Blackstone, Raya Holding, NRT and Sightline Announce Partnership to Invest in UAE Payments Infrastructure Platform

New York, NY and Abu Dhabi, UAE - March 26, 2026 - Blackstone (NYSE: BX), the world's largest alternative asset manager, today announced that funds managed by Blackstone ("Blackstone") have invested US$250 million in Advanced Digital Gaming Technology ("ADGT"), a newly established payments and data intelligence technology platform launched from the United Arab Emirates to support regulated digital markets globally.

ADGT has been established through a strategic partnership between Blackstone, Raya Holding, the Abu Dhabi-based investment company, and leading technology partners NRT Technology and Sightline Payments.

Headquartered in Abu Dhabi, ADGT is positioned at the crossroads of global finance, high growth markets, and next-generation digital infrastructure. The company plans to initially focus on deployments across the UAE, the Middle East, Africa, and select international corridors. In the UAE, ADGT is the premier payments and compliance technology provider to the commercial gaming market, which is projected to become one of the fastest-growing regulated markets globally: ADGT is currently the only licensed platform able to contract directly with both land-based venues and online digital platforms, enabling a unified experience for both consumers and operators.

Michael Dominelli, CEO of ADGT, said: "ADGT was created in the UAE from the ground up to serve as a new global standard for financial payments technology. Built upon modern infrastructure, and with a strong institutional and regulatory framework, we have created a platform that is designed, built, governed and experienced with resilience and scalability in mind. With the backing of Blackstone, Raya Holding and the leading payments technology partnerships, we have the scale, resources and credibility to create a global success story engineered and headquartered in the UAE."

Jon Gray, President and Chief Operating Officer, Blackstone, said: "We see significant opportunity to deploy capital at scale in the UAE to build companies that can grow both domestically and internationally, despite near term headwinds. The UAE is a global leader in travel and leisure, with emerging strength in technology, and we are excited to support ADGT to capitalize on these powerful trends."

H.H. Sheikh Mohammed Bin Sultan Bin Khalifa Bin Zayed Al Nahyan said: "ADGT reflects the UAE's long-term vision to lead in the development of next-generation financial technology and regulated digital infrastructure. With a progressive regulatory framework and strong institutional support, the UAE continues to create an environment where global technology platforms can be built and scaled. Through this partnership with Blackstone, and the integration of proven technology capabilities from NRT Technology and Sightline, ADGT is positioned to establish a new benchmark for regulated payments infrastructure. From Abu Dhabi, we are developing a platform designed not only to serve the UAE, but to support the evolution of regulated digital markets globally."

The platform is designed to support national-scale deployments, cross-border interoperability, and evolving regulatory frameworks. ADGT integrates digital wallets, real-time funding and payout rails, identity and access management, compliance monitoring, and both closed-loop and open-loop ecosystem controls within a single interoperable infrastructure supporting both on-property transactions and digital engagement.

Blackstone has had a presence in the UAE since 2010. The firm's investments in the country include GLIDE, a pan-GCC logistics platform developed in partnership with Lunate, and Property Finder, the leading UAE real estate marketplace.

Kirkland & Ellis LLP, Brownstein Hyatt Farber Schreck LLP and Alaeddini & Co acted as legal advisors to Blackstone, whilst Morgan Lewis & Bockius LLP's Abu Dhabi office acted as legal advisors to ADGT.

About Blackstone
Blackstone is the world's largest alternative asset manager. Blackstone seeks to deliver compelling returns for institutional and individual investors by strengthening the companies in which the firm invests. Blackstone's $1.3 trillion in assets under management include global investment strategies focused on real estate, private equity, credit, infrastructure, life sciences, growth equity, secondaries and hedge funds. Further information is available at www.blackstone.com. Follow @blackstone on LinkedIn, X (Twitter), and Instagram.

About Raya Holding
Raya Holding is an Abu Dhabi-based investment company focused on building and scaling strategic platforms across high-growth sectors including financial technology, digital infrastructure, consumer markets and emerging industries. Led by H.H. Sheikh Mohammed Bin Sultan Bin Khalifa Al Nahyan, the firm partners with global institutions, operators and technology leaders to develop businesses with long-term growth potential and international reach. Raya Holding's investment strategy focuses on supporting innovation, enabling market expansion and creating sustainable value through strategic partnerships.

About NRT Technology
Since 1993, NRT Technology has been changing the game as the world's largest payment technology company in gaming. NRT's solutions improve efficiency, enhance security, and empower casinos to deliver exceptional guest experiences through the fastest, safest, and smartest financial and engagement technologies in the industry. From the back office to the casino floor, NRT's innovations have redefined how the gaming world operates. With a commitment to driving performance, maximizing revenue, and exceeding expectations, NRT continues to set - and redefine - the industry standard.

About Sightline
Sightline is transforming the gaming industry with its innovative suite of award-winning digital payment and wallet solutions. Through its expertise in consumer behavior, payments technology, and software development, Sightline is uniquely positioned to help casino resorts and online gaming companies offer a more robust, customer-centric omnichannel experience. Sightline's flagship product, Sightline Pay, enables players to use a single digital payment method across all gaming channels and throughout the entire resort. It's currently the preferred payments and cashless solution for more than 50 partners in 44 states.

Forward-Looking Statements
This release may contain forward-looking statements within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, which reflect Blackstone's current views with respect to, among other things, its operations, taxes, earnings and financial performance and the strategic partnership referred to herein. You can identify these forward-looking statements by the use of words such as "outlook," "indicator," "believes," "expects," "potential," "continues," "may," "will," "should," "seeks," "approximately," "predicts," "intends," "plans," "scheduled," "estimates," "anticipates," "opportunity," "leads," "forecast," "possible" or the negative version of these words or other comparable words. Such forward-looking statements are subject to various risks and uncertainties. Accordingly, there are or will be important factors that could cause actual outcomes or results to differ materially from those indicated in these statements. Blackstone believes these factors include but are not limited to those described under the section entitled "Risk Factors" in its Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2025, as such factors may be updated from time to time in its subsequent filings with the United States Securities and Exchange Commission ("SEC"), which are accessible on the SEC's website at www.sec.gov. These factors should not be construed as exhaustive and should be read in conjunction with the other cautionary statements that are included in this release and in its other subsequent filings. The forward-looking statements speak only as of the date of this release, and Blackstone undertakes no obligation to publicly update or review any forward-looking statement, whether as a result of new information, future developments or otherwise.

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