In a landmark move for the regional digital asset industry, paribu coinmena has emerged as the centerpiece of a major cross-border acquisition reshaping crypto markets between Turkiye and the MENA region.
Paribu acquires CoinMENA in USD 240 million landmark deal
Türkiye’s leading digital asset platform Paribu has acquired CoinMENA, the largest local crypto exchange in the Middle East and North Africa, in a transaction valuing the company at up to USD 240 million. Announced in Istanbul on Dec. 5, 2025, the deal cements a new phase in regional digital asset consolidation.
The transaction represents Türkiye’s largest fintech deal to date and its first cross-border acquisition of a digital asset platform. Moreover, it highlights how established regional operators are seeking scale, stronger regulatory positioning, and broader market access in an increasingly competitive crypto landscape.
With this acquisition, Paribu will extend its operations beyond its home market in Türkiye into a region widely recognized for high crypto adoption. However, the move is also strategically focused on regulation, as Paribu gains a more diversified and resilient operating footprint.
Regulatory footprint strengthened across Bahrain and Dubai
Through CoinMENA, the local entity licensed by Dubai’s Virtual Assets Regulatory Authority (VARA) and the Central Bank of Bahrain, Paribu will access two active digital asset licenses. This expanded regulatory base positions the company among the region’s few regulated multi-jurisdiction operators.
That said, the acquisition also supports a long-term strategy of compliance-driven growth into new markets. By operating under multiple respected regulators, Paribu can address both institutional and retail clients seeking a regulated crypto operator in a maturing ecosystem.
Moreover, gaining these licenses in Bahrain and Dubai reinforces Paribu’s ability to compete with other major mena crypto exchange platforms that are building cross-border, multi-license networks across the Gulf and wider region.
Paribu’s growth strategy and capital markets move
Paribu ranks among Türkiye’s leading companies in digital assets and fintech, following a roadmap anchored in regulatory compliance, product innovation, and geographic expansion. In 2024, it launched Paribu Custody, the country’s first and only digital asset custody provider powered by its proprietary multi-layered security technology, ColdShield®.
In October 2025, Türkiye’s Capital Markets Board (CMB) authorized Paribu to establish a brokerage firm, marking its entry into the capital markets. That said, the acquisition of CoinMENA further strengthens Paribu’s standing as a regional fintech leader, building on its custody and brokerage ambitions.
With its new reach into MENA, Paribu is now positioned to execute a broader paribu regional expansion strategy, connecting local Turkish users and institutional partners with a wider, licensed trading and custody infrastructure.
CoinMENA’s growth, funding and user base
Founded in 2020 by Talal Tabbaa and Dina Sam’an, CoinMENA operates as a licensed crypto asset service provider under both Bahraini and Dubai regulatory frameworks. Over recent years, it has raised nearly 20 million USD in total funding from investors including BECO, Arab Bank Switzerland, Circle, and Bunat Ventures.
The platform currently serves more than 1.5 million users across 45 countries, offering access to over 50 cryptocurrencies. Moreover, CoinMENA supports multiple local currencies across the region, a key factor in rising crypto adoption MENA trends as users seek simple on- and off-ramps.
That said, CoinMENA’s combination of regulatory licenses, local currency support, and regional brand recognition made it an attractive target for Paribu’s international expansion agenda.
Executive statements highlight strategic alignment
Yasin Oral, Founder and CEO of Paribu, described the transaction as a pivotal step for both the company and the wider financial ecosystem in Türkiye and MENA. He emphasized that, with this acquisition, Paribu has expanded its licensed operations across a broader geography and become a regulated player in one of the world’s most crypto-adoptive markets.
Oral also noted that the deal represents Türkiye’s largest turkiye fintech acquisition and its first international digital asset platform transaction. Moreover, he said CoinMENA is an ideal partner for regional expansion, enabling Paribu to help drive consolidation of the global digital asset industry from a strong base in Türkiye.
In a joint statement, Co-Founders Talal Tabbaa and Dina Sam’an said the MENA digital asset market continues to grow and mature, and that joining forces with Paribu will help accelerate that momentum. By combining CoinMENA’s regional expertise with Paribu’s technology, they said, the two companies will develop a broader suite of products for users in Türkiye and MENA.
They added that the transaction is the most transformative milestone in CoinMENA’s history. However, they stressed that Paribu’s investment does more than validate their platform; it also sets the stage to define new standards for access and innovation in the region’s digital asset ecosystem.
Licensing and regulatory positioning in Bahrain and UAE
CoinMENA is headquartered in the Kingdom of Bahrain, where CoinMENA B.S.C. (c) is licensed by the Central Bank Bahrain as a category-3 crypto asset service provider. This license covers a wide range of digital asset activities under a robust supervisory regime.
In the United Arab Emirates, CoinMENA FZE operates from Dubai and is licensed as a broker-dealer virtual asset service provider by the emirate’s VARA. Moreover, holding a VARA license Dubai is widely seen as a key credential for platforms expanding into global virtual asset markets.
That said, the combined regulatory profile of Bahrain and Dubai gives the new group a diversified risk and governance structure, which may appeal to both regional and international users seeking secure and compliant platforms.
Business models and user proposition after the deal
CoinMENA has built its brand around accessible crypto investment options and enabling users to participate in the emerging digital economy. With competitive fees, high liquidity, and an educational approach, the platform aims to be the simplest and most trusted venue for digital assets in the MENA region.
Paribu, for its part, continues to execute a strategy centered on regulatory discipline and innovation, now reinforced through cross-border operations. Moreover, the paribu coinmena acquisition allows both entities to align technology, compliance, and user experience across Türkiye and key MENA markets.
In summary, this transaction combines Paribu’s technological and regulatory track record with CoinMENA’s established regional presence. As the digital asset sector matures, the deal is set to act as a reference point for future cross-border consolidation in crypto markets spanning Türkiye, Bahrain, Dubai, and the wider MENA region.
Source: https://en.cryptonomist.ch/2025/12/05/paribu-coinmena-expansion-mena/
