The Dubai International Financial Centre (DIFC) Courts has today announced the opening of specialised services for complex cases, with digital custodian and blockchain intelligence capabilities being offered via third party service providers, as part of initiatives under the newly launched DIFC Courts Growth Strategy (2026–2030).
These emerging technology services will be considered for cases that provide sufficient proof of necessity and will join a growing set of additional unique digital economy-related services under review by Dubai’s common law jurisdiction.
The introduction of third-party specialised services marks a further evolution of the DIFC Courts’ mission to deliver justice that is both principled and practical.
By offering optional secure digital-asset custody and advanced analytics for specific and relevant claims, the DIFC Courts aims to further demonstrate that proceedings maintain the highest standards of integrity, transparency, and technological rigour.
Zodia Custody will provide secure, neutral custody for disputed assets during proceedings. The global digital assets custodian is backed by financial institutions, including Standard Chartered and Emirates NBD, with Zodia Custody UAE being regulated under FSRA (ADGM) as Tungsten Custody Solutions Ltd following the acquisition of Tungsten earlier this year.
Crystal Intelligence, a recognised blockchain analytics and crypto-risk platform, will offer on-demand tracing, monitoring, and investigative support to aid case management, compliance, and enforcement across complex digital-asset matters.
Justice Omar Al Mheiri, Director, DIFC Courts, said, “In recent years the DIFC Courts has dedicated resources and expertise to ensure that rapidly evolving financial and technological disputes, related to the digital economy, are provided with mechanisms to assist resolution. By reviewing and permitting the use of third-party providers for niche dispute requirements, we are further enabling the safeguarding of assets, data verification, and supporting court users with a level of assurance aligned with international best practice. This step further strengthens the Court’s ability to resolve complex digital-asset cases efficiently, securely, and with the confidence expected of a world- class judicial institution.”
These initiatives are designed to deliver greater trust, transparency and procedural integrity in cases involving cryptocurrencies and tokenised assets, supporting the DIFC Courts and its specialised divisions. In line with recent DIFC Courts’ innovation milestones, the new service options will augment case handling from asset preservation to risk oversight and evidence-led investigation.
These engagements represent a material step in strengthening the DIFC Courts’ capabilities in processing digital asset-related disputes and inheritance matters. Within the coming years, the DIFC Courts will continue to undertake a structured evaluation process, assessing multiple potential third party providers, with a view to ensuring that any selected providers meet the standards of neutrality, security, and institutional credibility expected of the courts.
Zodia Custody offers custody solutions bridging traditional finance and the digital-asset ecosystem.
Through this new service provider, court users will benefit from: Secure, neutral custody of assets subject to judicial proceedings; Prevention of unauthorised movement during litigation; Enhanced enforceability and integrity of outcomes; and Strengthened institutional and public confidence in the DIFC Courts’ adjudicatory framework.
Zane Suren, Managing Director, Commercial, Middle East and Africa, Zodia Custody, said, “As digital assets become more widely adopted, Zodia Custody welcomes the DIFC Courts’ integration of specialised digital custody and blockchain intelligence services for legal disputes. Zodia Custody welcomes the DIFC Courts’ engagement with digital asset service providers and is proud to further expand its presence in the UAE. Crystal Intelligence provides investigative and compliance tooling for transaction monitoring, multi-hop asset tracing, sanctions/high-risk wallet screening, and visualisation of fund flows across public blockchains. This new service will be applied on a case-by-case basis and will support the oversight of the Digital Assets Wills service, as well as delivering specialised training and certification to DIFC Courts staff."
Navin Gupta, CEO, Crystal Intelligence, said, "Being selected as a service provider to the DIFC Courts marks a defining moment for Crystal Intelligence and blockchain intelligence in judicial proceedings. Our on-demand tracing, monitoring, and investigative capabilities will help the Court uphold the highest standards of fairness and efficiency when adjudicating digital asset disputes. This engagement demonstrates that Crystal Intelligence has achieved the institutional credibility required for court-grade case management, compliance, and enforcement. We are committed to enhancing the integrity, transparency, and technological rigour that users of this world-class judicial institution expect.”
