Sunday 11 / January / 2026
MUSCAT: For years, mainstream investor thinking in the Gulf followed a simple rule: the loudest market must be the best opportunity. Scale, visibility, and speed became proxies for value.
That assumption is now changing.
In mature markets, visibility increasingly signals completion rather than upside. Entry costs rise, competition intensifies, and long-term returns compress. Capital that still equates attention with opportunity risks arriving late.
This shift is why a growing group of strategic investors is turning its attention to Oman.
One such investor is Matvii Diadkov, founder of Bitmedia Labs and an active technology-sector investor, who has chosen Oman as a strategic long-term market. “Oman is the most underestimated market in the GCC, and that’s exactly why the upside is so high,” Diadkov says. “Oman represents a new chapter in the region.”
Matvii Diadkov is a Web3, blockchain, and technology entrepreneur, as well as an early-stage investor, with over a decade of experience in building and scaling digital products. He is known for bridging business strategy with technical execution, enabling teams to translate complex technologies into scalable, revenue-focused solutions.A member of the Forbes Business Council, Matvii regularly shares insights on sustainable Web3 growth, data integrity, and how long-term technology decisions shape meaningful business outcomes.
A shift in how investors read the region. Oman’s appeal does not stem from momentum trading or speculative growth narratives. Instead, it reflects a process of structural repositioning.
Over recent years, the Sultanate has focused on fundamentals rather than promotion. Fiscal discipline has improved, sovereign risk has declined, and regulatory reforms have accelerated under Vision 2040 — the long-term framework aimed at diversifying the economy beyond oil while strengthening logistics, energy, and digital sectors. “Most capital still assumes that scale equals opportunity,” Diadkov notes. “In reality, scale often means the value has already been priced in. I chose Oman because it sits earlier on the curve.”
According to him, Oman offers something increasingly rare in the region: endurance. “I consciously chose governance over hype and long-term execution over short-term velocity,” he says. “That approach aligns with how I invest.”
Entry pricing in Oman continues to reflect current fundamentals rather than inflated future expectations. Regulatory alignment favours long-term operators over speculative plays, while competitive pressure remains manageable. This allows businesses to establish strategic positions without constant repricing.
“If you follow the fundamentals — governance stability, strategic location, and economic diversification — Oman outperforms many of its GCC neighbours,” Diadkov says. “It may not move first, but it compounds better.”
Digital infrastructure as a foundation
Oman treats digital infrastructure as national infrastructure. Digital identity systems, licensing, compliance processes, and e-government platforms operate as an integrated framework rather than isolated initiatives.
“For investors, this integration reduces friction where it matters most — onboarding, compliance, and scaling,” Diadkov explains. “In regulated industries, friction kills returns. When identity, licensing, and verification work together, operating risk drops significantly.”
This foundation enables practical applications of AI and blockchain — not as buzzwords, but as tools for trade verification, logistics optimisation, and compliance-heavy fintech services.
“Oman adopts technology where it lowers cost and risk for long-term operators,” he adds. “That’s what makes it investable.”
AI, Blockchain and Fintech — without the noise.The same pragmatic logic applies to emerging technologies.
AI adoption focuses on logistics optimisation, energy systems, healthcare services, and public administration.
Blockchain supports verification, trade processes, and digital identity use cases. Fintech development takes place within a regulatory framework designed for sustainability rather than speculation.
“Oman does not chase technology trends,” Diadkov says. “It adopts technology where it creates real economic value.”
While Dubai continues to lead the region in experimentation and global visibility, Diadkov sees a different strength emerging in Oman. “Dubai leads in speed and scale. Oman leads in system integration and regulatory coherence. For long-term investors, that distinction matters.”
Where the strategy leads by 2030–2035
Oman’s trajectory rarely dominates headlines, but the signals are consistent.
Non-oil sectors continue to expand, logistics infrastructure is strengthening through ports such as Duqm, and the Sultanate is positioning itself along key trade and energy corridors linking Asia, Africa, and the Gulf. Vision 2040 reinforces this direction by prioritising logistics, renewable and transitional energy, and technology-enabled services — sectors where long-term capital, not speculative flows, drives value creation.
“Within the next decade, Oman can realistically become the GCC’s business centre for logistics, green energy, and fintech,” Diadkov says. “Not by racing others, but by staying consistent.”
The opportunity in Oman lies not in dramatic short-term gains, but in quiet compounding. As other markets compete for attention, Oman continues to build systems and infrastructure that reward early, patient capital.
“The real risk is not entering Oman too early,” Diadkov reflects. “It’s arriving after the repricing happens.”
A quiet bet on the next decade
Oman does not seek to outshine its neighbours. Instead, it follows a different playbook — one built on governance stability, disciplined reform, and infrastructure designed to last.
For long-term investors and policymakers, the message is clear: markets optimised for the last cycle rarely lead the next one. “Smart money always moves before the headlines,” Diadkov concludes. “And right now, it’s moving toward Oman.”
