Seven fintech companies have been named in LinkedIn’s annual Top Startups list in the United Arab Emirates (UAE), recognized by editors as among the ten fast-growing and most innovative companies in the country.
Released last month, the 10 Top Startups in the UAE list showcases the top ten emerging companies in UAE, celebrating these ventures for exceptional growth, innovation, and their appeal to investors, jobseekers, and industry leaders. These businesses are not only scaling quickly but are also pioneering advancements that are shaping the future of the UAE’s booming tech sector.
With six of the ten companies on the list coming from the fintech sector, the 2024 ranking underscores fintech’s growing prominence in the UAE and highlights the nation’s rising influence within the global fintech landscape. These companies are reinventing real estate investment, corporate finance and alternative lending, among other areas, positioning themselves as significant players in the UAE’s tech industry.
Astra Tech
Astra Tech is an investment group from the UAE developing a digital ecosystem. A leading consumer technology holding group, Astra Tech focuses on transforming everyday services through its Ultra app.
The Ultra app, developed under Botim, operates in 155 countries and serves over 150 million users, providing secure VoIP calling and integrated services such as international money transfers, bill payments, and UAE visa services. The app integrates fintech, AI-powered solutions, and conversational commerce into one seamless experience, simplifying communications, payments, and e-commerce.
Besides Botim, Astra Tech’s portfolio also includes PayBy, Rizek, and Quantix. Quantix specializes in alternative lending, including personal loans, short-term credit, vehicle loans and buy now, pay later (BNPL). Quantix is the first fintech in the UAE to receive a Finance Company License from the Central Bank of the UAE (CBUAE). PayBy is a mobile payment and cashless solution, holding Stored Value Facility (SVF) and Retail Payment Services (RPSCS) licenses from the central bank.
Qashio
Qashio is a Dubai-based multi-award-winning corporate spend management solution, delivering comprehensive and tailored spend management tools for businesses of all sizes. By harnessing advanced technology and a deep understanding of corporate finance, Qashio helps companies control expenses, automate payments, and optimize their financial planning for greater efficiency and transparency.
Despite being a young company, Qashio has already seen impressive growth in the span of just two years, recently expanding its offices, including a state-of-the-art facility opened in Abu Dhabi, in addition to its Dubai, Riyadh and Europe offices. The company also passed the AED 1 billion (US$272 million) mark in transaction volumes in October 2024.
Looking forward, Qashio aims to expand its presence across the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC), Saudi Arabia, Europe, and the UK. It’s also pursuing aggressive expansion into key Asian markets such as Singapore, Hong Kong, and Thailand.
Prypco
Founded in 2022, Prypco is building a comprehensive real estate ecosystem designed to make property access and ownership more inclusive and barrier-free across the region. The company’s mission is to enable users to navigate the property market without restrictions, financial hurdles, or complex processes. It supports its partners with vital information and tools to navigate the real estate landscape effectively.
Prypco operates through four primary verticals: Prypco Blocks, Prypco Mortgage, Prypco Exclusives, and Prypco Golden Visa. Prypco Blocks is a regulated fractional real estate ownership platform that enables investors to digitally invest in rental properties from AED 2,000 (US$545). Prypco Mortgage is a digital platform that facilitates home loans. The platform has disbursed over AED 500 million (US$136 million) to date. Prypco Golden Visa assists clients in obtaining long-term residency in the UAE and managing the paperwork involved, while Prypco Exclusives, slated to be launched soon, gives real estate brokers access to secondary properties, with more than 250 listings across 70 projects.
Showcasing its growth, Prypco says its gross merchandise value (GMV) now exceeds AED 450 million (US$123 million), while revenue generated to date is over AED 8.2 million (US$2.2 million).
In September, Prypco raised US$10 million in a seed funding round led by Shorooq Partners, with participation from Apparel Group and other investors. The startup said it would use the proceeds to scale its operations and expand its offerings.
Huspy
Launched in 2020, Huspy is a Dubai-headquartered proptech company building a super app for real estate. The company offers a one-stop solution for property needs, providing services like mortgage services, property listings, and home buying assistance. Its goal is to make the home buying journey, from finding a property to securing financing, as seamless and stress-free as possible.
To date, Huspy has processed over AED 22 billion (US$6 billion) in home transaction value, helping more than 13,500 people achieve their dream of homeownership. The company says it captured over 25% of Dubai’s residential mortgage market within its first year of operation and emerged as the largest mortgage provider in the country.
Huspy secured its latest funding round in May 2024 to develop its real estate super app. It’s backed by top-tier global venture capital firms, including Peak XV (formerly Sequoia Capital India and Southeast Asia), Founders Fund, Balderton Capital, Fifth Wall and Breyer Capital.
Stake
Founded in 2021, Stake is a digital real estate investment platform based in Dubai, providing global investors with access to income-generating properties through fractional ownership. The company’s platform allows users to participate in Dubai’s real estate market with a minimum investment of AED 500 (US$136).
In just three years, Stake has gained significant traction in Dubai’s real estate market, amassing over 500,000 users, surpassing 100,000 transactions, and selling over 200 properties worth AED 355 million (US$97 million) through its platform.
Earlier this year, Stake was recognized as a Rising Star by the Deloitte Technology Fast 50 list across the Middle East. In June 2024, the startup raised US$14 million in a Series A funding round to enter Saudi Arabia, expand its investor pool, bring new investment opportunities on the platform and scale its team.
Qlub
Founded in 2021, Qlub is a fast-growing fintech venture in the region, focusing on offering contactless payment and ordering solutions to the F&B and hospitality sectors through a range of offerings and features.
Qlub’s technology enables restaurants to enhance the guest experience by simplifying bill payment, making the process faster and more efficient across various dining settings. The platform’s standout feature is its ultra-fast payment solution that allows customers to pay in under 10 seconds by simply scanning a QR code, paying with a single click, and leaving without any app downloads. It also features a bill-splitting option, addressing a common pain point in dining.
The company started in UAE and scaled rapidly to ten countries across the Middle East and Asia-Pacific (APAC). In May 2023, it raised US$25 million in funding develop and launch new services. At the time, Qlub claimed 2,000 business customers in the UAE, Saudi and Singapore.
Featured image credit: edited from freepik
