#Fintech

Over $1bn piled into MENA-based startups in 2020

The UAE, Egypt and Saudi Arabia accounted for 68 per cent of the total deals disclosed in 2020

Binance

Digital transformation: What are the key challenges that regional banks continue to face?

Digitisation is underway and accelerating in the Middle East – but what are the key technologies being deployed?

Shailesh Dash main

Phi Trends: The standout performers in the stock market

The 26 stocks recommended over the past five months have seen stellar returns, states entrepreneur and investor Shailesh Dash, who shares his market perspective in this monthly column

How fintech innovations are helping the unbanked across the GCC

As societies adopt more digital payment tools, it is important to bring along the 25 million locally who are still living in cash mode

Ikea to offer installment payments for in-store, online purchases in UAE

Furnishings retailer partners with Dubai-based buy-now-pay-later platform Tabby

Why Middle East investors should consider Northern Ireland’s fintech sector

The fintech sector is booming – supported in part by the Covid-19 pandemic – and Northern Ireland offers regional businesses a great platform for growth

Bahrain

First insurance platform graduates from Central Bank of Bahrain regulatory sandbox

Tasweya offers a platform for auto-reconciliation of statements of accounts

Shailesh Dash

Phi Trends: Pandemic drives fintech focus

Few investments make a more compelling case than fintech in the current economic climate, opines entrepreneur and investor Shailesh Dash

GCC leads MENA in fintech maturity: report

Abu Dhabi, Bahrain, Dubai and Riyadh named MENA’s top fintech ecosystems by Startup Genome

Preparing fintech companies for the future

Fintechs should delegate infrastructure management to the cloud and focus on business development

Abu Dhabi Israel

Abu Dhabi Global Market signs fintech agreement with Israel Securities Authority

The agreement provides a framework for information sharing, and will facilitate the movement of startups and transfer of knowledge and talent

DIFC set to grow its fintech base with new ‘Innovation Hub’

Startups benefit from access to industry experts, mentors and partner organisations

FinTech firm Ripple chooses Dubai’s DIFC for regional headquarters

Financial institutions across more than 45 countries already use RippleNet

Fintech thrives as digital transformation jolts finance sector

UAE expected to attract $2.5bn in investment into fintech by 2022

New $60m fund to invest in 120 MENA-based startups amid Covid-19 tech rally

The fund will invest in tech startups across sectors including fintech, healthtech and edutech

Dubai-based fintech Rise eases remittances with new app

Xare allows users share access to their account and credit card with friends and family

Dubai’s DIFC FinTech Hive to host new accelerator for redundant employees

ASPIRE hopes to reach 5,000 participants in the next 12 months

Open Banking set to transform finance in the GCC

Gulf Business talks to Wissam Khoury, head of international at Finastra, on the state of Open Banking in the GCC

Why GCC banks and fintech startups must realign their interests for greater good

Traditional lenders and fintech players can grow simultaneously, offering customers a myriad of services

Fintech industry growing by 18% annually in Saudi Arabia: report

Fintech transactions in the kingdom amounted to over $20bn by the end of 2019

Regional startups on a ‘growth’ trajectory amid Covid-19 crisis

While the pandemic may have rattled industries, the regional startup ecosystem remains resilient

Mastercard taps Microsoft Azure to boost R&D in ecommerce, fintech

Azure to serve as native cloud infrastructure for Mastercard Labs’ R&D efforts

Startupbootcamp establishes regional headquarters at Dubai’s DIFC

FinTech ranked first in the region for deals ahead of e-commerce and transport and logistics

DIFC

China strengthens fintech cooperation with Dubai through new agreement with DIFC

Jiaozi Fintech Dreamworks and DIFC will collaborate on key sectors such as blockchain, artificial intelligence, big data and cloud computing

Why the regional fintech ecosystem is booming

Regional fintech startups hold tremendous room for growth

Bahrain digitisation

Why digitalisation has helped Bahraini banks escape the brunt of Covid-19

As Covid-enforced social distancing measures became commonplace, Bahrainis turned increasingly online to conduct financial services

Aramco backs New York fintech firm offering Islamic investments

Wahed Invest got the financing from Saudi Aramco Entrepreneurship Ventures unit as part of a $25m funding round

Samsung Money

Samsung Money debit card readies for summer launch

Reward points can be exchanged for cash which will be deposited into the customer’s Samsung Money by SoFi account