Tagged: mena

September 15, 2025 @ 2:15 am By Michael Wong  |  

Global payments infrastructure provider Thunes has rolled out a real-time payments service into Morocco, allowing payouts in Moroccan dirhams to be sent directly into local bank accounts. The expansion gives members of Thunes’ Direct Global Network wider access to Morocco’s increasingly digitised economy and seeks… Read More

August 15, 2025 @ 7:20 am By Omar Faridi  |  

Tuum, the core banking provider, has been selected by Oliver Business Development (OBD) Holding to power its newly licensed e-banking services in the MEA region called Uptex Bank. The partnership marks Tuum’s first customer in the Middle East and reinforces its strategy to “support financial… Read More

August 14, 2025 @ 8:17 am By Omar Faridi  |  

Checkout.com, a global digital payments company, unveils data showing that consumers in Asia and the MENA region, are embracing digital identity wallets and biometric verification, “closely followed by Brazil and New Zealand.” Meanwhile, adoption remains sluggish “across Europe, including the UK, and North America.” The… Read More

July 30, 2025 @ 2:17 am By Omar Faridi  |  

In a recent move for the United Arab Emirates’ financial services sector, RAKBANK has become one of the first banks in the MENA region country to offer crypto brokerage services directly to retail customers through its mobile app. This milestone marks a step toward integrating… Read More

July 28, 2025 @ 12:14 pm By JD Alois  |  

Lean Technologies has gained in-principle approval from the Central Bank of the UAE. Lean is a financial infrastructure firm enabling payments and data for businesses.  Founded in 2019, Lean reports supporting over 300 companies and has processed more than $2 billion in transaction volume through… Read More

July 20, 2025 @ 5:46 pm By Omar Faridi  |  

Alkhabeer Capital, an asset manager specializing in financial services and brokerage services, has recently signed a partnership agreement with Fasanara Capital, a global asset manager specializing in tech-enabled credit solutions, during an event held in Jeddah (Saudi Arabia) under the theme “Fintech-Originated Private Credit –… Read More

July 10, 2025 @ 3:54 am By Omar Faridi  |  

Pay10, a global Alternative Payment Method (APM) platform, has been granted Ancillary Service Provider – Payment Service Provider License by the Central Bank of Bahrain (CBB). This regulatory approval represents a strategic milestone in Pay10’s global expansion and “reinforces its commitment to delivering real-time, secure,… Read More

July 7, 2025 @ 3:50 am By Michael Wong  |  

U.S. technology giant Cisco (NASDAQ:CSCO) has revealed key findings from its global networking study ahead of its flagship “Cisco Connect – CXO Edition” event in Riyadh, highlighting how artificial intelligence is accelerating fundamental shifts in enterprise infrastructure across Saudi Arabia. The research underscores that IT… Read More

July 7, 2025 @ 3:48 am By Michael Wong  |  

Contact Creditech, the digital consumer finance arm of Contact Financial Holding, has entered into a strategic partnership with Kashier, an online payment gateway in Egypt and the Middle East, to integrate Buy Now, Pay Later (BNPL) services from the ContactNow app into Kashier’s payment system…. Read More

July 3, 2025 @ 10:31 pm By Michael Wong  |  

DeFi Technologies Inc., a Nasdaq-listed digital asset management firm, has expanded into the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) and MENA region through the registration of DEFI DMCC in Dubai, according to an announcement. The company opened a new office at Jumeirah Lake Towers and launched a… Read More

July 3, 2025 @ 1:36 am By Omar Faridi  |  

As the UAE gears up for another season of Dubai Summer Surprises (DSS), new data from Checkout.com reveals a sharp increase in digital spending during last year’s campaign, with signals pointing to even greater momentum this summer. The number of daily digital transactions in the… Read More

June 10, 2025 @ 10:33 pm By Omar Faridi  |  

The Financial Services Authority (FSRA) of ADGM announced the implementation of amendments to its regulatory framework for digital assets, with immediate effect. The implementation of these amendments follows “extensive industry engagement and feedback received on Consultation Paper No. 11 of 2024.” As stated in the… Read More

June 2, 2025 @ 9:51 pm By Omar Faridi  |  

The Office of Data Protection at ADGM, the international financial centre of Abu Dhabi, and the Office of Data Protection of Astana International Financial Centre (AIFC), have officially signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to enhance collaboration “in data protection and the enforcement of privacy… Read More

May 28, 2025 @ 8:39 am By Omar Faridi  |  

Carta, the software platform purpose-built for private capital, announced its Financial Services Permission (FSP) from ADGM’s Financial Services Authority (FSRA), unlocking a new phase of growth in the MENA region. This milestone advances Carta’s global mission “to make private markets more accessible, transparent, and equitable.”… Read More

May 25, 2025 @ 3:31 pm By Michael Wong  |  

UAE-based Fintech startup Gainz has closed a seven-figure pre-seed funding round, combining equity and debt, as it looks to transform access to Shariah-compliant alternative financing for underserved small and medium enterprises (SMEs) across the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC). The round was led by Antler MENAP,… Read More

May 23, 2025 @ 8:53 pm By Omar Faridi  |  

JP Morgan-backed Fintech venture, In-Solutions Global (ISG), has partnered with Bank of Baroda UAE to launch Jaywan Cards in the UAE. This collaboration reinforces ISG’s commitment to “enabling localised, secure, and cost-effective payment solutions for banks and consumers in the region.” The introduction of Jaywan… Read More

May 19, 2025 @ 7:07 am By Omar Faridi  |  

Ripple, the provider of digital asset infrastructure for financial institutions,  announced new clients in the UAE utilizing Ripple Payments. Ripple Payments employs blockchain, digital assets, and a global network of payout partners to “deliver reliable cross-border payments and on/off ramps for banks, crypto companies, and… Read More

May 18, 2025 @ 10:46 pm By Omar Faridi  |  

Dubai Finance (DOF) has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Crypto.com, a global cryptocurrency trading platform, to facilitate government service fee payments using cryptocurrencies—marking a pioneering milestone in digital finance on a global scale. The agreement was formalized by Ahmad Ali Meftah, Executive Director… Read More

May 13, 2025 @ 11:04 pm By Omar Faridi  |  

Hidden Road announced that its ADGM entity, Hidden Road Partners CIV (AD) Limited, received In-Principle Approval (IPA) from the Financial Services Regulatory Authority (FSRA) of ADGM to operate as a regulated financial services firm. Pending final regulatory approval, Hidden Road will be “authorized to offer… Read More

April 27, 2025 @ 5:38 pm By Michael Wong  |  

iMENA Group, a regional operator of digital platforms in the Middle East and North Africa, has raised $135 million in the first tranche of its pre-IPO funding round, backed by Sanabil Investments, FJ Labs, and several Saudi investors, including Saygin Yalcin, founder of SellAnyCar. The… Read More