In an earlier entry, I wrote about my friendship with CZ and his invitation for me to visit him in Dubai during the fall of 2024. While there, I got the privilege of attending a small house party in Abu Dhabi, which is about one hour away from Dubai. While there, I got to meet people from all over the world who share a passion for shaping the future.
It’s always a gift for me to share what I learn from my friends and mentors to people in jails and prisons across America. If I had encountered these individuals during my own journey through prison, their influence would have given me hope, ignited my ambition to learn, and inspired the books I read.
One of the people I met, Saqr Ereiqat, truly inspired me. If you’ve never heard the name before, I assure you, Saqr is someone who embodies the potential we can unlock through education, optimism, and an unwavering belief in opportunity.
From the moment we met, Saqr stood out as this incredibly welcoming and gracious person. As I stood alone on the patio, smiling, quietly absorbing everything around me, he approached with a warm handshake and he told me that he wanted to hear my story.
I shared that my story would be different from the other people at the party. We were in the midst of some of the world’s leading Bitcoin ambassadors, but I was a man who had been in prison for multiple decades. Saqr wanted to hear more, and our conversation lasted for nearly an hour.
In that brief time, I felt the power of his outlook.
Saqr’s Journey into Blockchain
When I asked Saqr about his story, he told me that he was born Palestinian but raised in Germany, and he moved to Dubai in 2008 as a consultant for IBM. His work took him around the world, helping governments and private-sector entities learn how to use technology more efficiently to improve people’s lives. Around 2014 or 2015, he stumbled on the concept of blockchain. Even with his tech background, the idea of blockchain confused him at first because it sounded both “too simple” and “too revolutionary.”
Despite the initial confusion, he recognized the potential. He ended up co-authoring Dubai’s blockchain strategy—the first of its kind worldwide—and has been an active force in pushing forward this “internet of value” ever since. Think of how the internet once changed how we interact with information. Blockchain, Saqr believes, will transform how we transact with and trust one another on a global scale.
When I asked Saqr if he would share his story with our nonprofit, so that I could use it to teach others, he readily agreed.
I asked many questions, which will help our audience understand blockchain. He broke down the evolution of the internet into three phases:

Web 3.0 – An “internet of value,” where smart contracts and blockchains allow us to transact securely without relying on intermediaries. Imagine sending significant sums of money across the world in seconds without banks acting as middlemen.
Web 1.0 – The “read-only” internet where we simply accessed static information (think early sites like Yahoo or AltaVista).
Web 2.0 – The era of user-generated content and interaction (Facebook, Instagram, YouTube). Here, we don’t just read information; we can produce and share it.
Saqr outlined how this evolution opens immense opportunities—not just for global finance, but also for sectors like real estate, global shipping, supply chain management, healthcare, and more. Whether you come from a technical background or not, there’s room to build a career through education and by becoming an expert who can explain and apply these concepts.
Tokenizing Real-World Assets
One of the topics that truly excites me is the “tokenization of real-world assets”—turning something physical like property, gold, even a business, into digital tokens that can be traded anywhere in the world. Saqr believes the potential here is in the trillions of dollars. For instance, if you own a piece of real estate or a manufacturing business, you could theoretically divide ownership into tokens and open investment to a global market. That concept is still maturing, but pioneers are already using blockchain to fractionalize ownership in real estate and other industries. The key to capitalizing on that is education: read about it, watch videos, and follow people like Saqr who are shaping the movement.
The UAE: A Global Hub for Innovation
Our conversation also touched on why the United Arab Emirates, particularly Dubai and Abu Dhabi, have become such global leaders in blockchain adoption. Saqr attributes it to visionary leadership that treats the city like a company, aiming for efficiency, innovation, and, fascinatingly, “happiness” for citizens and residents. With around a million Emirati nationals and more than nine million expatriates, the UAE has become “the world in one country,” welcoming ambitious people who want to contribute, innovate, and build businesses.
From developing user-friendly regulations around blockchain back in 2018 to establishing entire economic zones where entrepreneurs can flourish, the UAE invites anyone who is motivated to work, create, and do so lawfully. It’s a practical lesson in how strong leadership and a clear vision can transform what was once desert into a futuristic metropolis.
Why the Digital Economy Matters to Everyone—Including Those in Prison
For years, I’ve encouraged people to focus on self-directed learning. Throughout my incarceration, I immersed myself in books and built a network by reaching out to people who were experts in their fields. I learned from them, and they helped me prepare for success upon release. That approach is something I want to share with you.
Saqr’s story is proof that you don’t need a formal degree in blockchain or cryptocurrencies to become a recognized professional. He was entirely self-taught, devouring every resource he could find on the subject, from whitepapers to online university courses. Today, he’s helped bring more than 600 companies to the UAE, invested in many of them, and continues to speak globally about this technology’s potential.
If there’s one lesson that I hope resonates with people in jails and prisons, it’s that you can build your skill set and position yourself for success—no matter where you are. Saqr emphasized that the resources for learning are more abundant than ever. Organizations like Princeton, MIT, and Harvard make some of their materials freely available online. Even if you don’t have immediate internet access, you can read books about digital economies and look for articles or courses that might come into your facility. Understanding the digital future can create real opportunities for you in the years ahead.
My Gratitude
I’m truly grateful to Saqr for taking the time to speak with me, and in turn, for allowing me to share his story and insights with all of you. Whenever I meet someone who’s forging a new path—especially in a field that can benefit those who’ve encountered hurdles—I want to show how their journey can inspire us all. By choosing our friends and advisors wisely, and by investing in knowledge, we can accelerate our own journeys to success. When I asked what I should read next, he recommended The Bitcoin Standard, by Saifedean Ammous, which I appreciated.
Self-Directed Learning Question
- How are you investing in your own education and building a network of mentors and peers who can guide you toward success in this rapidly changing digital world?