When Donald Trump landed in the United Arab Emirates earlier this year, he wasn’t just bringing headlines with him—he came with deals, ambitions, and soft power in the field of artificial intelligence.

The former US president was received with royal honors, but the highlight of the visit was the announcement of a massive AI-focused university campus—a joint UAE-US project.

This initiative, described as the largest AI infrastructure hub outside the US, marks the boldest step yet by Gulf countries to cement their position on the global AI map.

Trump’s visit coincided with a strategic shift as the White House relaxed export restrictions on Nvidia’s most advanced chips to both the UAE and Saudi Arabia.

This move signaled how seriously the US considers its Gulf allies as partners in a broader tech alliance.

Gulf states are leveraging their sovereign wealth, geographic location, and abundant oil reserves to position themselves as AI powerhouses. Technology has become central to their plans for reducing future dependence on fossil fuel revenues.

The UAE leads this charge with bold steps, placing data centers at the heart of its strategy. Abu Dhabi announced the development of a massive data center cluster dedicated to OpenAI and other American firms under the “Stargate” project.

This multi-billion-dollar deal is funded by G42, a state-linked Emirati tech firm spearheading the country’s AI ambitions. Nvidia will supply its latest advanced chips for the project.

Major tech firms such as Cisco, Oracle, and Japan’s SoftBank are collaborating with G42 in the first phase of development.

Hassan Alnaqbi, CEO of Khazna—the UAE’s largest data center operator—says: “Just like Emirates Airlines turned the UAE into a global air travel hub, the country can now become a global hub for AI and data.”

Khazna, majority-owned by G42, is building the infrastructure for the Stargate project and currently operates 29 data centers across the UAE.

Both the UAE and Saudi Arabia are racing to host the computing infrastructure needed to train powerful AI models. “Compute is the new oil,” says Mohamed Soliman, senior fellow at the Middle East Institute in Washington, D.C.

In AI terms, “compute” refers to the massive processing power provided by advanced chips and large-scale data centers—an area into which the Gulf is investing billions.

In today’s AI-driven world, infrastructure is the new fuel—just as oil powered the industrial revolution.

Soliman notes that Gulf AI firms today aspire to play a role similar to that of their oil counterparts in powering the global economy—but this time through compute.

In recent years, Gulf sovereign wealth funds have poured billions into foreign tech companies. But now, they are shifting from passive investors to active players.

In Saudi Arabia, the Public Investment Fund (PIF) has launched a national AI firm called “Humain,” which plans to build “AI factories” powered by hundreds of thousands of Nvidia chips over the next five years.

In the UAE, sovereign wealth fund Mubadala has backed G42 and the $100 billion joint venture “MGX,” which focuses on AI and includes Microsoft as a key technology partner—alongside other domestic initiatives.

However, attracting top-tier AI talent remains a major hurdle. To address this, the UAE is offering incentives like low taxes, long-term golden visas, and a flexible regulatory environment to lure companies and researchers.

“Building world-class AI and digital infrastructure will act as a magnet for talent,” says Baghdad Gras, an AI startup founder and venture capitalist based in the UAE.

Still, the region has yet to produce a globally recognized AI company like OpenAI, Mistral, or DeepSeek, nor does it have a deep bench of elite research talent.

Gras notes that the UAE’s small population—around 10 million—limits the scale of a domestic research ecosystem.

The Gulf’s rise as an ambitious AI player has also drawn the region into the spotlight of US-China tech rivalry.

Trump’s visit gave Washington an edge in the regional AI race—but at a cost. In shifting course, the UAE scaled back some Chinese-backed projects and reduced its reliance on Huawei hardware.

The AI-focused deals during Trump’s trip reflect the growing strategic importance of this technology in US diplomacy.

For decades, the US-Gulf relationship was built on the formula of “oil for security.” Today, that dynamic is evolving into a mix of energy, security, and technology.

Soliman of the Middle East Institute says the AI agreements signed during Trump’s visit “are more about China than the Gulf.”

“It’s essentially an attempt to pull a promising AI region—the Gulf—into the American AI ecosystem and make it part of Team America,” he adds.

The “AI stack” refers to the full chain of capabilities, including chips, infrastructure, models, and software—areas dominated by US firms.

Gras says the UAE’s choice to partner with the US over China was a rational one: “At this point, the Americans are ahead in AI. So it made sense for the UAE to bet on them.”

Still, Reuters reported that the Stargate deal is awaiting security approvals, with US officials still concerned about potential Chinese components or personnel in Emirati data centers.

Even so, the project is expected to proceed with growing US corporate support.

Despite America’s current AI dominance, Soliman cautions against underestimating China.

“The Chinese are moving fast. They already have an AI stack. It may not be as powerful as the American one, but it’s cheaper. And for many countries, ‘good enough’ is all they need.”

For now, both the US and Gulf states appear to be benefiting: Washington gains regional allies in its AI race against China, while the Gulf gains a powerful partner in its search for a post-oil economic future.

US stock indices rose during Monday trading as Wall Street attempted to recover from the losses it suffered last Friday due to weak employment data.

Government data revealed that the US economy added 73,000 jobs in July, compared to expectations of 100,000 new jobs.

Figures for May and June were also revised sharply lower, with a total downward revision of 258,000 jobs compared to initial estimates. June's data was revised to 14,000 jobs from 147,000, and May's to 19,000 from 144,000.

The government data also showed that the US unemployment rate rose to 4.2% last month from 4.1%, in line with expectations.

In response to this data, President Donald Trump questioned the drop in US job numbers, dismissed the head of the Bureau of Labor Statistics, and cast doubt on her intentions, claiming it was aimed at weakening Republicans in the elections.

As for trading, the Dow Jones Industrial Average rose by 1.0% (equivalent to 433 points) to 44,022 points as of 16:49 GMT. The broader S&P 500 index climbed by 1.1% (equivalent to 70 points) to 6,308 points, while the Nasdaq Composite rose by 1.5% (equivalent to 314 points) to 20,964 points.

Copper prices rose by 1% on Monday, driven by supply concerns following a deadly collapse at a mine in Chile, the world's largest copper producer. However, the gains remained limited due to ongoing worries about the global economy.

The three-month copper futures contract on the London Metal Exchange reached $9,722.50 per metric ton by 09:30 GMT, continuing the modest gains recorded on Friday.

Copper in London has rebounded by 20% since hitting a more than 16-month low in April but has retreated since surpassing the $10,000 mark in early July.

Chilean state-owned giant Codelco suspended operations at its El Teniente mine last week following a seismic event and collapse that killed six workers.

The mining minister stated on Sunday that officials will determine when it is safe to resume operations at the mine, which produced 356,000 tons of copper last year.

Additional supply concerns emerged in Japan, where Mitsubishi Materials announced on Monday that it is considering reducing copper concentrate processing at its Onahama smelter and refinery.

"This is supporting prices and helping to offset some of the growth-related worries after Friday’s jobs report," said Ole Hansen, head of commodity strategy at Saxo Bank in Copenhagen.

Friday’s US jobs data came in weaker than expected, pointing to a sharp deterioration in labor market conditions.

Hansen added, "It’s becoming clear that tariffs are starting to take effect, and what we’ve seen so far may just be the beginning. This will keep the market defensive in the short term."

In China, the most-traded copper contract on the Shanghai Futures Exchange rose 0.1% to 78,330 yuan (approximately $10,915.70) per ton.

Aluminum on the LME added 0.5% to $2,579.50 per ton, zinc rose 0.9% to $2,750.50, nickel gained 0.3% to $15,025, lead climbed 0.2% to $1,975.50, and tin advanced 0.3% to $33,465.

The US Dollar Index fell 0.4% to 98.7 points by 16:01 GMT, after hitting a high of 98.9 and a low of 98.5.

Meanwhile, US copper futures for September delivery held steady at $4.43 per pound by 15:59 GMT.

Bitcoin held steady in Monday trading after suffering sharp losses last week, as concerns over slowing US economic growth and looming trade tariffs weighed on investor appetite for risk assets.

Broader cryptocurrency prices saw modest gains but remained under pressure from last week’s wave of risk aversion, with some investors still taking profits.

Bitcoin rose 0.6% to $114,268.8 as of 01:25 ET (05:25 GMT). Despite recent institutional buying, Bitcoin ended last week down nearly 3%.

Bitcoin Wobbles on Weak Jobs Data and Tariff Uncertainty

Bitcoin fell in tandem with Wall Street on Friday after July’s US nonfarm payrolls came in far below expectations. The sharp downward revision in the prior two months’ job figures added to fears of a deteriorating labor market.

In a surprise move shortly after the data release, US President Donald Trump fired Bureau of Labor Statistics chief Erica MacEntarfer, stoking concerns over the integrity of future US economic data.

While the weak jobs report boosted bets on a Federal Reserve rate cut in September, it also highlighted the depth of the slowdown in the world’s largest economy.

Adding to the uncertainty was the fast-approaching implementation of Trump’s new tariffs on key US trading partners, which could further disrupt global economic stability.

Although Bitcoin is not directly impacted by tariffs or labor data, shifts in investor sentiment tend to influence speculative asset prices. On the other hand, lower interest rates tend to support Bitcoin in the long run.

Bitcoin Jumps After Metaplanet Buys 463 More Coins, Raising Holdings to 17,595 BTC Worth Over $2 Billion

Tokyo-listed Metaplanet Inc. announced the purchase of an additional 463 BTC as part of its ongoing strategy to expand its Bitcoin reserves. The $53.7 million acquisition brought the company’s total holdings to 17,595 BTC, worth over $2 billion at current market prices.

The move reflects Metaplanet’s continued aggressive stance on treating Bitcoin as a core treasury asset, echoing a growing trend among companies seeking long-term strategic exposure to crypto.

Strategic Expansion and Market Confidence

The average purchase price of the new Bitcoin tranche was $115,895 per coin. The company’s average acquisition cost stands at approximately ¥14.85 million per Bitcoin.

Metaplanet began accumulating Bitcoin in mid-2024 and accelerated purchases following the official launch of its BTC reserve operations in December 2024.

To fund the acquisitions, Metaplanet has utilized a mix of operating income, bond issuances, and equity raises through structured financing. It now plans to raise $3.7 billion via perpetual preferred shares with a target of holding 210,000 BTC by 2027—equal to roughly 1% of global Bitcoin supply.

With 17,595 BTC currently on its books, the company has achieved about 8.4% of its target. If successful, it would rank among the largest corporate Bitcoin holders globally.

Performance Metrics and Rising Institutional Adoption

Metaplanet tracks its Bitcoin investment via custom metrics like BTC Yield, which measures Bitcoin holdings per fully diluted share.

In Q2, BTC Yield hit 129.4%, up from 95.6% in Q1 and 24.6% so far in Q3. According to CEO Simon Gerovich, year-to-date BTC Yield has reached an annualized rate of 459.2%.

The strategy mirrors that of US-based firm Strategy, led by Michael Saylor, which recently raised $2.5 billion via preferred equity to buy Bitcoin. Both firms are pioneering financing structures that enable large-scale Bitcoin purchases without shareholder dilution or traditional debt.

Metaplanet currently ranks as the seventh-largest corporate Bitcoin holder, trailing Strategy, Mara Holdings, Riot Platforms, and others.

Market Reaction and Broader Implications

The announcement pushed Bitcoin above $114,000, reflecting growing institutional confidence. It is currently trading at $114,635, up 0.9% on the day.

This wave of corporate Bitcoin accumulation signals a new phase of institutional adoption, where Bitcoin is increasingly seen not just as a speculative asset but as a strategic financial reserve.