Founder of UAE’s Abraaj pitches last-ditch rescue bid to investors

Abraaj Holdings filed for provisional liquidation in the Cayman Islands in June

Singapore bank DBS to ‘almost double’ Dubai private banking staff by 2023

The Singapore bank is joining Citibank and other global lenders expanding wealth management operations in the region

Bahrain, Manama, Cityscape view of Bahrain World Trade Center and Bahrain Financial Harbor

Bahrain central bank considers new guidance for Islamic banks

The Bahraini regulator already requires Islamic banks to undergo independent external audits

UAE’s Al Hilal Bank executes ‘world’s first’ sukuk transaction using blockchain

The size of the deal was $1m, sold by Al Hilal to a private investor

UAE’s Finablr hires banks for IPO, listing in London

The payments and foreign exchange company plans to sell at least 30 per cent of its shares to the public

Abu Dhabi’s IPIC files lawsuit against Goldman Sachs, others over 1MDB case

IPIC has also filed a criminal complaint in the UAE against two former executives for allegedly accepting bribes

Dubai’s Majid Al Futtaim acquires UAE mobile wallet app Beam

Beam will be expanded across all Majid Al Futtaim retail stores by next year

UAE, Jordan sign $100m agreement to fund SMEs in the kingdom

The agreement will see around 22,000 projects funded over five years with 28,000 jobs created for Jordanian youth

UAE residents can now access credit reports via an app

Previously, the credit report and score could only be purchased at the AECB customer happiness centres in Abu Dhabi or Dubai

Three ways Fintech is transforming everyday life

Gulf-based fintech start-ups to raise $2bn over next decade

Interest in digital solutions from banks and government fintech accelerators are expected to support the market

Dubai lender Emirates NBD opens second branch in Riyadh

The bank now operates four full-fledged branches across three cities in the kingdom

Saudi stocks hit one-month low on Khashoggi reports

Stock market data showed that qualified foreign investors were net sellers in the week to November 15

Google Pay launches in the UAE

Several UAE banks are now supporting the payment method

Over 4,500 retailers sign up for UAE’s tourist VAT refund scheme

The scheme will be implemented from Sunday, November 18, 2018, at the Abu Dhabi, Dubai and Sharjah International Airports

Abu Dhabi Commercial Bank picks Barclays to advise on Union, Al Hilal merger

If it goes ahead, the mergercould create an entity with around $113bn in assets

Tourists will be charged a fee for VAT refund, clarifies UAE’s FTA

The maximum cash amount that can be returned to a tourist for a 24-hour period is Dhs10,000

Oman’s National Gas Company terminates CEO

Oman property developer Tilal plans $137m sukuk

Unlisted Tilal sold the country’s first sukuk in 2013 through a private placement

Binance

Swiss cryptocurrency firm X8 obtains Islamic finance certification

The company also plans to launch a crypto-exchange that would include a Sharia-compliant component

UAE central bank now free to link banks’ exposure to real estate

A new law introduced last month abolished a cap

Franklin Templeton sees “growing potential” in Saudi despite Khashoggi controversy

Foreign investors withdrew $1.7bn from Saudi stocks last month as Western leaders expressed concern over the killing

Auction of detained Saudi tycoon Maan al-Sanea’s properties to start in Dec

The auction, originally planned for late October, was delayed by a last-ditch attempt to reach a settlement

Dubai payments firm Network International selects banks for potential listing

The IPO could value the firm at about $3bn

Robo advisory start-up WeInvest opens Dubai office

The company was one of 11 finalists for the inaugural DIFC FinTech Hive accelerator programme last year

Kuwait Finance House expects decision on Ahli United Bank merger before year-end

The two banks have been in talks since earlier this year on a potential merger

UAE’s new FDI law: What compensation will foreign investors get in dispute resolution?

The new law provides for alternative dispute resolution (ADR) and/or expedited local court process in the UAE

GCC governments to need $300bn in financing by 2021 – S&P

The ratings agency said fiscal imbalances were likely to persist in the region

Abraaj fund investors hire Duff & Phelps to help recover money

The advisory firm will seek to trace an estimated $33m owed by Abraaj relating to the Infrastructure and Growth Capital Fund

Dubai bank Emirates NBD launches API sandbox for fintechs

The platform consists of over 200 APIs and 900 end points covering retail, corporate and SMEs

Three ways Fintech is transforming everyday life

Deutsche’s DWS to buy stake in Dubai-based digital investment firm

The deal comes as Dubai and other Gulf cities compete to establish themselves as regional powerhouses in fintech

HSBC sees doubling of commercial bank’s MENA profit by 2023

The commercial bank, which includes trade finance, cash management and capital financing, reported profit of $199m in MENA in 2017