MENA Emerges as Global Growth Engine for Blockchain Gaming, BGA 2025 Report Finds

The Center East and North Africa (MENA) now accounts for nearly 20% of the worldwide blockchain gaming workforce. This marks the most important regional shift within the trade’s historical past.

The Blockchain Recreation Alliance’s 2025 State of the Business Report, launched on the World Blockchain Present Abu Dhabi on December 10, 2025, highlights a dramatic shift in international expertise. MENA rose from simply 0.5% in 2021 to 19.8% in 2025 – the quickest development since monitoring started.

Explosive development is reshaping regional demography

The BGA’s fifth annual survey indicators a elementary rebalancing of the blockchain gaming panorama. Western markets are shrinking, whereas different areas are accelerating digital infrastructure and strengthening regulatory frameworks.

The survey yielded 506 legitimate responses in 2025, in comparison with fewer than 623 in 2024. The contraction of the Western market contributed to this decline. Nevertheless, rising areas confirmed actual development, with Africa now accounting for five.5% of trade professionals, and Latin America 11.9%, indicating a transparent shift away from conventional Asian and European dominance.

Girls’s participation reached a document 22.7%, up from 17.3% in 2024. The best focus was amongst professionals aged 25 to 44. The youth-driven growth continues in MENA and Africa. It’s hanging that 40% of African respondents are youthful than 25 years outdated.

BGA 2025 Key Takeaways highlighting MENA’s development to 19.8%, key trade drivers and largest threats. Supply: BGA report 2025

Regulation and high quality Priorities of the main sector

Professionals now view regulatory readability as probably the most crucial issue for the way forward for blockchain gaming. An amazing 64.4% count on insurance policies and rules to positively form the sector. This reveals a rising perception that legitimacy is determined by clear authorized frameworks.

MENA nations have moved rapidly to develop rules. The UAE, Bahrain and Morocco are testing or regulating stablecoin frameworks. This positions the area as a frontrunner in fee innovation. Oman, for instance, skilled a 700% enhance in digital funds inside a 12 months. Digital wallets now allow 74% of transactions and help blockchain-based economies with superior monetary techniques.

Excessive-quality sport launches rank second amongst high drivers at 29.5%. This reveals that speculative fashions of the previous have been deserted. Sustainable, revenue-driven enterprise fashions are available third at 27.5%. Stablecoins obtained 27.3% help as a instrument for cross-border funds and in-game transactions.

Studios have adopted a product-centric strategy following a big market decline. Blockchain sport funding dropped from over $10 billion in 2022 to $293 million in 2025. Studios at the moment are specializing in actual income as an alternative of token hypothesis. Guild participation fell from 20.7% in 2022 to 7.9% in 2025, as unsustainable fashions collapsed.

Fraud, funding shortages and AI emerge as the most important threats

Regardless of the momentum, the sector faces severe obstacles. Scams and fraud stay the most important threats, cited by 36.0% of respondents. Rug pulling and exploitative schemes nonetheless hinder mainstream adoption, particularly for risk-averse players.

Funding shortages are one other problem and are available second at 32.6%. The capital drought has pressured 80% to 93% of startups to shut since 2021. Main enterprise capital companies have suspended new investments. Studios now need to show their profitability and sustainability.

Synthetic intelligence affords each promise and threat. Whereas 46% see AI as a development driver for advertising or content material creation, 38.9% are involved about AI exploitation. Considerations embrace elevated dishonest, generic content material and attainable lack of artistic authenticity.

Digital infrastructure strengthens MENA’s aggressive benefit

MENA’s development displays greater than pro-innovation rules. The area’s digitally native inhabitants has excessive monetary literacy and threat tolerance, which is essential for blockchain adoption. Almost 45% of MENA merchants begin with demo accounts, indicating widespread demand for financial training. Regional clients obtain sturdy win charges and exhibit the best threat urge for food on the earth.

Trendy fee techniques play a key function. Many nations have deployed real-time settlement techniques, automated clearinghouses and cell platforms. This austerity cuts transaction prices and shortens settlement occasions, making cross-border worth transfers essential blockchain gaming economies.

Main studios have taken discover. Respondents to the BGA survey embrace staff from Ubisoft, Sq. Enix, Cointelegraph, Polygon Labs, DMCC Dubai and main regional monetary establishments. Conventional gaming and blockchain corporations are converging. As publishers discover Web3, they’re integrating new know-how with out abandoning confirmed fashions.

Globally, stablecoins processed $27.6 trillion in 2024, with MENA main the best way in retail funds innovation. The area’s give attention to regulation, infrastructure and consumer experience positions it properly as blockchain gaming strikes from area of interest to mainstream.

Business navigates shrinkage in the direction of restoration in 2026

Web3 token costs fell 90% to 95% from earlier highs. Studios are transferring away from token-driven fashions. Now they like conventional income with blockchain components. Though many tasks failed, the survivors present stronger foundations. Studios with stable mental property and sustainable economics are attracting investor curiosity after two years of restricted funding.

The rise of MENA comes because the sector matures. Regional builders profit from steady rules, diversified revenues and capital from institutional traders and sovereign wealth funds.

Waiting for 2026, the trade’s focus is on whether or not high quality sport launches can ship long-awaited outcomes. MENA’s infrastructure, expertise and regulatory surroundings give it a aggressive benefit. Nevertheless, its widespread success will rely on creating video games that folks select for his or her leisure worth – and never only for monetary incentives. The approaching 12 months will present whether or not MENA can ship on its promise to develop into the expansion engine of blockchain gaming.