PANews reports that Telegram has introduced a 'Gifts' feature, enabling users to showcase gifts on their profiles or sell them for Telegram Stars, with some gifts offered in limited quantities. Later this year, Telegram will enhance this feature, allowing limited-edition gifts to be converted into NFTs on the TON blockchain. Users will be able to auction and trade these tokenized gifts outside of Telegram, with ownership tracked on the blockchain.

The National Bank of Bahrain (NBB), in collaboration with ARP Digital, has launched Bahrain's first $BITCOIN investment product aimed at accredited investors, providing exposure to $BITCOIN while safeguarding against volatility through a capital protection mechanism. This initiative positions Bahrain as a competitor to the UAE in the GCC’s cryptocurrency landscape, where both countries are leading in crypto adoption. The UAE has recently eliminated taxes on cryptocurrency transactions, enhancing its attractiveness as a crypto hub, while Bahrain continues to develop its regulatory framework, exemplified by granting a crypto license to Crypto.com. Overall, the MENA region has become a significant player in the global cryptocurrency market, accounting for 7.5% of total transaction volume from mid-2023 to mid-2024.