Traffic Cardinal
wrote February 04, 2026
Traffic Cardinal
wrote February 04, 2026
February is officially underway, which means SiGMA Eurasia (or, as it’s usually called in the Russian-speaking community, “Sigma Dubai”) is getting closer. What’s worth noting is that this time the organizers decided not to bundle it with Affiliate World Dubai, like they did the past few times, and instead split the conferences across different dates.
What’s more, the gap between them is just shy of a full month – presumably so everyone really gets that this is not one and the same conference. All the better for the community, honestly – twice the events means twice the networking and twice the general buzz. That said, there’s plenty of buzz swirling around SiGMA Eurasia alone – and that’s exactly what we’ll get into below.
February 9 – C-LEVEL GOLF TOURNAMENT
And kicking off our list of SiGMA-related happenings is a golf tournament. The name says it all – C-LEVEL GOLF TOURNAMENT. Still, even if the title keeps things minimal, the tournament itself will more than make up for it.
First of all, because it’s built for C-levels, meaning participants won’t be networking for the sake of networking, but actually talking business with people who make real decisions. Second, even the venue hints at the level of the event – no joke, it’s Donald Trump’s golf club in Dubai. Let’s repeat that separately: “Dubai” and “Trump”. So this isn’t just full-on luxury – this is as high-end as it gets.
Seriously, just look at photos of the venue! No wonder the event runs for one day only – that kind of entertainment costs a lot. Like A LOT. But here’s the good news: golf tournaments aren’t new territory for the SiGMA organizers. And every single time, guests walk away happy.
Starts: 8:30 – 15:00
Where: Trump International Golf Club, Dubai
Entry: Registration required
February 9 – ACTIVITY (Secret One)
And the next activity on our list is… Well, we don’t know what it is. And nobody knows. Yet. What we do have so far is this: the event starts at 13:00, runs until 16:00, and it's not the Deep Dive Dubai (since that one is announced separately for the same time slot). Let’s quickly reassure those attending SiGMA for the first time – chances are, you’ll like this mystery box event.
To give you a sense of it: expect something on the level of a desert safari or a luxury yacht cruise around the Persian Gulf – only even cooler! At least, that’s what the organizers promise, explaining the secrecy as a way to make it “even cooler” and urging everyone to keep an eye on the updates so they don’t miss any details. Well then, we are urging you to keep an eye on the updates too, as we move on to the next event.
Starts: 13:00 – 16:00
Where: Secret location
Entry: Premium and Platinum ticket holders only
February 9 – Deep Dive Dubai
And this one is actually about diving – Deep Dive Dubai, a staple of the Dubai SiGMA scene by now, is back this year. You won’t get much networking done down there, obviously, but we bet you’ll return to the surface with a ton of memories! Which makes sense – because beyond the mind-blowing underwater flora and fauna, participants are dropped into a fully built, highly detailed location styled as a sunken city. So yeah, if you haven’t been – we can’t recommend it enough!
And if you have been – everything’s the same as always. Meet-up in the lobby of the InterContinental Dubai Festival City at 13:00, about half an hour on the road, briefing, dive starts at 14:00, and you are back right where you started by 16:00. Access to this event is strictly by personal invitation from the organizers. But if you didn’t get invited, here’s a little life hack: message them yourself. You’ll most likely get in – the event may be VIP, but it’s not C-level only.
Starts: 13:00 – 16:00
Where: Al Baraha – InterContinental Dubai Festival City
Entry: By invitation only
February 9 – EURASIA AWARDS
To wrap up the first day, guests are in for the traditional EURASIA AWARDS ceremony – a lavish dinner where various nominees are honored for their achievements in the industry.
In short, a classic awards dinner: fancy food, drinks, networking and the ceremony itself.
Anyone can get in, provided they register in time and secure an invitation. So better not procrastinate! Guaranteed access goes to conference sponsors and Platinum ticket holders.
Starts: 19:00 – 23:00
Where: Al Baraha – InterContinental Dubai Festival City
Entry: Sponsors, Platinum ticket holders and invited guests only (limited registration)
February 10 – NETWORKING DRINKS
An hour before the speakers are done, a VIP lounge opens up. This time for networking with alcohol involved. In a relaxed, informal setting, guests can chat with each other and with the speakers, in case the stage time didn’t quite scratch the itch. Entry is limited to Platinum ticket holders and, naturally, the speakers themselves. So no accidental lovers of boozy parties here – only people you actually have something to talk about with.
Starts: 15:00 – 18:00
Where: VIP Lounge, Dubai Festival City – Festival Arena
Entry: Speakers and Platinum ticket holders only
February 10 – VIP DINNER
Closer to the evening, an elegant reception kicks off and runs well into the night. Or, to be precise, two receptions. The first one (and that’s the one we are talking about) is for Premium and Platinum ticket holders and takes place on the fifth floor of Crowne Plaza Dubai Festival City, in the Zaytoun restaurant (very upmarket, you’ll see).
Starts: 19:30 – 22:30
Where: Zaytoun – Crowne Plaza Dubai Festival City
Entry: Premium and Platinum ticket holders only
February 10 – VIP DINNER (Another One)
The second VIP dinner (the one we are getting to now) is also reserved exclusively for Premium and Platinum ticket holders. Even the building is the same – Crowne Plaza Dubai Festival City, though this time the setting is the Belgian Beer Cafe. The word “cafe” is a bit misleading here – this is a proper restaurant with a terrace and a stunning view of the Persian Gulf and the city after dark.
Starts: 19:30 – 22:30
Where: Belgian Beer Cafe – Crowne Plaza Dubai Festival City
Entry: Premium and Platinum ticket holders only
February 10 – AIBC AWARDS
Just like on day one, the second day also wraps up with an awards ceremony – this time under the AIBC banner. Different name on the front, same rules apply: sponsors, Platinum ticket holders or those who managed to buy a spot. Same as on the first day, guests can expect a luxury dinner, good music and plenty of networking. And yes, the actual awards ceremony, honoring the very best of the best. On that note, let’s keep moving.
Starts: 20:00 – 23:00
Where: Al Baraha – InterContinental Dubai Festival City
Entry: Sponsors, Platinum ticket holders and guests who purchased a spot
February 11 – NETWORKING DRINKS
Instant flashbacks to day two – because once again, the VIP lounge opens up for networking, with drinks very much part of the plan. And once again, access is limited to speakers and Platinum ticket holders, which filters out anyone who’s there purely for the drinks and keeps the networking quality high. In short, everything is the same – just like on day two, only now it’s day three. And even the next event follows the same logic. Almost…
Starts: 15:00 – 18:00
Where: VIP Lounge, Dubai Festival City – Festival Arena
Entry: Speakers and Platinum ticket holders only
February 11 – VIP DINNER
Why almost the same? First, because this time there’s only one VIP dinner – not two, like on day two. And second, because the location has changed: instead of the Crowne Plaza Dubai Festival City, guests are heading to the no less impressive InterContinental Dubai Festival City. Other than that, everything is just like “yesterday”: great views, good food, pleasant music, networking. And no surprises here, entry is once again limited to holders of Premium and Platinum tickets.
Starts: 19:30 – 22:30
Where: Al Baraha – InterContinental Dubai Festival City
Entry: Premium and Platinum ticket holders only
February 11 – AIBC OFFICIAL CELEBRATION
And after dinner, guests aren’t heading to yet another awards ceremony, but to a full-blown afterparty. Despite the modest description on the official website: “Evening celebration, please show your badge or ticket at the entrance”, which makes the whole thing sound mildly depressing, the reality will be very different. In practice, it’s a proper party until 4 a.m., with high-energy music and alcohol. So why the shy description then? Well… every country has its quirks.
In the Emirates, contrary to our stereotypes, parties (especially boozy ones) aren’t exactly encouraged. More precisely, they are encouraged, but strictly for economic reasons, only in designated places and without advertising them to the entire country. So don’t worry – the party will deliver. Just do yourself a favour: when it’s over, go back to your hotel instead of hunting for round two out on the streets. You won’t find it, but trouble with the law is a lot easier to come by.
Starts: 22:00 – 04:00
Where: Secret location (check with the organizers)
Entry: Open to all ticket categories
February 12 – Satoshkin Meet Up
Think that’s it? Not quite. Right after the SiGMA events wrap up, conference guests head to the Satoshkin Meet Up. And while it’s positioned as a meetup for fintech folks, in reality there’ll be plenty to network about for pretty much anyone in the industry.
Why? Because the meetup pulls in people from the crypto world too, with more than a few fintech heavyweights in the mix. Which means you won’t just be talking “trading”, but also digging into what to move, how to move it, and where – depending on the country. All in all, if you are “a bit more than just a manager”, it’s worth your time.
As for what exactly will be happening at the event – we’re not telling. The organizers like to keep an air of mystery around their meetup, so nothing gets announced in advance. People who’ve been before, though, didn’t come back disappointed – quite the opposite. So odds are, it’s not going to be a letdown.
Starts: Classified
Where: Classified
Entry: With a ticket
Wrapping Up
Looks like the finish line. Or maybe just a pause. There’s still plenty of time before the conference, which means a very real chance (and not a small one) that someone decides to throw together an event at the last minute. And that “someone” might turn out to be more than one. So bookmark this piece and check back from time to time to see if the list has grown – don’t be surprised if it grows more than once. And now, finally, that’s it – the end.
