By Staff Reporter
Dubai Multi Commodities Centre (DMCC) has signed a landmark agreement with AQUA-INDEX to support the launch of the world’s first digital asset token backed by verified freshwater reserves, marking a major step toward transforming global water trading.
The collaboration positions Dubai as a central hub for water innovation through the DMCC Water Centre, while enabling AQUA-INDEX to introduce a groundbreaking token tied directly to drinking-quality water stored in reservoirs worldwide. The asset will allow investors, traders, and the public to buy, sell, and take delivery of water as a commodity for the first time.
The initiative aims to bring transparency, liquidity, and financial innovation to the water market—one of the most critical but undervalued global resources. It also opens the door to new hedging and pricing tools to manage water scarcity and improve access.
Under the agreement, DMCC will provide AQUA-INDEX access to its global network, infrastructure, and marketplace, without directly owning or managing the token. The partnership supports knowledge exchange around water usage and pricing, and helps attract global players to Dubai’s emerging water economy.
“Nearly half the global population faces water scarcity, yet water lacks a mature, regulated market,”
said Ahmed Bin Sulayem, DMCC Executive Chairman and CEO.
“This partnership is a milestone in building a transparent and legally coherent marketplace for water.”
Yaacov Shirazi, Chairman of AQUA-INDEX, said the move would redefine water’s role in the global economy, creating tools to prevent scarcity and improve management through pricing and quality standardisation.
The announcement is a key step in DMCC’s broader plan to establish Dubai as a global centre for water security, innovation, and sustainable practice.
News Source: Emirates News Agency
