Paymentology, a global issuer-processor based in the UK, has announced the opening of its new and expanded office in Dubai. The relocation comes in response to growing demand for scalable payment infrastructure and a steadily increasing regional client base. The Dubai office will now serve as a strategic centre for delivery, operations, and collaboration, supporting a range of digital banks and fintechs across the region. Among Paymentology’s clients and partners are institutions such as Wio, Mamo, Mawarid Finance, and Zand. Jeff Parker, CEO of Paymentology, said: “The Middle East has reached an inflection point. We’re seeing governments prioritise financial innovation,…

TheBlock., the international chamber for virtual assets, has released its latest Impact and Performance Report, outlining steady growth in scale, influence, and engagement across the virtual asset sector. The organisation currently supports an active project pipeline valued at over US$11.2 billion, with 230 initiatives under its Chamber and more than 170 events projected globally this year. Headquartered in Dubai across two key venues, One Central and the Dubai World Trade Centre, TheBlock. oversees more than 15,000 square feet of permanent exhibition and workspace. These locations attract over 3.6 million visitors annually. One Central, often described as the “Wall Street of…

International Holding Company (IHC), a global investment firm based in Abu Dhabi, has announced the completion of its acquisition of eFunder, a private financing platform in the UAE that focuses on SMEs. The platform has been rebranded as Zelo, signalling a new phase aimed at expanding its reach and improving access to capital for businesses across the region. Zelo is fully licensed and regulated by the Financial Services Regulatory Authority (FSRA) under Abu Dhabi Global Market (ADGM). Since its launch in August 2020, it has provided receivables-based funding to address the persistent working capital challenges faced by SMEs in the…

Eazy Financial Services (EazyPay), a Bahraini financial institution focused on Point-of-Sale (POS) and online payment gateway acquiring services, has entered into a partnership with Tamara, a Buy Now, Pay Later (BNPL) provider in the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC). Under the agreement, EazyPay will act as Tamara’s local acquirer and offer its payment gateway infrastructure to support transactions across Tamara’s merchant network in Bahrain. Financial terms of the partnership were not disclosed. The collaboration aims to streamline digital payments and enhance transaction efficiency and security. Nayef Tawfiq Al Alawi, Founder and CEO of EazyPay, said: “Tamara has rapidly become a key…

Egyptian fintech startup PALM has closed its pre-seed funding round, led by 4DX Ventures with participation from Plus VC and several international angel investors. The company provides a goal-based savings platform that integrates traditional investment tools with behavioral nudges to support users in meeting financial goals such as education, healthcare, marriage, or major purchases. PALM was founded by Mazen El Kerdany and Ahmed Ashour. El Kerdany is an investment executive with experience managing approximately US$2 billion, previously holding senior roles at EFG Hermes, Beltone Financial Holding, and Post for Investment. Ashour brings a background in technology and finance, with prior…

The MENA Fintech Association (MFTA), a not-for-profit organisation supporting fintech innovation across the Middle East and Africa, has launched its Iraq Chapter. Bahaa Abdul Hadi, an Iraqi-Canadian entrepreneur and fintech figure, has been appointed as Chapter Chair. He will lead efforts to advance digital financial services in Iraq and strengthen compliance with international standards. The launch comes amid a period of rapid change in Iraq’s financial sector, driven by digital banking, mobile payments, and regulatory reform. The recent introduction of the Central Bank of Iraq’s Digital Payment Regulation No. 2 of 2024 aims to reduce reliance on cash, improve transparency,…

Qatar Airways has completed the installation of SpaceX’s Starlink internet service on its fleet of 54 Boeing 777 aircraft, concluding the rollout programme ahead of schedule. The airline now operates the largest number of widebody aircraft equipped with Starlink connectivity, making it the only carrier in the Middle East and North Africa to offer the service. Initially set as a two-year initiative, the installation was finalised in nine months, nearly 50% faster than planned. The process was streamlined by reducing retrofit time from three days to 9.5 hours per aircraft, allowing the programme to be completed without operational disruption. “This…

TikTok and Visa have announced a strategic partnership aimed at supporting SMBs across the UAE by offering access to digital tools, resources, and incentives. From 1 July 2025, SMBs that spend at least US$250 on a TikTok campaign using a Visa Commercial card will receive US$150 in TikTok Ad Credits. This offer is only available to first-time users of TikTok Ads Manager and runs until 30 September 2025. In addition to the advertising credit, eligible businesses will also have access to resources such as TikTok masterclasses, Q&A sessions with TikTok experts, and the “Grow with TikTok Resource Hub”. As part…

Tracxn has released its UAE Tech H1 2025 Report, providing a detailed overview of the country’s technology funding landscape during the first half of the year. The report highlights a strong rebound in investment activity compared to H2 2024, although overall funding remains below the levels recorded in H1 2024. Late-stage funding was the main driver of this recovery, with notable performances across enterprise applications, fintech, and retail sectors. Total funding in H1 2025 reached US$1.0 billion, marking a 133% increase from the US$438 million raised in H2 2024. However, this represents a 43% decline compared to the US$1.8 billion…

Bahrain has been identified as the most cost-competitive location to operate a financial services firm with a tech hub in the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC), offering a 48% cost advantage. This finding comes from a report published by Ernst & Young’s (EY) US office. According to TradeArabia, the report examined the increasing significance of technology and innovation in shaping the financial services sector across the region. The study compared direct and indirect annual operating costs across Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, and the UAE. Key areas analysed included office space, talent acquisition, business set-up fees, taxes, and visa and…

Binance, one of the world’s largest cryptocurrency exchanges, has launched a new product called Sharia Earn, aimed at providing crypto staking options that comply with Islamic finance principles. The service, which includes support for BNB, ETH and SOL tokens, has been certified by Amanie Advisors, a Sharia advisory firm. The product is presented as the first multi token staking offering that aligns with guidelines from Islamic finance, such as the prohibition of interest, avoidance of excessive uncertainty, and the requirement to invest only in halal sectors. Binance states that the structure and operations of the product have been reviewed by…

Emirates has signed a MoU with Crypto.com to explore the potential integration of Crypto.com Pay into the airline’s payment systems. The integration, which prioritises security and regulatory compliance, is expected to be implemented next year. Adnan Kazim, Emirates’ Deputy President and Chief Commercial Officer, commented: “Partnering with Crypto.com to integrate cryptocurrency into our digital payments system reflects Emirates’ commitment to meeting evolving customer preferences, in addition to tapping into younger, tech-savvy customer segments who prefer digital currencies.” Eric Anziani, President and Chief Operating Officer of Crypto.com, said: “As we continue to expand the everyday use case for crypto, integration with…

Valu, a financial technology company based Egypt, has received initial approval from the Central Bank of Jordan to introduce its Buy Now, Pay Later (BNPL) services in the country. The move marks a step forward in the company’s regional expansion strategy. Jordan is viewed by Valu as a market with strong potential, driven by increasing demand for flexible financial tools. The company aims to provide installment-based payment options for a range of sectors, including retail, electronics, and healthcare. Its BNPL model is intended to broaden credit access and support financial inclusion by offering alternatives to upfront payments. Valu has established…

Google has announced the launch of Google Pay in Lebanon and Oman, expanding its digital payment offering in the Middle East and North Africa region. The service is now available for Android and Wear OS users in both countries. With this expansion, users in Lebanon and Oman can make secure payments in stores that accept contactless transactions, as well as in apps and on websites. Cardholders will also be able to store their debit and credit cards in Google Wallet, which is launching concurrently in both markets. Google Pay offers multiple layers of security to support safe transactions. This includes…

With a large, young, and increasingly connected population, Iraq stands out as one of the last major untapped economies in the Middle East. Yet despite its promising fundamentals, the country’s digital and startup ecosystem remains underdeveloped, fragmented, and largely informal. EQIQ, a venture capital (VC) fund, aims to address that. Unlike traditional VC funds that invest passively invests, EQIQ operates more like a venture studio and VC hybrid, investing early, co-building companies from the ground up, and working hands-on to strengthen Iraq’s fledgling tech ecosystem. Mohamed Al-Hakim, a serial entrepreneur and EQIQ’s co-founder, believes Iraq has huge untapped potential because…

Tali Ventures, the corporate venture capital arm of stc group, has led a strategic funding round in Tarmeez Capital, a fintech company specialising in sukuk and debt instruments in Saudi Arabia. The investment marks Tarmeez Capital’s transition from a self-funded business to one backed by a major national investor and supports stc group’s broader strategy to invest in digital platforms contributing to the Kingdom’s financial infrastructure. Tarmeez Capital, licensed by the Capital Market Authority (CMA), offers digital financing solutions across multiple sectors. Its Sharia-compliant sukuk products are available to both institutional and retail investors. The company has facilitated financing programmes…

VisaGuide has released its latest Digital Nomad Visa Index, a ranking that evaluates countries based on their suitability for remote workers. Spain leads the 2025 index with a score of 5, followed by the UAE at 4.48. Montenegro, the Bahamas, and Hungary complete the top five. The Digital Nomad Visa Index offers a comparative overview of destinations offering digital nomad visa schemes. The ranking is based on a range of indicators that affect the experience of remote workers who relocate internationally. These include internet speed, taxation policies (including tax-free duration), visa income requirements, cost of living (in euros), healthcare quality,…

Startup funding across the MENA region dropped sharply in June 2025, with only US$52 million raised across 37 deals. This marks an 82% decline compared to May and a 55% decrease year on year. The downturn was further reflected by the fact that 40% of this capital came through debt instruments, suggesting increasingly cautious investor sentiment amid ongoing global economic uncertainty. The UAE regained its position as the region’s top-funded market, with 13 startups raising US$37 million, accounting for more than 70% of the capital deployed during the month. This represented a shift from May, when Egypt led the region.…

Mubadala, the Abu Dhabi sovereign wealth fund, is reportedly in advanced discussions to acquire a further stake worth approximately US$100 million (£78 million) in Revolut, the British digital banking and payments firm now valued at over £33 billion, according to Sky News. The deal, if completed, would involve the purchase of existing shares from current investors and would add to a smaller stake Mubadala acquired last year in a separate secondary transaction. Sources told the outlet that the Abu Dhabi fund remains eager to increase its holding in Revolut as opportunities arise, signalling strong confidence in the fintech’s potential to…

LemFi, a London-based international payment services company, has announced the expansion of its operations to Egypt, broadening its service offerings to one of Africa’s key remittance corridors. The move builds on LemFi’s existing footprint in the US, Canada, the United Kingdom, and Europe, and supports its ongoing strategy to serve diaspora communities across North Africa, including those in Morocco and Tunisia. Egypt remains one of the continent’s most significant economies and a major recipient of global remittances. In 2024, the country received a record US$29.6 billion in remittances, nearly double the amount recorded in the previous year. In 2023, remittance…