I have sent a few posts about trends in Dubai. With its attempts at being the Singapore of the Middle-East, Dubai has plans to become the first block-chain powered government. What does that specifically mean?
http://www.nasdaq.com/article/dubais-rise-as-an-epicenter-for-blockchain-innovation-cm807072
"We want to make Dubai the first blockchain-powered government in the world by 2020," Aisha Bin Bishr, director general of Smart Dubai, said in a public statement. "It is disruptive for existing systems, but will help us prepare for the future. We have a very clear objective to make Dubai the capital of the blockchain industry. By 2020, we'll have 100 percent of applicable government services and transactions happen on blockchain[s]."
For a country known for its crazy skyscrapers, they have the economic power to push ahead with this.
Upcoming conferences on cryptocurrencies and blockchain in Dubai and Abu Dhabi
Oct 24-27, 2017: World Blockchain Summit: https://www.tresconglobal.com/blockchain/
August 9, 2017: Block Chain Summit: http://www.unicomlearning.com/2017/Blockchain_Summit_Dubai/
https://bconference.org/#!about
You can expect a lot of buzz around these conferences regionally if not internationally, placing attention on developments that are originating within this region
