Cryptocurrency is one of the most talked-about industries in the world today.

Some people see it as the future of finance. Others see it as speculation and hype. But beyond the headlines and price charts, an entire financial infrastructure is being built — exchanges, platforms, and systems that allow millions of people to buy, sell, and store digital assets.

One of the people helping build that infrastructure in our region is today’s guest.

Talal Tabbaa is the CEO of CoinMENA, a cryptocurrency exchange serving users across the Middle East and beyond, providing access to digital assets within a regulated environment.

In this episode of The MAL Show, we explore Talal’s personal journey into the crypto industry and what it takes to build a company in such a fast-moving and often controversial space.

We also break down cryptocurrency itself — why it exists, the problems this technology is trying to solve, and how the crypto market actually works. From trading and exchanges to the risks and realities of the industry, this conversation aims to help viewers better understand the world of digital assets.

Topics discussed in this episode include:

Talal Tabbaa’s journey into crypto
How cryptocurrency works and why it exists
How crypto exchanges operate
How trading works in the crypto market
The risks and opportunities in the industry
Building a regulated crypto company in the Middle East

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To get in touch with Talal Tabbaa
https://www.linkedin.com/in/talaltabbaa/

#themalshow #crypto #bitcoin #cryptocurrency #entrepreneur #podcast

In this episode of The MAL Show (Podcast), we sit down with Wael Nafee — former Careem executive and now Partner at Raed Ventures, one of the region’s leading venture capital firms.

Wael has seen both sides of the table:
• building companies as an operator
• and backing founders as an investor

After studying and working abroad, he made the decision to come back and build in the region.

In this conversation, we discuss:

• Why some founders choose to return and build in emerging markets
• The culture of money and capital in the Middle East
• What Sharia-compliant fundraising actually looks like in venture capital
• Whether ethical constraints make companies weaker — or more disciplined
• The responsibility that comes with building products used by millions

And perhaps the most important question:

When your capital shapes companies used by millions of people…
what do you owe society?

A conversation about nation building, capital with consequence, and the moral weight behind scale.

We hope you enjoy this episode and don't forget to subscribe to our channel to get the latest episodes of the Mal Show.

Chapters:
00:00 Intro and Wael's journey
10:28 Sources of Fundraising
17:51 Sharia compliance Fundraising
23:09 Careem's positioning & acquisition
27:06 Careem's culture
33:23 Joining Raed Ventures
40:15 What do Investors look for?
44:32 Self assessment, correction & reflections
52:26 Money & Culture
57:55 Women & Money
1:01:12 Final advice on money

To get in touch with us:
podcast@mal.ai

Follow us on Social Media:
https://www.instagram.com/themal.show/
https://www.tiktok.com/@themalshow.podcast
https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61566478614883

To get in touch with Yousef Salem
https://www.linkedin.com/in/youssefsamysalem/?skipRedirect=true
https://www.instagram.com/youssefsamysalem?hl=en

To get in touch with Wael Nafee
https://www.linkedin.com/in/wael-nafee-2b78abb/

#themalshow #fintech #islamicfinance #entrepreneur #podcast