Tagged: mena region

Digital Banking: Kuwait International Bank Introduces Corporate Financial Services Platform

Kuwait International Bank (KIB) has announced the launch of its Corporate Online Banking platform, heralding “a new phase of financial empowerment and security for its corporate customer.” The launch falls in line with the Bank’s commitment “to digital innovation and expanding its modern banking solutions.”… Read More

Digital Assets: Binance Obtains an Operational Minimum Viable Product License in Dubai

Binance, which is being sued by US regulators for a wide range of issues, is pleased to announce that their Dubai subsidiary, Binance FZE, has reportedly become the first exchange “to receive the Operational Minimum Viable Product (MVP) license from Dubai’s Virtual Asset Regulatory Authority… Read More

Saudi Central Bank (SAMA) Releases Latest Report Covering Nation’s Finance Companies Sector

The Saudi Central Bank (SAMA) issued the Annual Performance Report of the Saudi Finance Companies Sector 2022. The report outlines the sector’s key developments and financial results in 2022. According to the report, most indicators in the finance companies sector “grew at varying rates in… Read More

Flash, Egypt’s Cashless Payments Fintech, Secures Funding from Addition, Flourish Ventures, Others

Flash, Egypt’s cashless payments app, completed a $6 million seed round led by Addition along with participation from Flourish Ventures and other angel investors. This funding from the investment round will be used “to accelerate the startup’s product development and customer & business acquisition in… Read More

Nomura Launches Wealth Management Business in Dubai, Opens Premises in DIFC

Nomura announced the expansion of its International Wealth Management business with new premises in Dubai International Financial Centre (DIFC), the global financial hub in the MENA and South Asia region. Nomura announced last year that it would “open a branch of Nomura Singapore Limited in… Read More

ESG, Saudi Arabia: Sustainability Is Fundamental Aspect of Vision 2030, Nation Committed to Achieving Net-Zero Target

Sustainability is a fundamental aspect of Vision 2030, and Saudi Arabia is committed to achieving its net-zero target by 2060; however, “the adoption of sustainability considerations remains its initial stages in Saudi Arabia.” As the concept of Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) gains momentum in… Read More

Mastercard and Nirvana Travel and Tourism to Provide Payment Solution to Clients in UAE, Saudi Arabia, Egypt, Jordan

Mastercard (NYSE: MA) and Nirvana Travel and Tourism – which claims to be one of the UAE’s leading travel and tourism management companies – have joined forces in a collaboration aimed at providing a payment solution “to customers who book travel services in the UAE,… Read More

UAE-based Crypto Exchange BitOasis Technologies Loses License Due to Unmet Regulatory Requirements

VARA is issuing a market alert regarding ongoing supervisory controls, and enforcement actions initiated against BitOasis. VARA in Dubai (United Arab Emirates) confirmed that it is issuing this market alert regarding ongoing supervisory controls, and enforcement actions initiated against digital currency trading platform BitOasis. Investors… Read More

Emirates NBD, a Financial Services Group in MENA Region and Turkey, Launches Updated WhatsApp Banking Service

Emirates NBD, a banking group in the MENA region and Turkey, has launched an enhanced and upgraded version of its WhatsApp banking service, “providing customers with a convenient, secure and reliable digital banking experience like never before.” Emirates NBD WhatsApp banking “allows customers to seamlessly… Read More

Fintech Firm BKN301 Expands Operations into Egypt, Focuses on Business Growth in Financial Tech Sector

c, a payment and Banking-as-a-Service (BaaS) provider in the MENA region has expanded its operations into Egypt with the opening of a new office in Cairo. The move is part of BKN301’s strategy “to support the growth of the fintech sector in Egypt and the… Read More

MENA’s Open Banking Platform Tarabut Gateway Appoints Tariq Sanad as Chief Financial Officer

Tarabut Gateway, MENA’s open banking platform, announces the appointment of Tariq Sanad as its new Chief Financial Officer (CFO). Tariq, a Bahraini national, is “one of MENA’s renowned start-up veterans, boasting over 20 years of experience in the finance field.” During this time, he has… Read More

MENA Region’s Emirates NBD to Enhance Business Operations with Generative AI

Emirates NBD, a banking group in the MENA region and Turkey, has announced a transformation focused on harnessing the power of generative AI to change Emirates NBD’s operations and enhance productivity across various business functions supported by Microsoft. This collaboration aims “to unlock new opportunities… Read More

UAE’s B2B Fintech FOO, Infinios to Enhance CX via Payment Solutions

FOO, a B2B fintech solutions provider headquartered in the UAE, has partnered with the Bahrain-based payment services provider and card processor, Infinios Financial Services B.S.C (C). By combining their technology and expertise, the two companies “will deliver an out-of-the-box Digital First Card Issuance Platform.” The… Read More

Saudi Central Bank (SAMA) Announces Regulations for Payments, Payment Services

The Saudi Central Bank (SAMA) announces the issuance of the Implementing Regulations for the Law of Payments and Payment Services “to support the objective of enhancing soundness and efficiency of the payment systems infrastructure in Saudi Arabia.” The relevant regulatory and supervisory frameworks enable SAMA… Read More

Digital Asset Platform TOKO Signs Agreement with PwC Hong Kong

TOKO, headquartered in Dubai with offices in Hong Kong, is a digital asset creation platform, created in collaboration with DLA Piper and operating within an unparalleled regulatory framework, signs joint business relationship with PwC Hong Kong in order “to offer Blockchain solutions to PwC’s global… Read More

Abu Dhabi Global Market (ADGM) Implements Sustainable Finance Regulatory Framework

Abu Dhabi Global Market (ADGM) announced the implementation of its sustainable finance regulatory framework with immediate effect, following significant support received through public consultation, “reinforcing its position as a sustainable financial hub and a natural hub for sustainable finance activities.” The framework encompasses rules “on… Read More

Egyptian Fintech Agel Secures Investment for Shariah-Compliant Financial Technology Platform

Agel, which claims to be Egypt’s first and only Islamic FinTech, has announced today that the company has successfully “closed the pre-seed round for undisclosed seven-digit figures.” The investment round was “led by MENA-focused venture capital firms, Plus Venture Capital (+VC), Seedstars International Ventures, Flat6labs,… Read More

Qatar: QNB Group Selects IBM to Enhance Digital Banking Experience

QNB Group, in collaboration with IBM (NYSE: IBM) and its ecosystem partner, Mannai InfoTech, an ICT Division under Mannai Trading Company WLL have delivered an innovative, pioneering and engaging Digital Banking experience to its customers. IBM Consulting’s Business Transformation expertise, the IBM Garage methodology and… Read More

UAE: Etihad Airways Partners with Pine Labs Qwikcilver for its Asset Manager Solution

Pine Labs’ Qwikcilver, a provider of end-to-end gift card and stored value solutions, has partnered with Etihad Airways, the national airline of the United Arab Emirates to enable seamless issuance of refund and compensation vouchers through Qwikcilver’s Asset Manager solution. This solution has been “integrated… Read More

Mastercard, Bankiom to Issue Virtual Prepaid Cards Across GCC Region

Mastercard (NYSE: MA) is partnering with Bankiom, a UAE-based lifestyle banking app, to introduce digital payment cards across the UAE, Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, Kuwait, and Oman. This partnership marks “a significant stride in Mastercard‘s ongoing commitment to advancing digitalization in the payments landscape throughout the… Read More

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