How Asal Alizade is shaping Base in the UAE

In Dubai’s fast-growing crypto scene, Asal Alizade stands out for her mission to make blockchain simple, secure, and human. As the country lead for Base in the UAE – the blockchain platform built by Coinbase – she believes the technology’s future depends not on speculation, but on accessibility and fairness.

Alizade’s journey began in 2017 as a computer engineering student curious about the “unchained world” she kept hearing about. “I didn’t have a 100% positive idea about it at first,” she told The Crypto Radio, “but I started reading and became increasingly curious.” That curiosity soon became a calling. She began writing articles about Bitcoin and emerging crypto projects before working as a due diligence officer for investment institutions and hedge funds.

Over time, her focus shifted from analysis to innovation. She co-founded an incubator for blockchain startups, helping developers navigate both the technical and business sides of the industry. “Most of them are really great developers,” she said, “but when it comes to the business side, there are many different sorts of support that they need.” Her early experience shaped her view that blockchain adoption depends as much on people as it does on technology.

Base’s mission to bring one billion on-chain

When Base began expanding into the region, Alizade’s background made her the natural choice to lead. She had already been helping founders decide which ecosystem to build on. “Base really makes sense,” she said. “It is the most compatible L2 with Ethereum. It has many different technical benefits. But apart from that, I could see the Base community on social media. People are there not only for making money. People are there to make an impact.”

At its core, Base’s mission is simple: bring one billion people on-chain and support one million builders. “We want everyone to find their place on-chain,” she said. That means removing barriers that have long made blockchain feel intimidating. “We need to make the use of unchained world really accessible for daily use cases,” Alizade explained.

Base’s focus on “Mini Apps” – lightweight, user-friendly blockchain applications – reflects this vision. Instead of complex financial tools, these apps are designed for ordinary activities like gaming, messaging, or trading. “If we want to make this unchained economy a fair and friendly place for everyone,” she said, “we need to make it easy to understand and easy to use.”

Security and trust also define Base’s approach. “Our main priority is security,” she said. “We want our users and anyone that is using Base to feel that they are safe and secure and to make this accessible.” The platform’s roots in Coinbase give it the credibility of a regulated exchange while keeping its layer two structure decentralized. “We are taking steps and have a long-term plan to make this ecosystem even more decentralized,” she said.

Why education is the key to adoption

Alizade believes that adoption begins with understanding. “If the right education lacks,” she said, “even amazing applications will go to waste.” For her, education is not just about onboarding users but empowering builders and creators who will shape blockchain’s future.

She described Base as a bridge rather than an island: “We are not just fighting for Base. We are fighting for the unchained economy. We are fighting for this whole value and ideology that we want to help the world to be a better place.” Her team in the UAE focuses on regional education initiatives to help both individuals and companies use blockchain tools confidently.

Part of that effort includes improving the user experience for developers. “We are trying to make a lot of kits and toolings for our builders to make this development faster and smoother,” she said. “We have Onchain Kit, Mini Kit, Agent Kit – platforms that make it very easy to make really user-friendly applications.”

For Alizade, education isn’t just a technical issue – it’s about inclusion. “The unchained world needs everyone,” she said. “Needs this diversity.”

Base is prioritizing education to help people understand and use blockchain confidently in everyday life. Photo: Unsplash / John

Creating space for women and community

As one of the few women leading a blockchain initiative in the region, Alizade understands the challenges others face entering the field. “Sometimes when you are the only girl in the room, you even don’t dare to ask,” she said.

Her team launched “Build Her,” a Base community initiative that provides mentorship and support for women in tech. “The main barrier for girls to enter is that social pressure and feeling of fear,” she said.

Beyond gender, she views community as the foundation of everything in crypto. “All of this industry, at the end of the day, is about community,” Alizade said. “This ecosystem was built around decentralization and the power of community. If anything is powerful, it’s because of the community.”

Her approach combines technical leadership with a human touch. “Our biggest asset is people around us,” she said, recalling advice from a mentor: choose people you would go on vacation with. It’s a philosophy that shapes how she builds her teams and how she envisions the future of the blockchain space.

Fairness as the foundation

When asked to describe Base’s mission in one word, Alizade didn’t hesitate: “Fairness.” For her, fairness means more than equitable access – it’s about creating a system where everyone, regardless of background or financial status, can participate safely and meaningfully.

“I’m a utility maxi,” she said with a smile. “I really don’t like having a token for the sake of having a token.” That focus on real-world usefulness over speculation aligns with her broader vision: to move blockchain from hype to everyday function.

The Base app, now in beta testing, reflects that goal. It aims to integrate messaging, asset management, and community tools into one secure, intuitive experience. Alizade believes that progress will come not through hype cycles but through trust and utility. “We are standing in a really good position,” she said, “but we still have a lot to do.”

For those still hesitant about blockchain, her message is simple: it’s not just for experts or investors. It’s for everyone – and the journey is only just beginning.