Digital Payments
Ziina Secures Full UAE Central Bank Payment and Exchange Authorizations
Fintech platform Ziina has secured Category III retail payment and Category IV exchange authorizations from the Central Bank of the UAE.
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Checkout.com Integrates Jaywan into UAE Acquiring Platform
Checkout.com has integrated the UAE domestic card scheme Jaywan into its merchant acquiring platform, enabling automated local routing.
UAE Digital Transactions More Than Double as Cyber Attack Rate Drops 45 Percent
UAE digital transaction volumes doubled with 107% annual growth in 2025 while cyber attack rates dropped to 1.2%, according to LexisNexis Risk Solutions.
Saudi Fintech BARQ Secures $329.5 Million in Series A Funding Round
Saudi digital payment platform BARQ secured $329.5 million in Series A funding at a $1.85 billion valuation, backed by Noon Investments and Sohar International Bank.
Visa Tests First Live International Card Transaction in Syria
Visa conducted its first live international card transaction test in Syria on August 27, 2026, collaborating with Fransabank Lebanon and Paymera.
Barq and Riyadh Air Partner to Develop Digital Payment Infrastructure
Barq and Riyadh Air have signed a strategic partnership to develop a secure and scalable digital payments platform, enhancing the airline’s financial infrastructure.
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My Syria App Launches as Country’s First Tourism Super App
The My Syria app has officially launched as the country’s first digital tourism super app, enabling cross-border payments with Apple Pay and international cards.
SME Confidence Index Shows 75% of Saudi Small Businesses Confident in Growth
The latest SME Confidence Index reveals that 75% of Saudi small business leaders remain confident about their growth prospects over the next 12 months.
Mastercard and Jarir Launch Discount Campaign for Small Businesses in Saudi Arabia
Mastercard has partnered with Jarir to offer exclusive discounts for small business cardholders in Saudi Arabia, helping reduce operational costs.
ClearSkies Strengthens Cyber Resilience for Saudi Financial Sector
As Saudi Arabia transitions to a cashless economy, ClearSkies introduces its Centric AI platform to help financial institutions detect and respond to cyber threats in minutes.
du Pay Appoints Roberto Mancone as Chief Executive Officer
du Pay CEO appointment names Roberto Mancone to lead the digital financial services platform through its next growth phase. Mancone brings 25+ years of fintech leadership experience across multiple continents.
MENA Fintech Sector Strengthens Structural Foundations Amid Funding Challenges
Arthur D. Little report shows MENA fintech sector strengthened in 2025 despite global funding headwinds, with 77% of leaders rating sector strength positively and venture capital reaching 3.8 billion dollars regionally.
Trip.com Partners with Checkout.com to Streamline Global Travel Payments
Trip.com and Checkout.com have formed a strategic partnership to improve digital payment performance across Saudi Arabia, Japan, the UK, and North America. The deal targets faster transactions and higher acceptance rates for global travelers.
X Money Early Public Access Set to Launch Next Month, Musk Says
X Money is set to enter early public access next month, according to Elon Musk. The feature is part of X Corp.’s push to add payments to its social platform.
Ant International Positions FinAI as Backbone for Agentic Commerce Growth
Ant International positions FinAI as essential infrastructure for secure agentic commerce, with AI-facilitated spending forecast to reach $8 trillion by 2030.
Ericsson and Mastercard Launch Collaboration for Global Money Movement
Ericsson and Mastercard collaborate to integrate fintech platforms for easier money movement. The deal targets unbanked populations starting in the Middle East.
Mastercard Enables Google Pay for Cardholders in Saudi Arabia
Mastercard and Google launched Google Pay for cardholders in Saudi Arabia, enabling contactless payments via Android smartphones with tokenization security technology.
HyperPay Achieves SAMA National Payment Gateway Certification in Saudi Arabia
HyperPay obtains National Payment Gateway certification from SAMA, strengthening its position as a trusted payment infrastructure partner in Saudi Arabia’s digital economy.
Equiti Group Partners with Checkout.com to Enhance Global Payment Operations
Equiti Group partners with Checkout.com to revolutionize global payment operations, offering faster transactions and enhanced security for customers worldwide.
Checkout.com and Spotify Announce Strategic Global Payments Partnership
Checkout.com partners with Spotify to deliver AI-powered payment solutions for over 700 million users across 180+ countries, enhancing security and performance.