership in helping us build the MicroStrategy of the Middle East.”
The decision makes Abraaj not only the first in Bahrain, but also in the GCC and wider Middle East, to publicly hold Bitcoin on its balance sheet. The investment is a direct response to growing institutional interest in Bitcoin and comes amid what appears to be a regional shift toward digital assets.
Abraaj’s strategic partner in the transition is 10X Capital, a New York-based investment firm with a strong track record in digital asset treasury management. 10X previously advised companies like Nakamoto on its $710 million Bitcoin-focused financing round.
“I’d like to congratulate Abdalla Isa and the team at Al Abraaj for adopting Bitcoin at the corporate treasury level, finally enabling anyone in the GCC with a brokerage account to gain Bitcoin exposure,” said Hans Thomas, CEO of 10X Capital. “Bahrain continues to be a leader in the Middle East in Bitcoin adoption, backed by a forward-thinking regulatory framework.”
Thomas added, “The GCC, with a combined GDP of $2.2 trillion and over $6 trillion in sovereign wealth funds, has until now lacked a publicly listed Bitcoin treasury company like Strategy, Tesla, or Metaplanet. That changes today with ABRAAJ’s historic Bitcoin purchase.”
Abraaj said it will continue to work under the regulatory oversight of the Central Bank of Bahrain (CBB) and has pledged full compliance with all digital asset transaction laws. The company will adopt robust custody, risk management, and governance protocols for its Bitcoin holdings.
Disclosure: Nakamoto is in partnership with Bitcoin Magazine’s parent company BTC Inc to build the first global network of Bitcoin treasury companies, where BTC Inc provides certain marketing services to Nakamoto. More information on this can be found here.
