How a new Dubai-based exchange wants to be the home for the Solana ecosystem

Quick Take

  • Backpack CEO Armani Ferrante discusses Backpack’s exchange launch in Dubai and its future role in the Solana ecosystem.

Episode 95 of Season 5 of The Scoop was recorded with The Block's Frank Chaparro and Backpack Founder & CEO Armani Ferrante.

Listen below, and subscribe to The Scoop on Youtube, AppleSpotifyGoogle PodcastsStitcher, or wherever you listen to podcasts. Please send feedback and revision requests to [email protected].


Armani Ferrante is the founder and CEO of the crypto wallet company Backpack and the creator of the MadLads NFT collection.

In this episode of The Scoop recorded live at Solana Breakpoint 2023, Ferrante unpacks Backpack's plans to launch a new exchange in Dubai.

As Ferrante explains, the new exchange is both an opportunity to bring a regulated crypto exchange to market and bolster the Solana ecosystem:

"We very much see a big opportunity in the international market, not only in the context of building a next generation exchange that embraces a lot of the technological innovations that blockchains and crypto at large has brought to the world, but also an opportunity to embrace the Solana ecosystem and kind of be that shepherd that bridges those two worlds."

OUTLINE:
00:00 - Introduction
03:27 - Go to Market Strategy
05:26 - Exchange Custody Transparency
08:57 - Attracting Liquidity
14:35 - Product Offering
15:37 - Setting Up in Dubai
20:03 - State of Solana Ecosystem


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© 2025 The Block. All Rights Reserved. This article is provided for informational purposes only. It is not offered or intended to be used as legal, tax, investment, financial, or other advice.

AUTHOR

Frank Chaparro is Host of The Scoop podcast and Director of Special Projects. He also writes a biweekly newsletter. Chaparro started his career at Business Insider, where he specialized in the intersection of digital assets and Wall Street, market structure, and financial technology. Soon after joining Business Insider out of Fordham University, Chaparro was interviewing top finance and tech executives, including billionaire Mark Cuban, “Flash Boys” star Brad Katsuyama, Cboe Global Markets CEO Ed Tilly, and New York Stock Exchange President Tom Farley. In 2018, he become a sought after reporter in the crypto world, interviewing luminaries such as Tyler Winklevoss, the cofounder of Gemini, Jeremy Allaire, the CEO of Circle, and Fundstrat head Tom Lee. For inquiries or tips, email [email protected].

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AUTHOR

Davis Quinton is the Director of Podcasts at The Block and runs our flagship podcast called The Scoop, hosted by Frank Chaparro. Since joining The Block as an 'intern' in early 2022, he has worked closely with leaders across departments to translate The Block's written content into engaging multimedia formats. He holds a degree in Social Research & Public Policy from New York University in Abu Dhabi and is based in Sydney, Australia.

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