The MENA Fintech Association (MFTA), the leading not-for-profit organization dedicated to fostering fintech innovation and collaboration across the Middle East and Africa, today announced the launch of its Iraq Chapter. Mr. Bahaa Abdul Hadi, a distinguished Iraqi-Canadian entrepreneur and fintech pioneer, has been appointed as the Chapter Chair, bringing his extensive expertise and vision to…
In line with the Third Financial Sector Strategy, the FinTech Strategy, and Qatar Central Bank’s efforts to develop and regulate the FinTech ecosystem in the country, the Qatar Central Bank (QCB) has granted sandbox entry approval for Trustln, which offers an Digital Escrow Platform. This step highlights QCB’s commitment to fostering the financial sector and…
In a strategic move to broaden the reach of Al Manassah Sukuk Trading Platform in the UAE, National Bonds, the UAE’s leading Sharia-compliant savings and investment company has onboarded RAKBANK (The National Bank of Ras Al Khaimah) onto Al Manassah Sukuk Trading Platform. This collaboration marks a significant milestone in expanding access to one of…
Tali Ventures, the corporate venture capital arm of stc group, has led a strategic funding round in Tarmeez Capital, one of Saudi’s fastest growing fintech players in the sukuk and debt instruments space, an area playing an increasingly vital role in deepening the Kingdom’s capital markets. This milestone marks the company’s transition from a successfully…
Saudi Arabia recorded a 51% year-on-year increase in business registrations for blockchain technologies by the end of the second quarter of 2025, according to figures released Tuesday by the Ministry of Commerce. The number of active blockchain business records rose to 4,005, up from 2,644 in the same period last year, as the Kingdom continues…
Alpaca, a self-clearing broker-dealer and brokerage infrastructure API, and ZAD, a leading Kuwait-based investment platform for Shariah-compliant US stocks and ETFs, today announced their strategic partnership to expand access to Shariah-compliant investment products. This partnership continues to open financial access for investors seeking to align their financial growth with Islamic principles. With global Islamic finance assets…
Belong, a new fintech platform for global Indians to invest safely and easily in India, is now available for non-resident Indians (NRI) in the UAE. Licensed by IFSCA – regulator of GIFT City, India, Belong offers a US Dollar-based Fixed Deposit (FD) starting at just USD 5,000 (AED 18,365), with high returns. Ankur Choudhary, CEO…
Qatar is positioning itself as a regional hub for open banking and Islamic Fintech, supported by robust regulatory frameworks, advanced API infrastructure, and strategic partnerships, according to the latest Islamic Finance Report by the Qatar Financial Centre (QFC). The report outlines how Doha is building a pioneering open banking ecosystem aimed at transforming the financial…
Visa has announced the appointment of Tareq Muhmood as Regional President for Central and Eastern Europe, Middle East and Africa (CEMEA). In this role, Muhmood will oversee operations across more than 86 markets in the region, where Visa serves over 1,800 clients through 23 local offices. Muhmood brings over three decades of experience in…
The UAE is reinforcing its position as one of the world’s most attractive and secure destinations for fintech startups, as fresh data and investor sentiment point to rising momentum across the regional entrepreneurial ecosystem. MENA fintech startups raised a combined $289 million in May, a 25% increase from April, with a Wamda report showing that…
