Innovation City has unveiled what it claims is the world’s first blockchain-based digital business identity system, powered by IOPn, marking a significant step toward an AI-native economy.
The new system transforms traditional business licensing into a dynamic, cryptographically verifiable digital identity, replacing static records with a “living” asset stored on blockchain infrastructure. Built on IOPn’s OPN Chain, the solution enables businesses to exist, authenticate, and interact digitally without reliance on centralized intermediaries.
The launch aligns with the UAE’s broader push toward AI-driven governance, including plans to transition a significant portion of government services to agentic AI in the coming years. The initiative aims to provide the foundational infrastructure required for autonomous systems to process licenses, compliance checks, and cross-border interactions at machine speed.
“We don’t just register companies, we give them a living, verifiable identity on the blockchain,” said Paul Dawalibi, CEO of Innovation City.
Paul Dawalibi said the move represents a fundamental shift in how enterprises operate. “Business identity has long been constrained by outdated systems. This innovation introduces a sovereign, verifiable identity that moves seamlessly across platforms and jurisdictions,” he noted.
Mojtaba Asadian, CEO of IOPn, added that the platform establishes a new standard for digital sovereignty. He emphasized that blockchain-based identity enables secure, interoperable, and scalable infrastructure for AI-driven economies.
Key capabilities of the system include:
- Real-time transparency: Permanent, auditable records of ownership and compliance changes
- Instant verification: Authentication for banks, regulators, and partners within seconds
- Fraud reduction: Lower risk of document manipulation and shell company misuse
- AI-readiness: Infrastructure designed for autonomous agent interaction at scale
- Global interoperability: High-performance blockchain supporting cross-border use cases
The initiative positions Ras Al Khaimah as an emerging hub for digital innovation, particularly in areas such as AI, Web3, and blockchain-enabled governance.
With this launch, Innovation City is advancing a new model of business identity one that shifts from administrative documentation to a strategic digital asset, designed to support the next generation of AI-powered economic systems.
