Fasset has thus taken the opportunity to onboard Mehtap Onder, one of the region’s most respected digital asset leaders and former Managing Director at GCEX Dubai, to lead its Africa-Asia expansion. At GCEX, she helped secure Dubai’s first broker-dealer license under VARA.
Fasset is a global banking and investment platform. At Fasset, Onder will lead the company’s institutional, operational, compliance and legal strategies to strengthen its regulatory credibility across the Islamic Belt and beyond. In her role, she will work closely with the founders to lead Fasset’s strategic growth and expansion agenda, driving strategic partnerships and market entry initiatives as Fasset prepares to launch Own, its real-world asset (RWA)-focused Ethereum Layer 2 network.
With over a decade in traditional and digital finance, Onder brings deep expertise in bridging regulatory compliance with strategic business growth. She joins Fasset from GCEX Dubai, the digital prime brokerage, where as Managing Director she led the company to secure the first broker-dealer license from Dubai’s Virtual Assets Regulatory Authority (VARA) and established Dubai’s first client-money account for a Virtual Asset Service Provider (VASP)—both major milestones in the region’s evolving virtual asset ecosystem.
“Fasset represents the future of finance – where innovation meets integrity,” said Mehtap Onder, Managing Director of Fasset. “I’m thrilled to contribute to this next chapter, expanding access to real-world assets and building a more inclusive, transparent financial ecosystem that empowers individuals and institutions across emerging markets.”
Mehtap began her career at the FCA-regulated CFH Clearing (now Finalto), later serving as Regional Director for Turkey, and has also held compliance roles with Waystone UAE. She was named among Unlock Blockchain’s Top 20 Performing CEOs of 2024, reflecting her impact on responsible innovation in finance.
Her appointment also marks a significant milestone for representation and leadership diversity in the region’s fintech and digital-asset sector, where women currently represent around 11% of executive-level positions across MENA according to Backbase. Onder’s leadership not only reinforces Fasset’s commitment to inclusion and empowerment but also highlights the growing influence of female executives shaping the future of finance and innovation in the region.
Mohammad Raafi Hossain, Co-Founder of Fasset, said, “Mehtap brings a rare combination of regulatory expertise, strategic vision and commercial acumen—her track record in navigating regulatory frameworks, paired with her commercial mindset to drive sustainable expansion, makes her the ideal leader for Fasset’s next chapter of growth.”
