Andrei Grachev, Managing Partner of DWF Labs, was featured in the December 2024 issue of Entrepreneur magazine, sharing the history and mission of DWF Labs, as well as our initiatives and future plans in the Web3 industry.
The crypto industry has been a polarising space, with some questioning its longevity and volatility, while others believe in its long-term potential and innovative solutions to problems in traditional finance.
In this interview, Andrei shared that we see beyond the volatility and focus on opportunities that are changing the world. He explained that Bitcoin is a form of digital gold that is liquid, borderless, and transferable — and decentralised finance (DeFi), stablecoins, real-world assets (RWAs), and memecoins represent this new era of financial instruments powered by technology.
Memecoins in particular are a key part of the new era as they can tokenise culture — making the community aspect of crypto more attainable and bringing people together in tight-knit communities. These innovations remind us of how digital trading positively changed the world when couriers were replaced by real-time price feeds, increasing the efficiency and seamlessness of trading.
Business Proposition and Global Expansion
In December 2024, Andrei shared via the social media platform X that DWF Labs would shift headquarters to Abu Dhabi. The decision reflects our goal to strengthen our presence in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and support RWAs and financial services in the region. While we also maintain offices in Switzerland, Hong Kong, Japan, and Singapore, the UAE offers a unique opportunity to collaborate with regulators, institutions, and partners to unlock the region’s crypto potential.
Andrei shared that we want to be both a launchpad and a safety net for crypto businesses. The industry is fast-moving, and the market response to innovation is immediate. That’s why we’ve designed our ecosystem to help start-ups not only survive but thrive — giving them the tools, financial support, and strategic partnerships they need to build and scale.
Andrei also shared about our core business propositions such as market-making, OTC trading, ventures investments, and secondary investments, and how we are setting ourselves apart from the competition. We’ve gone beyond traditional market-making by introducing liquid investments, business development support, and even project partnerships. We work closely with each project to provide them with the connections they need to scale, introducing them to other projects within our vast network and facilitating collaboration and innovation. Our ecosystem extends across a myriad of verticals in the crypto space, offering our portfolio companies a diverse range of potential collaborators. This approach has allowed us to support our portfolio companies holistically and comprehensively.
Collaborating for Regional Growth
We are active in the UAE and are pursuing several initiatives in the region. In 2023, we committed $5 million USD to support start-ups in the region through the establishment of the DWF Ventures Studio, in partnership with the Dubai Multi Commodities Centre (DMCC) Crypto Centre. Since then, we’ve renewed this agreement and expanded our portfolio to include over 800 projects, supporting projects with visionary leaders and their long-term goals by providing strategic investments, access to global venture capital, introductions to potential collaborators.
We contribute to the foundational development of the crypto industry by running validator nodes and contributing to total value locked (TVL). To support regulatory alignment in the UAE, we are actively engaging with standard bodies such as the Securities and Commodities Authority (SCA), Abu Dhabi Global Market (ADGM), the Virtual Assets Regulatory Authority (VARA), and Dubai Multi Commodities Centre (DMCC), which will help us develop compliant frameworks and advance Web3 adoption.
We have also partnered with The Blockchain Center Abu Dhabi to strengthen the Web3 ecosystem in the UAE. Initiatives from this partnership include accelerator programs to nurture early-stage crypto projects, providing ecosystem grants, and offering strategic advisory services to help projects achieve sustainable growth. With our extensive global network, we will also support builders in establishing key collaborations.
The Future: Where Crypto Meets Traditional Finance
Looking ahead, we see massive opportunities at the intersection of crypto and traditional finance (TradFi), and Andrei shared the steps we have taken to set these opportunities in motion. He discussed the launch of Falcon Finance, a multi-collateralised yield-bearing stablecoin that will allow institutional investors, companies, and users to secure additional cash for investments and trading without selling their assets. Over the next two years, we plan to acquire several banks in different regions, building products that integrate the best of both crypto and traditional finance.
Andrei highlighted the importance of a strong, passionate, and hard-working team. We work 24/7 to provide connections to an extensive global network of partners, from legal and audit firms to industry experts. We also provide comprehensive listing support, making introductions to the world's biggest CEXs and provide strategic advisory. Our commitment to supporting projects through strategic investments and partnerships has been acknowledged by top players in the crypto industry. Last year, we were recognised as the Lead Crypto Investor by Binance Research. We have also been awarded the Best Liquidity Provider Award by Bybit.
To close, Andrei shared an important piece of advice: pay attention to trends. Every market has its cycles, and the key to long-term success is building a business model that can weather the tough times, capitalise on the good times, and scale sustainably. That’s the mindset that drives us at DWF Labs — we support our portfolio companies in all market conditions, focus on innovation and opportunities, and strategise long-term plans to drive the industry forward. It is also the mindset that will shape the future of crypto.