DMCC, AL KHALEEJ SUGAR AND UNIVERSA LAUNCH ONLINE SUGAR TRADING PLATFORM

DMCC – the world’s flagship Free Zone and Government of Dubai Authority on commodities trade and enterprise – has announced the launch of the DigitalSugar Trading Platform (DigitalSugar.io) in partnership with the world’s largest sugar refinery, Al Khaleej Sugar, and Universa Blockchain.

Dubai, UAE; 30 September 2020: DMCC – the world’s flagship Free Zone and Government of Dubai Authority on commodities trade and enterprise – has announced the launch of the DigitalSugar Trading Platform (DigitalSugar.io) in partnership with the world’s largest sugar refinery, Al Khaleej Sugar, and Universa Blockchain.

Developed using Universa’s leading blockchain technology, DigitalSugar will be the first global exchange to offer traders and investors raw sugar on a spot basis, rather than the more common options or futures contracts offered by other current exchanges.

DigitalSugar will provide greater access to one of the world’s most popular soft commodities through a fully online platform backed by DMCC Tradeflow, a dedicated online platform for registering possession and ownership of commodities stored in UAE-based storage facilities. Trading through the DigitalSugar platform will be available 24/7 without brokers or a minimum exchange transaction value, allowing both retail and institutional clients to act upon their views whenever and wherever they are.

Sanjeev Dutta, Executive Director – Commodities and Financial Services, DMCC, said: “Driving increased trade through Dubai is at the heart of all that we do at DMCC, and partnerships like this exemplify this commitment. DigitalSugar is set to democratise access to the trading of raw sugar, allowing retail and institutional traders to invest or speculate on the price changes of sugar on their own terms and at their own convenience.”

He added, “This is an exciting moment as we continue to utilise cutting-edge blockchain technology to broaden the range of commodities traded through Dubai.”

Universa Blockchain and Al Khaleej Sugar will use the platform's services to tokenise up to an initial 100,000 tonnes of raw sugar. The electronic warrants issued by DMCC Tradeflow for the tokenised sugar will be backed by physical sugar reserves and stored in an approved storage facility located in Dubai.

Jamal Al Ghurair, Managing Director, Al Khaleej Sugar, commented: “The sugar trade has operated in traditional ways until recently, but DigitalSugar is set to transform this. Through Universa’s blockchain technology and DMCC’s extensive knowledge on commodities trade, DigitalSugar will undoubtedly boost Dubai’s sugar trade.”

Alexander Borodich, Founder and Chief Executive Officer, Universa, added: “Forming the backbone of a new commodity trading platform is a perfect example of how blockchain is driving one of the trade industry’s greatest advancements in recent history. We are proud to be working with DMCC, an organisation who have shown themselves to be major advocates and adopters of blockchain technology.”

Speaking to Cointelligence, Borodich also said: "Blockchain is arguably one of the youngest IT breakthroughs nowadays, having merely 12 years in its history of active usage. While sugar is one of the oldest commodities in the world, used by people for 10 thousand years already. There is something special this day, when this 10-thousand-years-wide gap is being bridged with our technologies and opens the new roads for the people, such as the Spot contract trading. And it is so unusual to realize that in 2020, the blockchain technologies are becoming so ubiquitous that are even being used to help businesses to deliver you that sugar cube you put in your cup of tea."

DMCC Tradeflow is an online platform that offers a secure and transparent central registry of ownership for commodities stored in Dubai. The title of stored commodities can be transferred or pledged through electronic warrants backed by DMCC Tradeflow’s robust legal and Sharia compliant framework.