Q Mobility has announced revised Darb toll gate fees, parking regulations and customer service timings for the Eid Al Adha holiday in Abu Dhabi, with several services set to operate free of charge during the festive period.

According to the company, Darb toll gate fees at Sas Al Nakhl, Al Maqta’, Rabdan and Al Saadiyat will be suspended from Monday, May 25 until Friday, May 29, 2026.

Regular toll charges will resume on Saturday May 30, 2026 under the approved schedule.

Read more-Dubai’s Salik, Parkin fees to increase with 5% VAT rollout

However, toll fees at the Al Qurm and Ghantout gates will continue operating around the clock throughout the holiday period, with motorists required to pay Dhs4 per crossing, according to a WAM report.

Free public parking during holiday

Q Mobility also confirmed that public parking across Abu Dhabi, excluding multi-storey parking facilities, will be free from Monday, May 25, until Friday May 29, 2026.

Standard parking tariffs will resume on Saturday, May 30, 2026 in line with approved regulations. The company added that multi-storey parking fees will remain applicable 24 hours a day, seven days a week, according to standard tariff rates.

The announcement is expected to ease movement for residents and visitors travelling across the emirate during the Eid Al Adha break, one of the busiest holiday periods of the year.

Customer centres to close temporarily

Regarding customer services, Q Mobility said Driver Licensing Centres in Abu Dhabi and Al Ain, including the main Driver and Vehicle Licensing Centre in Al Ain City, will remain closed from Monday May 25, until Sunday, May 31, 2026.

Operations at the centres are scheduled to resume on Monday, June 1, 2026 during regular business hours.

The company also confirmed that digital services will continue to operate 24/7 through its official platforms, including the website, the Darb application and the TAMM platform.

Abu Dhabi-based International Holding Company (IHC) has executed a Dhs110m ($30m) transaction using DDSC on ADI Chain.

International Holding Company said the transaction was carried out on ADI Chain, an institutional Layer-2 blockchain developed by ADI Foundation, using DDSC, a UAE dirham-backed stablecoin.

The company said the transfer validates the operational readiness, scalability and resilience of the DDSC ecosystem as it moves from development into live deployment.

DDSC was launched following approval from the Central Bank of the UAE and is the result of a collaboration between IHC, First Abu Dhabi Bank and Sirius International Holding, with infrastructure support from ADI Foundation.

IHC said the system is designed to support secure, compliant and efficient digital transactions for institutions, businesses and individuals, enabling value transfer and settlement across global markets.

The company said the latest transaction demonstrates the capability of the infrastructure to handle high-value and high-frequency financial flows, including cross-border payments, treasury operations and trade settlement.

“The UAE’s digital infrastructure is live, resilient, and ready to support real institutional financial activity,” said Syed Basar Shueb, chief executive of IHC.

He said the execution of Dhs110m in DDSC on ADI Chain signals a shift toward institutional-grade digital assets being operational at scale, not just theoretical use cases.

IHC said the milestone comes amid rising demand for faster, more transparent and compliant alternatives to traditional payment systems, particularly in emerging markets where cost and operational complexity remain challenges.

The company said the focus will now shift to broader institutional participation, expanded use cases and the development of cross-border payment and trade corridors linking the Middle East with global markets.

Read: IHC Q1 2026 profit nearly doubles on investment gains, portfolio growth

Branded residences have long been shorthand for the top of the market: gleaming towers attached to luxury hotel names, sold on prestige and the speed at which units clear.

Dimitris Manikis, president EMEA at Wyndham Hotels & Resorts, thinks that definition is narrowing just as the opportunity widens. As buyers grow more discerning about how an asset actually performs over time, he states, the real growth is shifting toward the mid-scale and upper-midscale end, where a recognised brand and professional management matter as much at an accessible price point as they do at the luxury one.

We spoke to him about Wyndham’s expanding residences pipeline across the UAE and Egypt, the operational thinking behind it, and what’s driving demand for hospitality-led living.

Can you explain the shift from luxury-only offerings to mid-scale, service-oriented living within branded residences?
Branded residences are evolving beyond a purely luxury-led model. The question is no longer just how quickly these developments sell, but how they perform over time. Buyers today are more informed and are asking more detailed questions about operational credibility, rental programme transparency and how assets are maintained over the long term. Those fundamentals apply across all price points, not just at the luxury end.
This is where the mid-scale and upper-midscale segments are becoming increasingly important.

There is clear demand from buyers seeking the reassurance of a globally recognised brand, but at a more accessible entry point. For Wyndham, this is a natural extension of where we have always been strongest, and it is reflected in projects such as Ramada Residences by Wyndham at Dubai Islands.

How does this model open up new opportunities for developers and investors?
Residential real estate is fundamentally an operational asset class. Long-term value is driven by how well the asset is managed day to day: through service consistency, cost discipline and operational execution. Brand alone is not enough; what matters is the infrastructure behind it.

For developers, working with an established hospitality brand supports buyer confidence and provides access to global demand. Through the Wyndham Advantage, owners benefit from distribution, revenue management, digital marketing and loyalty engagement, including a global base of more than 124 million Wyndham Rewards members.

For investors and end-users, the proposition is about consistency and reliability. Professionally managed residences, backed by established systems and standards, provide a level of operational confidence that is difficult to replicate independently, particularly in markets like Dubai, where short-term leasing can form part of the investment case.

What are some of the key introductions you’ve made to your branded residences product lines recently?
Our focus has been on expanding in line with where we see the most consistent demand, particularly in the mid-scale and upper-midscale segments, which remain relatively underserved.

Ramada Residences is central to that strategy. Following the launch of Ramada Residences by Wyndham at Al Jaddaf, we have recently signed Ramada Residences by Wyndham at Dubai Islands, alongside Wyndham Residences Marjan Beach in Ras Al Khaimah, our first branded residences project in the UAE. We are also progressing Wyndham Hotels & Residences Cairo West, marking our entry into branded residences in Egypt.

Across these developments, the focus is consistent: combining hotel-grade service and brand standards with practical design, liveability and cost structures that support long-term performance rather than short-term positioning.

What is driving demand for flexible, hospitality-led residential concepts?
Demand is being shaped by a combination of structural and lifestyle shifts. We are seeing longer stays, more flexible working patterns, and a growing preference for spaces that combine residential comfort with hotel-level service. In this region, those trends are supported by strong underlying fundamentals. The UAE continues to see sustained population growth, strong tourism performance and high levels of investor confidence, supported by long-term frameworks such as the Dubai 2040 Urban Masterplan.

At the same time, buyers are increasingly looking for flexibility, whether as a primary residence, a second home, or an income-generating asset where regulations allow.

Cost discipline and operational sustainability are also becoming more important as service expectations rise. While the near-term environment remains dynamic, the underlying demand drivers for this type of product remain in place, and we continue to take a long-term view of the region.

What are your next steps for 2026?
Our focus remains on disciplined, partner-led growth. We are continuing to expand our branded residences footprint in markets where the fundamentals support long-term performance, working closely with developers who share that approach.

The Middle East remains a key region for us. Despite a more dynamic near-term environment, the long-term fundamentals — supported by government tourism strategies, infrastructure investment and sustained demand — remain strong, and we are confident in the region’s resilience.

From a broader EMEA perspective, we have seen strong momentum, with 173 new signings and more than 11,500 rooms opened across segments. Ultimately, long-term performance, not just initial sales, will define the success of branded residences. Our role is to ensure every project is operationally sound, commercially viable and positioned to deliver value over time.

When ADNOC Distribution and Americana Restaurants announced their strategic partnership on May 19, the numbers told one story: up to 200 quick service restaurants drawn from Americana’s portfolio of 12 globally recognised brands, among them KFC, Pizza Hut, Hardee’s, Krispy Kreme, Costa Coffee and Baskin-Robbins, rolling out across ADNOC Distribution’s network in three countries.

But the strategic story is bigger than a brand line-up. The deal lands as ADNOC Distribution is actively rewiring what a service station is for. Non-fuel retail was a standout driver of a strong opening quarter; the company posted record Q1 EBITDA of $307m and net profit of $210m, up 20.7 per cent year-on-year, and the Americana partnership is designed to accelerate that momentum, feeding directly into The Hub by ADNOC, the destination-led concept set to reach 30 locations in the UAE by 2030.

Both sides frame the move as a chance to turn fuel and mobility stops into genuine destinations. ADNOC Distribution’s CEO, engineer Bader Saeed Al Lamki, casts it as another step in the company’s push to grow non-fuel retail, stating that pairing its network and customer reach with Americana’s globally recognised brands creates more accessible, integrated experiences for millions of customers across the three markets, while building a diversified, future-ready retail business that delivers long-term value for shareholders and communities alike. Mohamed Alabbar, chairman of Americana Restaurants, said the tie-up lets the group take its iconic brands and operational know-how to every high-traffic touchpoint, transforming what were once simple refuelling stops into lively spaces for trusted food and hospitality on the go — and, in his view, setting a new regional benchmark for integrated dining and mobility.

We sat down with Klaas Mantel, chief operating officer of ADNOC Distribution, to talk through what the partnership brings together, how it will roll out, and why the rise of EV charging makes a great cup of coffee more valuable than ever.

What does the partnership with Americana actually bring together, and why is it the right fit?

There are really three ingredients. The first is the scale we have in terms of network footprint, we’re rolling this out across up to 200 locations in three countries: Egypt, Saudi Arabia and of course the UAE.

The second is our customer base. And the third is the operating expertise that Americana brings. When you combine those three, you have what we genuinely hope will be a very successful partnership.

It’s being rolled out across Saudi Arabia, Egypt and the UAE. In this phased rollout, what should we expect over the coming months?

It’s location by location. We look at each site and ask what the needs of the customers there actually are, and what offer fits best. That’s where we combine the customer insights we have, from our loyalty programme and more broadly, with the network planning expertise Americana brings. Then we decide what works best: is it chicken, is it pizza, or is it Lebanese food? So we’re getting it right station by station, trade area by trade area.

When will we see the first food and beverage concepts open under the agreement?

We’ll open the first ones in the next few months under this new agreement. After that, there are up to 200 outlets in the planning. It takes time, of course, it’s a phased rollout, country by country, but we’re about to start.

This sits inside a broader pivot in food and beverage retail. What’s the strategic shift you’re making?

These are big customer numbers, and customers have different needs when they’re on the move. The car needs fuel, yes, but the customer also wants to buy some food, grab a coffee or go to the washroom. Petrol stations used to be a petrol station with a shop and a car wash. What ADNOC Distribution is doing is flipping that around. We’re moving to multiple destination offers, plus energy. The energy can be fuel or EV. The destination offers can be a quick service restaurant, a supermarket, our own ADNOC Oasis café, and car care services. So we’re changing the concept from “fuel plus something” to “many things, plus energy”. That’s the strategic shift, and the Americana partnership is a big part of it.

How does the partnership feed into The Hub by ADNOC?

The Hub is probably the most visual manifestation of our new strategy. It’s 30 hubs by 2030, generating $30m in incremental EBITDA. These are true destination offers — there are five or 10, or even more things you can do there, and of course, you can get energy for the car as well.

We now have a new portfolio of 12 brands that cover different parts of the market, and it’s our role to place those brands like Lego pieces, putting each one where we believe it serves the needs of the community best.

You’ve made a strong point about the synergy with EV. Why does electrification make this partnership more valuable?

A key part of our future-back strategy is EV. We’re building big hubs on the highways so people can safely leave home in an EV knowing where they can charge. Now, most people are in a hurry; they’re on the way home, so today, about a quarter of customers buy something when they fill up with fuel. With EV, that more than doubles. Almost half of the people buy something, because an EV stop is 20 to 30 minutes. You plug in, and there’s nothing else to do; you’re just waiting while the car charges. That’s exactly where the synergy with Americana comes in. When people plan where to charge, they increasingly look at what else they can do with that time and what other missions they can complete. The Americana portfolio is uniquely complementary to that, and to our leading role in e-mobility in the country.

Loyalty is clearly part of the equation. How does it support an offer like this?

There are two parts to it. One is rewarding customers for the frequency of their visits. Every time you come, you collect points, and we reward you with redemption options. The second, increasingly, is personalisation. Based on your purchase history, we look at what we think you might be interested in, and we give you a special offer to try something new or to reward your custom. It’s what we call hyper-personalisation — really treating the customer as an individual and meeting their needs in the best way. That insight is exactly what helps us decide which offer fits which location.

Non-fuel retail was a major contributor to a strong Q1. How does the partnership build on that?

It’s been a strong quarter, and we’re very proud of it, the gross profit numbers, the non-fuel retail numbers, and above all, the safety and serving the nation during a time of disruption. Our business has strong momentum across all aspects, not just retail but also B2B, LPG and lubricants, and the country’s momentum is carrying us with it. But non-fuel retail is a big area of focus, and partnerships like this one with Americana, alongside The Hub, are how we keep driving it. It sets us up well for the rest of the year.

Finally, what gives ADNOC Distribution its edge as you take this forward?

Firstly, customer centricity, we genuinely look at how the market is evolving and build around it. Secondly, the future-back strategy I mentioned: we position ourselves for where mobility is heading, not just where it is today. And underpinning all of it is teamwork. I’m a team player; I believe we do this together, the operations team, the network planning team, the engineers, the marketers, all of us together for the customer. That’s how we’re leading this business, and it’s how we’ll make this partnership work.

Abu Dhabi-based Core42 said on Thursday it had secured $550m in structured trade finance facilities from HSBC to expand its artificial intelligence cloud and compute infrastructure across the US and Europe.

Core42, which is part of Abu Dhabi technology group G42, said the financing was split into two facilities, each worth $240m and $310m, finalised in February and May 2026, respectively.

The company said the facilities would support the rollout of large-scale AI cloud infrastructure and accelerate deployments tied to long-term contracted demand from enterprise, government and hyperscale customers.

Core42 said the financing structures were non-equity dilutive, allowing the company to raise capital without issuing new shares, as it scales its international operations.

The announcement comes as AI infrastructure providers globally race to secure financing for data centres, cloud platforms and high-performance computing capacity amid surging demand for generative AI services.

Key development for Core42 and for the broader AI infrastructure sector

Core42, headquartered in Abu Dhabi, has been expanding its footprint in Europe and the US as governments and corporations seek sovereign and locally governed AI infrastructure.

The company said its European operations are anchored by a regional headquarters in Dublin, with deployments underway in Italy and France.

“The trade finance facilities represent a defining moment for Core42 and for the broader AI infrastructure sector,” said Neha Gupta, chief financial officer at Core42.

“The provision of the trade facilities by HSBC will strengthen our ability to deploy capacity at speed across the US and Europe while maintaining financial discipline and a long-term growth framework,” Gupta said.

Roopal Jobanputra, general counsel at Core42, said the financing had been structured to support “long-term deployment at scale” while maintaining governance and regulatory clarity across multiple jurisdictions.

Shaikha AlMarri, head of banking UAE at HSBC, said the facilities were designed to support both current deployments and future funding requirements for the company’s AI infrastructure expansion.

Read: Core42’s Mohammed Retmi on how sovereign cloud, AI are reshaping UAE’s digital economy