Tagged: mena

December 2, 2023 @ 3:48 pm By Michael Wong  |  

Paytabs, a payment solutions provider in the MENA region, announced the launch of PayTabs Issuance — secure prepaid card issuing solutions aimed at scaling business operations regionally. Abdulaziz Al Jouf, CEO and founder of PayTabs Group, emphasized the potential of the issuing market in the… Read More

December 1, 2023 @ 5:00 pm By Omar Faridi  |  

Global equity management company Carta announced plans to expand operations to the Middle East—citing a 180% increase in year-over-year bookings across the broader Asia Pacific region, and “launching with flagship Middle East customers including Global Ventures, BECO Capital, Cotu Ventures, and Outliers VC and Middle… Read More

November 30, 2023 @ 10:31 pm By Omar Faridi  |  

Checkout.com, the global payments service provider, announced today a strategic partnership with Standard Chartered as their cash management bank “to bring improved operational and performance to Checkout.com’s merchants in the region.” The partnership leverages technology to “integrate payment systems and deliver an infrastructure that will… Read More

November 30, 2023 @ 4:33 am By Omar Faridi  |  

Hong Kong Exchanges and Clearing Limited (HKEX) is pleased to welcome the listing of Asia Pacific’s first ETF to “track Saudi Arabian equities – the CSOP Saudi Arabia ETF (Stock code: 2830 / 82830).” This ETF, which tracks the FTSE Saudi Arabia Index, “provides investors… Read More

November 28, 2023 @ 11:21 pm By Omar Faridi  |  

Wahed Invest Limited, the UAE robo-advisory subsidiary of Wahed Inc., a global Shariah-compliant fintech that aims to advance financial inclusion through accessible, affordable and value-based investing, has launched after “having been granted a Financial Services Permission (FSP) from the Financial Services Regulatory Authority (FSRA) of… Read More

November 28, 2023 @ 12:51 am By Omar Faridi  |  

Nium, the firm enabling real-time global payments, and Jeonbuk Bank (JB Bank), aSouth Korean financial institution, have announced a partnership. Together, they will offer the country’s first global remittance service “targeted at the 2.5 million non-Korean residents that live in South Korea.” The service will… Read More

November 24, 2023 @ 10:57 am By Omar Faridi  |  

Lunate, a global alternative investment management company with more than $50 billion of assets under management, and BNY Mellon (NYSE:BK), the largest custodian and a leader in wealth management technology are investing in a new company, Alpheya, that “will develop a customized wealth management technology… Read More

November 19, 2023 @ 2:15 pm By Omar Faridi  |  

Foodics, the restaurant management and payment solutions in MENA, announced its collaboration with Suplyd in Egypt, the digital supply chain management and procurement platform. This partnership offers a comprehensive supply chain management solution to restaurants in Egypt, making it easier “for restaurant owners to manage… Read More

November 14, 2023 @ 8:36 pm By Omar Faridi  |  

Crypto.com announced that its Dubai entity, CRO DAX Middle East FZE, has been granted a Virtual Assets Service Provider (VASP) License “for specified virtual asset service activities by Dubai’s Virtual Assets Regulatory Authority (VARA).” Crypto.com’s VASP License is “subject to the Company fully satisfying select… Read More

November 12, 2023 @ 12:13 pm By Omar Faridi  |  

MNT-Halan has reportedly closed a $130 million securitization. As Egypt’s “first” unicorn and “fastest-growing” fintech, they’ve now “raised over US$ 400m in 2023, and target US$ 550 by the year’s end.” MNT-Halan has closed five tranches of securitized bond issuances “through its microfinance and consumer… Read More

November 10, 2023 @ 5:36 pm By Omar Faridi  |  

Copper, an institutional digital asset infrastructure provider, has acquired Securrency Capital Limited, a full-service, regulated blockchain-enabled brokerage firm offering digital securities trading based in the Abu Dhabi Global Market (ADGM). Securrency Capital’s platform, “powered by Securrency’s digital asset infrastructure and compliance aware solutions, provides investors… Read More

November 7, 2023 @ 9:36 pm By Omar Faridi  |  

Liv, UAE’s digital bank launched by Emirates NBD, a banking group in the MENAT region, has launched a new digital offering. Till the end of 2023, eligible Liv customers can benefit from instant personal loans without any fees via the Liv app. The digital bank… Read More

November 5, 2023 @ 5:42 pm By Omar Faridi  |  

Tabby, the MENA region’s shopping and financial services app, has raised $200 million in equity financing led by Wellington Management, which claims to be one of the world’s major independent investment management firms. The equity financing drew additional participation “from growth equity investor Bluepool Capital,… Read More

October 22, 2023 @ 12:12 pm By Omar Faridi  |  

The Saudi Central Bank (SAMA) signed a cooperation agreement with the Monetary Authority of Singapore (MAS) in Riyadh, in the field of Fintech and innovation. The agreement was signed by Ayman Al-Sayari, Governor of SAMA, and Dr. Vivian Balakrishnan, the Minister for Foreign Affairs of… Read More

October 22, 2023 @ 11:11 am By Omar Faridi  |  

ACI Worldwide (NASDAQ: ACIW), a global firm focused n mission-critical, real-time payment solutions,  announced that Nymcard, a card issuer in the MENA region, has enhanced its fraud platform with ACI Fraud Management in order “to better protect its customers from the growing threat of financial… Read More

October 15, 2023 @ 11:21 am By Omar Faridi  |  

The Saudi Central Bank (SAMA) issued its semi-annual performance report of the finance companies sector and real estate refinance for H1 2023. According to the report, most of the indicators in the finance companies sector “grew at varying rates in H1 2023.” The paid-up share… Read More

October 12, 2023 @ 10:50 am By Omar Faridi  |  

The Central Bank of Jordan (CBJ) has taken a significant step towards modernizing the financial services landscape in the Kingdom by unveiling comprehensive guidelines for Open Finance services. These guidelines apply to all banks operating “within the jurisdiction of CBJ, as well as online payment… Read More

October 11, 2023 @ 8:21 am By Omar Faridi  |  

UnaFinancial, a Singapore-headquartered Fintech group (previously known as Robocash), has teamed up with Velexa, a UK-based wealthtech firm, in order to introduce a digital investing platform in the UAE. UnaFinancial and Velexa revealed that the collaboration aims to leverage Velexa’s expertise in investment tech and… Read More

October 10, 2023 @ 9:36 am By Omar Faridi  |  

Tarabut, MENA’s leading open banking platform, has announced a new partnership with FLOOSS, a Bahrain-based digital lending platform. FLOOSS is reportedly the “first” and fastest digital loan app in Bahrain “offering consumer loans of up to BHD 750 with a repayment period of up to… Read More

October 2, 2023 @ 7:18 pm By Omar Faridi  |  

Dubai International Financial Centre (DIFC), the global financial center in the MENA and Southeast Asia region, has proposed to enact a Digital Assets Law, a Law of Security and related amendments to select existing legislation “to cater to the requirements of the DIFC’s proposed digital… Read More