Shory, a First.tech company and AI insurtech firm, has partnered with Electric Vehicle Services (EVS) and Fidelity United Insurance to launch an insurance solution for Chinese electric vehicles (EVs) in the UAE. The initiative combines Shory’s digital insurance platform, Fidelity United’s motor insurance coverage, and EVS’ certified EV repair network. It aims to address challenges faced by owners of Chinese EVs, including insurance acceptance, premium costs, and access to qualified repair facilities. Aoun Al Smadi, CEO of Shory UAE, said: “Electric vehicles are reshaping how people drive, maintain, and repair their cars. This partnership with EVS and Fidelity United allows…

Egypt has launched its first “Startup Charter” following over a year of consultations with 15 national entities and more than 250 representatives from the startup community, entrepreneurs, and parliamentary councils under the Ministerial Group for Entrepreneurship. The initiative marks a shift in the government’s approach to supporting startups, entrepreneurs, and innovators, in line with directives from President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi. Startups must obtain formal recognition from MSMEDA to access Charter benefits. Companies follow either a regular track, where a multi-stakeholder committee reviews them through staged evaluations, or a fast-track route reserved for startups nominated by accredited venture capital firms, incubators,…

Finpace has announced Halcyon, an AI solution delivered alongside the Finpace core banking platform to help financial institutions across Africa modernise faster and run change as a controlled, repeatable capability rather than a backlog heavy engineering cycle. Banks, microfinance institutions, and payment providers are scaling digital services while managing complex operating realities. Institutions often need to support multiple rails and schemes, agent and merchant networks, cross border flows, multi currency operations, and frequent policy updates driven by risk and compliance. In this environment, the limiting factor is often not product ambition. It is how long it takes to translate business…

Apex Group, a global financial services provider managing over US$3.5 trillion in assets, has obtained a license and opened a new office in Qatar, expanding its presence in the Gulf region. The move aligns with Qatar National Vision 2030 and aims to support the country’s financial ecosystem. The Qatar office will provide institutional investors, asset managers, family offices, and financial institutions access to Apex Group’s global platform and solutions, including Apex Digital 3.0, its digital infrastructure for on-chain finance, and AI Nova, the Group’s AI technology. This follows the Group’s existing operations in Saudi Arabia, Abu Dhabi, Dubai, and Bahrain.…

Jazeera Airways, Kuwait’s low-cost carrier, has become the first Kuwaiti airline to integrate deema, the country’s first licensed “Buy Now, Pay Later” (BNPL) payment solution. The integration, part of Jazeera’s digital transformation project, allows passengers to pay for flights in two to four interest-free instalments. Barathan Pasupathi, CEO of Jazeera Airways, said: “By achieving our fastest ever payment integration with deema, we are not just adding a payment method; we are providing a seamless, Kuwaiti homegrown financial solution. This partnership empowers our passengers to ‘Fly Now and Pay Later’ with absolute ease, reinforcing our mission to make travel accessible to…

Takeem, a UAE-based proptech platform, has secured investment from REACH, an accelerator created by Second Century Ventures, the strategic investment arm of the US National Association of Realtors (NAR). The investment was made through REACH Middle East, the regional arm of the REACH scale-up programme, which supports high-growth technology companies across the real estate ecosystem. In less than a year, Takeem has onboarded over 55,000 residential units, representing more than AED 5 billion in annual rental value. The company is now expanding into the B2C market to support smaller landlords and tenants. Takeem addresses structural challenges in rental markets, including…

JUMO, a banking technology company providing data-driven financial infrastructure across Africa, has appointed Paul Whelpton as CEO. Whelpton succeeds founder Andrew Watkins-Ball, who will remain as Chairman of the board. Founded in 2015, JUMO develops banking infrastructure to help banks reach new customers efficiently. Whelpton has been with the company for nine years, most recently as Chief Product Officer, leading teams responsible for its information management capabilities. His experience in data science, consumer financial products, and banking technology has contributed to JUMO’s growth as a banking infrastructure platform in Africa. Watkins-Ball will continue as chairman, focusing on relationships with key…

Antier has launched a VARA-compliant white label cryptocurrency exchange platform for financial institutions entering regulated digital-asset markets in the UAE and MENA region. Developed in line with Dubai’s Virtual Asset Regulatory Authority (VARA) framework and supported by Antier’s UAE presence, the platform integrates trading, tokenisation, stablecoin remittance, and institutional custody within a compliant architecture. The platform includes a spot and OTC trading engine, native real-world asset (RWA) tokenisation and issuance rails, institutional custody and settlement controls, stablecoin remittance and high-value transfer modules, GCC banking and fiat connectivity, Sharia-aligned market configuration options, and privacy and transaction control mechanisms. This allows banks,…

Kuwait Finance House – Bahrain (KFH) has entered a strategic partnership with Beyon Money, part of the Beyon Group. Under the agreement, KFH – Bahrain will act as the primary banking partner for Beyon Money, providing access to its Banking-as-a-Service (BaaS) infrastructure. The collaboration will support Beyon Money in offering digital payment solutions, instant transfers via Fawri+, virtual account creation, and real-time reconciliation for both individual and corporate clients. Commenting on the partnership, Mohamed Assem, Deputy Group Chief Executive Officer – Corporate Banking at KFH – Bahrain, said: “Through our sophisticated banking infrastructure and digital solutions, we aim to empower…

LoftyInc Capital, a pan-African venture capital firm, has co-led a US$4 million oversubscribed seed round in Moroccon fintech WafR, marking one of the first investments from its recently launched LoftyInc Alpha Fund. Attijariwafa Ventures and Almada Ventures also co-led the round, with returning investors UM6P Ventures and First Circle Capital participating. WafR operates a platform that digitises airtime sales and bill payments through a network of neighbourhood corner stores, known locally as hanouts. The company plans to expand its services to include peer-to-peer transfers and domestic remittances. It currently works with nearly 20,000 active stores, which serve as physical access…

Ooredoo Fintech, a digital financial services provider operating across the MENA region, has received approval from the Central Bank of Tunisia to launch walletii by Ooredoo in the country. The license is part of the company’s regional expansion and supports its aim to provide regulated digital financial services. The launch will involve partnerships with QNB Group, a regional financial institution, and Monétique, Tunisia’s national electronic payments operator. The platform will integrate with the local financial system and comply with national payment regulations. walletii by Ooredoo offers a digital wallet for paying bills, transferring money, and withdrawing cash. The service relies…

Labor compliance across the Gulf Cooperation Council sits at the center of daily business operations for employers across the region. Regulatory frameworks in the UAE and neighboring markets shift alongside economic priorities, workforce mobility patterns, and national policy decisions. For organizations managing a diverse workforce, compliance operates less as a fixed checklist and more as a continuous operational reality. Nathan HR’s operating model demonstrates why on-the-ground presence and direct engagement with local systems and authorities continue to shape how compliance is managed in practice. Regulatory Change Requires Practical Interpretation UAE labor regulations continue to evolve, reshaping how employment contracts, termination…

Turkish participation banks increased their share of the domestic banking market in 2025, with total assets rising to 9.2% from 8.1% in 2024, according to Fitch Ratings’ Turkish Islamic Banks Monitor: 2026 report. The agency expects market share gains to continue in 2026, supported by internal capital generation and sustained growth appetite. Fitch noted that three recently established private participation banks, including two digital institutions, recorded strong growth in the first nine months of 2025. Investment in digital participation banking from Gulf Cooperation Council countries highlights potential for further regional investment. The planned establishment of new participation banks, together with…

Dubai Chambers has expanded its support for businesses by improving access to alternative and digital banking services through new MoUs with four fintech firms. The agreements, signed with Dubai Chambers, establish partnerships with Mamo, Qashio, Pemo, and Vault. The initiative aims to address the operational and financing challenges faced by SMEs in Dubai. Under the framework, SMEs will gain access to services including alternative savings accounts, corporate cards, working capital financing, and online payment solutions. The collaborations also cover joint events, workshops, and training sessions focused on financial technology adoption and automation, alongside incentive programmes aimed at encouraging uptake of…

Mastercard and Google have expanded their collaboration to support the wider use of Google Pay in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, following the service’s recent launch in the market. The expansion enables Android users to make contactless payments at physical retail locations and complete online transactions using Google Pay. It reflects growing consumer adoption of digital payment methods and supports national efforts to reduce reliance on cash. “Every step we take at Mastercard is guided by our mission to connect and power an inclusive, digital economy,” said Saud Swar, Country Manager for Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, Jordan and the Levant. He…

Swiss-based technology startup investor CV VC is expanding its international operations through a merger with Abu Dhabi-based accelerator Elixir. The move responds to rising demand for cross-border early-stage support in blockchain, AI and the digital economy. The merger combines CV VC’s global investment and ecosystem activities with Elixir’s regional presence in Abu Dhabi. It comes as the UAE positions itself as a regulated hub for digital assets and emerging technologies. The deal also supports CV VC’s strategy of operating across interconnected and regulated innovation hubs. In addition to its headquarters in Switzerland, the firm operates in Liechtenstein, South Africa, the…

A leadership transition is underway at Mashreq’s digital bank Neo as global head Radu Topliceanu announces his departure. Topliceanu, who has led Neo since early 2023, wrote on LinkedIn: “After 3+ years as global head of Neo at Mashreq, I’m moving on – back to Europe for my next chapter, to lead retail banking transformation.” Launched in 2017 by UAE-headquartered Mashreq, Neo provides mobile-based retail banking services, including loans, cards and money transfers. Under Topliceanu’s leadership, Neo’s balance sheet tripled, supported by expansion into Egypt and a successful go-live in Pakistan last year, FinTech Futures reports. On this, he said:…

Stake, a digital real estate investment platform in the Middle East, has closed an oversubscribed Series B funding round, raising US$31 million. The round was led by Emirates NBD, with participation from Mubadala Investment Company’s MENA Venture Capital Fund, Middle East Venture Partners (MEVP), Property Finder, STV NICE, Wa’ed Ventures, GFH Partners, and Ellington Properties. With this round, Stake’s total funding reaches US$58 million. Neeraj Makin, Group Head – Strategy, Analytics and Venture Capital at Emirates NBD, said: “Real estate remains a foundational component of global investment portfolios, yet there is an opportunity to improve how investors access and gain…

eNovate, a subsidiary of eFinance Investment Group, and Cobi, a UAE-based AI-native customer intelligence platform, have integrated Cobi’s AI capabilities into eNovate’s digital payment ecosystem. Enabled through Mastercard’s Engage programme, the collaboration combines eNovate’s digital payments suite with Cobi’s intelligence platform to provide financial institutions with deeper insights and personalised engagement. The partnership begins with eNovate’s Rize app, a digital wallet targeting Egypt’s youth. Cobi’s behavioural AI engine will deliver real-time personalisation, helping banks and fintechs understand spending patterns, reduce friction, and support targeted product interventions. eNovate will extend the capability across its broader digital payment services, creating Egypt’s first…

Solidrange, a Saudi cybersecurity startup focused on AI-driven governance, risk, and compliance (GRC) automation and cybersecurity awareness solutions, has closed a US$2.4 million Seed funding round. The round was led by Sharaka Capital, with participation from Sadu Capital, SEEDRA Ventures, and Tali Ventures, the investment arm of stc (Saudi Telecom Company). The funding will support Solidrange’s regional expansion, product development, and the integration of artificial intelligence across its platforms. Its solutions align with Saudi Arabia’s national cybersecurity objectives and support the Kingdom’s Vision 2030 goals. Founded in 2023 and headquartered in Riyadh, Solidrange is led by Jamal M. Labani, CEO…