BENEFIT and Ant International have signed a MoU to introduce cross-border QR payments between Bahrain’s BENEFIT QR scheme and Ant International’s Alipay+ global wallet gateway in 2026. The partnership will allow over 15,000 Bahraini merchants to accept cross-border QR payments from Alipay+ partners, which currently connect more than 1.8 billion user accounts across 40 digital payment partners to over 150 million merchants in more than 100 markets. The parties will also explore outbound payment capabilities, enabling Bahraini consumers to use local payment methods internationally through the BENEFIT network. The collaboration includes the exchange of technical expertise and knowledge, as well…

Wio Bank has introduced Wio Family, the UAE’s first fully shared banking experience, designed to enable households to manage money collaboratively. The service allows families to save, spend, and plan together through a shared account, reflecting the view that money is often a collective responsibility. The account can be jointly managed by two ‘Family Leads’, who can invite children, teenagers, helpers, or relatives to join. The service aims to accommodate different household structures, from couples and siblings to multi-generational families, offering flexible account ownership and management. For children and teenagers aged 8–17, Wio Family includes Pockets, controlled spaces with virtual…

Emirates NBD has announced a partnership with the UAE’s General Civil Aviation Authority (GCAA) to introduce a Host-to-Host (H2H) payment solution aimed at automating the authority’s digital transactions. Under the agreement, Emirates NBD will support the GCAA in streamlining and automating payments involving its aviation clients, suppliers, and partners in the UAE and abroad. Developed by the bank’s Transaction Banking Services unit, the H2H platform enables secure, fully automated, internet-based payments without the need for manual processes. The system is intended to support the GCAA’s efforts to advance digital operations, reduce paperwork, and improve transaction efficiency across its vendor network.…

The UAE announced on Saturday (November 22) it will invest US$1 billion to expand AI infrastructure and AI-enabled services across Africa, aiming to support national development priorities. UAE Minister of State Saeed Bin Mubarak Al Hajeri unveiled the “AI for development initiative” at the G20 leaders’ summit in Johannesburg, Reuters reported. The program will bring AI technology to sectors such as education, healthcare, and climate adaptation. “We consider AI not just as a future industry but a cornerstone of humanity’s future,” Al Hajeri said. “Therefore, my country is actively accelerating innovation to enhance productivity and drive significant advancements in the…

Giesecke+Devrient (G+D), the global security technology company headquartered in Munich, is marking 25 years of operations in the UAE. Since opening its Dubai office in 1999, G+D has expanded from a specialised security-technology supplier to a regional partner in secure payments, currency technology, identity, connectivity, and digital infrastructures across more than 60 countries in the Middle East and Africa. The company employs around 200 people in the UAE and operates its global competence centre at Dubai Digital Park in Dubai Silicon Oasis. “For 25 years, G+D’s presence in Dubai has reflected the region’s drive for digital security and for secure,…

Abacus Group, an IT Managed Services Provider (MSP) and Managed Security Services Provider (MSSP) for highly regulated industries, has opened a new office in Dubai as part of its expansion into the UAE. Over the past 18 months, Abacus has seen the number of its clients with a presence in the UAE double to over 25. The company is also engaging with early-stage asset managers choosing the country as their primary location. Growth in Dubai and the wider UAE has been driven by a stable regulatory environment, increasing capital availability, rising non-oil trade, and a business-friendly climate. The new office…

First.tech, a UAE-based global AI-driven group operating in insurtech, fintech, and govtech, has signed a MoU with ELM, a digital solutions provider in Saudi Arabia. The agreement aims to explore cross-border digital interoperability and joint development of services for citizens, residents, and visitors in both countries. Under the MoU, the two organisations will examine secure data exchange and digital integration opportunities to streamline access to public and private sector services. The collaboration will also consider initiatives in insurtech and govtech, aiming to enable more efficient access to services across the UAE and Saudi Arabia. Karl Kondal, Chief Strategy Officer at…

The Public Investment Fund (PIF), Saudi Information Technology Company (SITE) and Microsoft have signed a MoU to explore the provision of Microsoft’s sovereign-cloud services in Saudi Arabia. The agreement seeks to enhance the security, confidentiality and sovereignty of data within the country, while providing access to advanced cloud and artificial intelligence technologies. Microsoft brings experience in delivering sovereign-cloud solutions that allow governments and regulated industries worldwide to adopt cloud services while maintaining national data controls in line with local laws. Under the MoU, Microsoft will work with PIF and SITE to assess how its sovereign-cloud model can support Saudi Arabia’s…

Sheikh Mansour bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Vice President, Deputy Prime Minister, Chairman of the Presidential Court, and Chairman of the Board of Directors of the Central Bank of the UAE (CBUAE), received Pan Gongsheng, Governor of the People’s Bank of China (PBOC), at Qasr Al Watan in Abu Dhabi, in the presence of Khaled Mohamed Balama, Governor of the CBUAE. During the meeting, Sheikh Mansour executed the first cross-border payment between the UAE and China using central bank digital currency (CBDC) through the newly launched ‘Jisr’ network. The transaction marked the official launch of the platform, developed to support cross-border…

The Singapore Business Federation (SBF) has opened a new support hub in Dubai to guide Singapore companies entering the Middle East. The Business Times reported that the Singapore Enterprise Centre is the federation’s first in the region and the fifth in its GlobalConnect network. The new centre will act as a launchpad for businesses exploring opportunities in the Gulf. It will offer market advisory services, business matching, networking sessions, workshops and sector-focused roundtables. Existing centres under the initiative are located in Jakarta, Ho Chi Minh City, Bangkok and Bengaluru. Interest in the Middle East has grown sharply. According to SBF,…

Mastercard has introduced its AI-powered Agent Pay service in the UAE, completing its first transaction outside the US. As part of the pilot phase, Mastercard is collaborating with Majid Al Futtaim, a major operator of shopping malls, communities, retail and leisure across the Middle East, Africa and Asia, as well as fintech firm Dataiera. When fully rolled out, cardholders will be able to use their AI agent to search, discover and complete transactions through Mastercard Agent Pay, including booking cinema tickets at VOX Cinemas. Dimitrios Dosis, President, Eastern Europe, Middle East and Africa, Mastercard, said: “As AI becomes a trusted…

HSBC is reportedly preparing to expand its tokenised deposits services. The global bank already offers the service in Hong Kong, Singapore, the UK and Luxembourg, and now plans to extend it to corporate clients in the US and the UAE beginning next year, Bloomberg reported. HSBC’s Tokenised Deposit Service enables clients to send money locally and across borders within seconds and at any time, according to Manish Kohli, HSBC’s Global Head of Payments Solutions. “The topic of tokenisation, stablecoins, digital money and digital currencies has obviously gathered so much momentum. We are making big bets in this space,” Kohli said.…

Numou, ADGM’s platform for SME growth, has partnered with Abhi, a regional neo bank, to provide embedded finance and working capital solutions aimed at improving access to funding for SMEs across the region. The partnership will allow SMEs using Numou to access working capital more quickly and with greater flexibility and transparency, helping to bridge the gap between invoice issuance and payment. By integrating Abhi’s digital lending infrastructure, the collaboration is expected to facilitate faster credit assessments and loan disbursements, enabling businesses to operate without liquidity constraints. “Partnering with Abhi allows us to address one of the biggest challenges for…

Mastercard and Zenith Bank have introduced the Essential Debit Card, a solution aimed at increasing access to secure digital payments in Nigeria. The card is intended to serve the financial needs of underserved populations, including low-income earners, who have historically faced barriers to formal banking services. Folasade Femi-Lawal, Country Manager and Area Business Head for West Africa at Mastercard, said: “At Mastercard, we believe that inclusion fuels innovation, and innovation must be inclusive by design. The Essential Debit Card offers a gateway to economic opportunity for millions.” Dame Dr Adaora Umeoji, Group Managing Director/Chief Executive at Zenith Bank, said: “This…

This year’s largest edition of Abu Dhabi Finance Week (ADFW), hosted by ADGM with ADQ as Headline Partner,  will bring together major financial institutions, policymakers, investors, and industry leaders from 8–11 December 2025 in Abu Dhabi. The 2025 programme includes more than 60 events, over 300 thematic sessions, and approximately 750 speakers. Senior executives from organisations managing more than US$62 trillion in global assets are expected to attend. Ahmed Jasim Al Zaabi, Chairman of ADGM, said: “ADFW 2025 will mark the next chapter in Abu Dhabi’s evolution as a global financial hub, bringing together policy powers, investment titans, and tech…

The Dubai Financial Services Authority (DFSA), the independent regulator of the Dubai International Financial Centre (DIFC), and the Hong Kong Monetary Authority (HKMA), Hong Kong’s central bank, have published a joint research report, Scaling Sustainable Debt in Emerging Markets, with BloombergNEF as a knowledge partner. The report examines the potential of labelled debt, including green, blue, social, and sustainability-linked bonds, to support sustainable development in emerging markets. The research finds that sustainable debt markets across the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) and emerging Asia Pacific (APAC) have significant growth potential. Many issuers and borrowers currently finance sustainable projects with…

First Abu Dhabi Bank is moving to offer real-time cross-border and mobile wallet payouts to more than 130 countries through a new partnership with Thunes. The integration will give FAB customers faster and more transparent international transfers once the service is fully launched. The agreement expands FAB’s global payment reach by connecting directly to Thunes’ Direct Global Network. Both companies say the partnership supports national initiatives aimed at modernising the UAE’s financial infrastructure and strengthening digital innovation, interoperability and financial inclusion. The collaboration reflects their shared aim to advance next-generation cross-border payment channels. Thunes’ Direct Global Network will enable FAB…

Seedstars and the SANAD Technical Assistance Facility (TAF) have launched the SANAD Elevate Her Programme, a multi-phase initiative supporting female-led and 2X-aligned startups across the Middle East, North Africa, and Sub-Saharan Africa. The programme provides access to finance, capacity building, and investment-readiness support to help women founders expand their businesses. Women entrepreneurs in these regions face an estimated US$42 billion funding gap, alongside climate-related challenges, limited access to markets and finance, and disproportionate household responsibilities. The SANAD Elevate Her Programme aims to address these constraints by equipping female-led ventures with the tools, networks, and capital required to grow. The programme…

Thousands of SMEs across Nigeria and other African countries can now access free training to develop AI and digital skills through the ‘AfCFTA Digital Inclusion & Entrepreneurship Programme,’ launched by Google and the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) Secretariat and powered by the Google Hustle Academy. SMEs generate nearly 80% of jobs across Africa. The programme aims to address the digital skills gap by providing entrepreneurs with AI-based solutions and training relevant to current market needs. Since 2022, the Google Hustle Academy has supported over 18,000 SMEs across the continent. Wamkele Mene, Secretary-General of the AfCFTA Secretariat, said: “The…

BENEFIT and Singapore-based technology company MonetaGo, in collaboration with Bahrain Fintech Bay (BFB), have begun implementing Bahrain’s National Digital Public Infrastructure (DPI) Initiative. The project aims to create a digital ledger for all financed trade transactions and invoice submissions, providing an alternative data credit score to support trade finance and reduce risk in SME lending. The collaboration brings together Bahrain’s fintech ecosystem and Singapore’s digital trust frameworks, with the goal of developing interoperable, cross-border digital public infrastructure connecting Asia and the Middle East. The initiative is intended to strengthen financial and economic linkages and support secure, transparent trade finance. Abdulwahed…