Fuze, a financial infrastructure provider based in Abu Dhabi, has secured approval from the Central Bank of the UAE (CBUAE) for a Retail Payment Services and Card Schemes (RPSCS) license. The company received the approval through its subsidiary, Niobe Payment Services LLC SPC. With this license, Fuze is now positioned as both a fully licensed operator for digital assets infrastructure and, via its payments infrastructure division, as a regulated payment services provider in the region. The approval will allow businesses to access faster and more secure payment options, reduce transaction times, and ensure compliance with local regulations. The firm is…

Abu Dhabi Global Market (ADGM) announced the launch of the Virtual Sell and Purchase, a first of its kind real estate service that enables multiple steps within property transactions to be completed virtually by buyers, sellers, and associated banks. The service integrates three key procedures — Discharge of Mortgage, Register a Transfer, and Register a Mortgage — into a single digital process. By bringing all parties together on an online platform, the system is intended to simplify property transactions and reduce the time typically required to finalise deals. A central feature of the service is its virtual presence function, which…

Presight, a global big data analytics company specialising in AI, has signed a MoU with the Mohamed bin Zayed University of Artificial Intelligence (MBZUAI) to support the Presight AI Startup Accelerator. The partnership is designed to foster the growth of AI startups by combining Presight’s applied AI infrastructure and expertise with the academic and research capabilities of MBZUAI. Through this collaboration, both organisations aim to contribute to the development of a wider AI innovation ecosystem. As part of the agreement, MBZUAI will introduce AI-focused startups from its network to the Presight AI Startup Accelerator. The university will also take part…

Nokia and the Ministry of Digital Transition and Administration Reform of Morocco have signed a MoU during GITEX Africa 2025 in Morocco. The agreement reflects both parties’ intention to support the objectives outlined in the Digital Morocco 2030 plan. The MoU was signed by Amal El Fallah Seghrouchni, Minister of Digital Transition and Administration Reform, and Pierre Chaume, Vice President of North, West and Central Africa for Network Infrastructure at Nokia. As Morocco prepares to host major sporting events in 2025 and 2030, Nokia will contribute its telecommunications infrastructure expertise to help improve digital services for participants and ensure the…

Deloitte Middle East has announced the results of the fourth edition of the Middle East Technology Fast 50 programme, recognising the fastest-growing technology companies across the region. The programme ranks companies based on revenue growth over the past four years, highlighting the innovation and entrepreneurial spirit that continues to shape the region’s technology sector. This year saw a record number of over 200 applications, reflecting the increasing maturity and engagement within the region’s start-up ecosystem. Saudi Arabia led with 30% of the ranked companies, followed by the UAE at 28%, and Cyprus at 16%. The average growth rate of the…

Chief Investment Officer (CIO) of Indonesia’s sovereign wealth fund Danantara, Pandu Sjahrir, underscored on Monday (April 14) that the joint investment commitment totalling US$4 billion between Indonesia and Qatar will concentrate on several priority sectors. As reported by Antara, these sectors include food security, energy security, downstream processing, digital infrastructure, healthcare, and tourism. Indonesia and Qatar have reached an agreement on a joint investment commitment worth US$4 billion, with each nation contributing US$2 billion to the fund. “The investments align with Indonesia’s (priorities). If we look at the themes, we see food security, energy security, downstream, digital infrastructure, healthcare, and…

AU10TIX, an Israel and New York-based provider of identity verification and management solutions, has appointed Yair Tal as its new Chief Executive Officer. Tal, who brings more than two decades of leadership experience in payments, financial technology and localisation services, will focus on strengthening the company’s machine learning capabilities and supporting its international expansion through a regional strategy. He succeeds Dan Yerushalmi, who is stepping down to spend more time with his family. Before joining AU10TIX in April 2025, Tal served as Chief Executive of BLEND, an AI-powered localisation firm. He previously held the role of Senior Vice President and…

Visa has introduced its Visa+ service in Bahrain, enabling users to send money to Visa cardholders across the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) region using only the recipient’s mobile number. The service is currently available to customers of Bahrain Islamic Bank (BisB) and Khaleeji Bank. Bahrain is among the first markets globally to adopt Visa+. Through Visa+, customers of BisB and Khaleeji Bank can transfer funds to Visa debit and prepaid cardholders in other GCC countries using a mobile number instead of sharing more sensitive details such as a 16-digit debit card number or IBAN. The initial rollout allows transfers from…

PayPal has announced a partnership with TerraPay, a global money movement company based in the London, to enable real-time fund transfers for PayPal users in the Middle East and Africa. The collaboration aims to simplify cross-border transactions by connecting banks, mobile wallets, and financial institutions, making them faster, more accessible, and easier to use. With the increasing demand for efficient and secure payment solutions, this partnership addresses gaps in financial connectivity and infrastructure, allowing individuals and businesses in the region to participate more fully in the global economy. Through PayPal account linking, TerraPay will facilitate seamless transfers for mobile wallet…

BridgeWise, a US-based AI-powered investment intelligence platform, has officially entered the Middle East after securing an operational license from the Dubai International Financial Centre (DIFC). In addition to the DIFC license, BridgeWise has secured a strategic investment from Emirates NBD. As part of its Middle Eastern expansion, BridgeWise has appointed Ayush Khatri as the Regional Head for the Middle East, North Africa, and Turkey (MENAT). Khatri, based in Dubai, brings a wealth of experience in financial services and strategy and will lead regional operations, partnerships, and growth initiatives. Founded in 2019, BridgeWise uses generative AI and machine learning to offer…

Global cloud communications platform Infobip has announced the appointment of Mirza Bukva as Director of Operator Partnerships for the Europe, Middle East, and Africa (EMEA) region. Bukva is a long-serving member of Infobip, having spent close to a decade with the company in a variety of leadership roles within its telecom partnerships division. He previously served as Head of Telecom Partnerships for Africa, where he focused on improving connectivity optimisation, monetising telecom products, and managing strategic partnerships. Before joining Infobip, Bukva built a career in sales and analytics, applying both relationship-driven strategies and data-focused decision-making to help deliver business results.…

According to new research from investment platform eToro, 87% of retail investors in the UAE now rely on fintech platforms to manage their finances, marking a significant shift in how financial services are accessed and trusted across the region. The survey highlights Dubai’s ascent as one of the world’s top five fintech cities, reflecting the UAE’s broader transformation in investor behaviour. George Naddaf, Managing Director MENA at eToro, commented: “Dubai’s position among the world’s top five fintech cities reflects a broader transformation in how investors across the UAE are engaging with financial services. eToro’s data shows a clear preference for…

BKN301 Group, a London-based fintech company specialising in Banking as a Service (BaaS) with operations across the Middle East, Europe and Africa, has completed a capital increase of US$23.8 million. The funding will support the company’s international growth plans, including potential expansion into the UAE and Saudi Arabia, as well as further development of its proprietary BaaS Orchestrator platform. The company provides technology solutions to traditional banks, digital banks and fintech firms, offering services such as core banking, payment processing, digital wallets, card issuing, API decoupling, cross-border transactions, open banking and AI and GenAI integration for third-party systems. The Series…

The Dubai International Financial Centre (DIFC) will host the third edition of the Dubai Fintech Summit on 12 and 13 May 2025 at Madinat Jumeirah, Dubai. Held under the theme ‘Fintech for All’ and under the patronage of Sheikh Maktoum bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, First Deputy Ruler of Dubai, Deputy Prime Minister, Minister of Finance, and President of DIFC, the summit will gather global industry leaders, innovators, and policymakers to discuss the trends and advancements shaping the future of the fintech sector. Sheikh Maktoum bin Mohammed said: “The Summit is set to attract over 8,000 attendees and 300…

The Registration Authority (RA) and the Financial Services Regulatory Authority (FSRA) of Abu Dhabi Global Market (ADGM) have completed investigations into serious regulatory breaches involving AC Holding Limited (AC Holding), its sole shareholder and director Christopher Flinos, and related entities operating under the name ‘HAYVN’. The RA’s investigation determined that AC Holding exceeded its ADGM Special Purpose Vehicle (SPV) commercial license by acting as an unlicensed investment company. It processed transactions converting cryptocurrencies to fiat and vice versa and submitted four false annual accounts for the years 2019 to 2022. Furthermore, Christopher Flinos was found to have engaged in fraudulent…

The Qatar Central Bank (QCB) has introduced a new ‘Multiple Wallets per Mobile Number’ feature within the Qatar Mobile Payment (QMP) system, as part of its Third Financial Sector Strategy and efforts to improve mobile payment services in the country. In a statement posted on its X account, QCB said the feature allows users to register two separate wallets under the same mobile number with different payment service providers. Users will also be able to set a default account for receiving incoming transfers, and switch between accounts or change the default setting when needed. QCB described the move as a…

ShopUp, B2B commerce platform from Bangladesh, and Sary, a B2B marketplace and services platform in the Gulf, have merged to form SILQ Group. The merger connects Gulf markets and emerging Asia, creating a B2B commerce platform aimed at serving fast-growing consumer markets in the region and globally. The deal is backed by US$110 million in funding, led by Sanabil Investments, a company owned by Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund (PIF), and Peter Thiel’s Valar Ventures. The financing includes both equity investment and a facility for SILQ Financial, the group’s financial services division. Combined, ShopUp and Sary have supported more than…

Standard Chartered and OKX, a cryptocurrency exchange and global on-chain technology company, have announced the launch of a collateral mirroring programme on April 10, 2025. This program aims to allow institutional clients to use cryptocurrencies and tokenised money market funds as off-exchange collateral for trading. This initiative improves security and capital efficiency for institutional clients by using a Globally Systemically Important Bank (G-SIB) to safeguard their collateral. Margaret Harwood-Jones, Global Head of Financing and Securities Services at Standard Chartered, said: “Our collaboration with OKX to enable the use of cryptocurrencies and tokenised money market funds as collateral represents a significant…

The UAE Cabinet has approved support for the launch of Google Cloud’s first Cybersecurity Excellence Centre in Abu Dhabi. The centre is the result of a collaboration between the UAE Cybersecurity Council and Google Cloud. The Cybersecurity Excellence Centre will focus on collaboration, training, and talent development. It aims to foster partnerships with global academic institutions, deliver role-based cybersecurity training, and build local expertise. Training will be delivered by Mandiant, part of Google Cloud, offering immersive, scenario-based learning based on real-world cyberattacks. Dr. Mohamed Alkuwaiti, Head of Cyber Security for the UAE Government, said: “Our collaboration will not only help…

Basata Holding for Financial Payments, a Cairo-based fintech company specialising in digital payment solutions, has launched the “Basata Card” in partnership with Connect Money, another Egypt-based fintech firm focused on banking and financial technology services. The new card aims to support both individual consumers and merchants by offering secure and efficient financial transactions, in line with the country’s push towards a cashless, digital economy. The company plans to continue developing and adding new features, with a stated focus on improving the user experience and strengthening Egypt’s digital payments infrastructure. The Basata Card allows users to withdraw cash from ATMs across…