In a decisive step toward redefining modern banking, Commercial Bank International (CBI) has introduced CBIx, a new entity designed to test the limits of what finance can become when merged with artificial intelligence, blockchain, and tokenization.
Unlike a typical fintech offshoot, CBIx is built as a self-contained innovation lab – one that operates independently from the bank’s traditional structure. Its mission is to experiment freely with next-generation tools and transform those findings into real products for the UAE’s evolving financial landscape.
A New Kind of Financial Sandbox
CBIx isn’t just about adopting new technology; it’s about creating an ecosystem where Web3, AI, and digital finance converge to reshape how institutions interact with markets and customers. The subsidiary’s framework allows it to function more like a venture studio than a standard bank division -identifying opportunities, building prototypes, and investing in startups that align with the UAE’s ambition to become a global hub for digital innovation.
The platform’s leadership describes its goal as moving beyond imitation, focusing instead on “actionable innovation” that can directly enhance financial inclusion and operational efficiency.
Turning Research Into Real Finance
One of the initiative’s first moves involves collaborations with both academic and industry partners. CBIx is working with the Al Farabi Innovation Hub to commercialize university research in financial technology, and with Qatar National Bank (QNB) to co-develop a Money Market Fund built on smarter, data-driven architecture.
At the same time, the company is forming a corporate venture capital division to identify and support promising fintech and blockchain startups capable of transforming regional finance.
Building the Bridge Between Old and New Finance
Managing Director Ala Aljayyusi explains that CBIx’s ultimate goal is to make traditional finance interoperable with new digital systems. “We’re not trying to follow global trends,” he said. “We’re building the infrastructure that connects the future of finance to the stability of regulated banking.”
That ambition is already visible in CBIx’s work with the Ascend RWA Accelerator, a program focusing on tokenization of real-world assets – an emerging field where physical and financial instruments are represented as blockchain-based tokens, enabling fractional ownership and borderless trading.
From AI to Gaming Economies
Beyond tokenization and finance, CBIx is looking to AI-driven investment models and gaming economies as untapped frontiers. Through a partnership with the Dubai International Financial Center’s gaming hub, the company is designing banking models that cater to digital-native communities – including players, developers, and virtual-world creators.
Co-founder Giovanni Everduin described the initiative as an “engine for transformation” that turns conceptual ideas into scalable businesses. “Our focus is not on speculation,” he said. “It’s about building sustainable systems for a digital-first economy.”
UAE’s Innovation Strategy in Motion
The establishment of CBIx underscores how the UAE’s financial sector is evolving beyond traditional banking into a dynamic network of AI, fintech, and Web3 enterprises. By giving CBIx autonomy and a venture-style structure, CBI is effectively embedding continuous innovation into its DNA – a move that could set a precedent for other regional banks.
As tokenization and AI continue to redefine the boundaries of global finance, CBIx’s launch positions the UAE as more than a fast adopter – it positions it as an architect of the world’s next financial era.
