UAE Mashreq Capital includes Bitcoin ETFs in new multi-asset fund

UAE-based Mashreq Capital, a leading asset manager operating out of DIFC (Dubai International Financial Center), has announced the launch of BITMAC, a multi-asset investment mutual fund that includes equities, fixed income, gold and Bitcoin exposure via ETFs.

As per Mashreq Capital, BITMAC offers retail investors an innovative, diversified, and systematically rebalanced portfolio. This unique combination captures growth opportunities from both traditional and digital assets while reducing overall risk to levels comparable with a typical balanced portfolio.

It is directed at retail investors, so the minimum investment amount is $100. It offers retail investors an institutional-grade path to gain exposure to digital assets while maintaining a balanced, professionally managed and risk-controlled allocation alongside traditional asset classes such as equities, fixed income and gold, in a one-stop retail fund solution.

Mashreq Capital offers exposure to different asset classes

BITMAC is offering both Bitcoin and gold. BITMAC will maintain a diversified allocation of 90% across global equities and global fixed income, 5% in gold, and 5% in Bitcoin.

Philip Philippides, CEO at Mashreq Capital, noted, “Retail investors can find it challenging to balance their risk appetite and asset allocation choices within, as well as across, asset classes, a difficulty that becomes even more complex with the inclusion of the new digital assets that offer higher potential returns but at much higher risk. BITMAC is one of the first funds globally to include Bitcoin alongside traditional investments. It offers a one-stop solution within a simple, DFSA-regulated fund structure, professionally managed to systematically rebalance and control risk.”

Earlier this year, DeFi Technologies announced that it had opened an office alongside its subsidiary Valour to offer digital asset ETPs across regulated exchanges in the GCC region.

UAE sovereign wealth funds investing in Bitcoin ETFs

Both the Abu Dhabi Investment Council (ADIC), owned by Mubadala, a sovereign wealth fund, and Mubadala itself have invested in BlackRock’s iShares Bitcoin Trust ETF. Both entities have purchased more than 16 million shares, according to regulatory filings.

ADIC, which held 2.4 million shares back in September, increased its investment to almost 8 million shares at the end of September. At the time, the shares were worth about $518 million.

Mubadala, the mother company, Abu Dhabi’s sovereign wealth fund, disclosed a $408.5 million stake in iShares Bitcoin Trust (IBIT) in a 13F filing released on May 15, 2025. The fund reported holding 8,726,972 shares as of March 31, 2025, an increase from 8,235,533 shares reported at the end of 2024.

This increased exposure showcases the perception change regarding Bitcoin and crypto in general after President Trump took office.

The iShares Bitcoin Trust ETF is the world’s largest crypto ETF with more than $70 billion in assets.