Middle East

PYMNTS GCC Series: Bahrain Drives Open Banking Adoption in MENA
PYMNTS GCC Series: Bahrain Drives Open Banking Adoption in MENA
July 12, 2022  |  Banking

In the second installment of this series on the state of FinTech ecosystems in the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC), PYMNTS will be taking a look...

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PYMNTS GCC Series: High Smartphone Penetration, Govt Support Boosts UAE’s FinTech Growth
PYMNTS GCC Series: High Smartphone Penetration, Govt Support Boosts UAE’s FinTech Growth
July 11, 2022  |  Technology

Although not all countries in the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) — Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates (UAE) — are...

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UAE-Based Digital Bank YAP Raises $41M to Expand to Saudi Arabia, Pakistan, Egypt
UAE-Based Digital Bank YAP Raises $41M to Expand to Saudi Arabia, Pakistan, Egypt
July 04, 2022  |  Investments

United Arab Emirates (UAE)-based digital bank YAP has raised $41 million in funding and is looking to raise another $20 million for further expansions, Reuters...

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Mastercard, Open Banking Firm Spire Team on Middle East Digital Banking
Mastercard, Open Banking Firm Spire Team on Middle East Digital Banking
June 23, 2022  |  Digital Banking

Mastercard has recently collaborated with Spire, which provides open banking for the Gulf Cooperation Council, to help improve digital banking for the region, according to...

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59% of UAE Shoppers Use Smartphones to Enhance Their In-Store Experience
59% of UAE Shoppers Use Smartphones to Enhance Their In-Store Experience
June 08, 2022  |  Shopping

In the United Arab Emirates (UAE), almost 60% (59.2%) of shoppers surveyed for the PYMNTS 2022 Global Digital Shopping Index reported using their smartphones at...

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30% of UAE SMB Customers Pay Online Using Digital Wallets, Highest in 6-Country Study
30% of UAE SMB Customers Pay Online Using Digital Wallets, Highest in 6-Country Study
May 22, 2022  |  SMBs

Digital wallets, including PayPal, Apple Pay and Google Pay, have grown in popularity in recent years and can be an important payment feature for global...

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OPay, Mastercard Tie-Up Drives Financial Inclusion in Middle East, Africa  
OPay, Mastercard Tie-Up Drives Financial Inclusion in Middle East, Africa  
May 19, 2022  |  Financial Inclusion

OPay and Mastercard are collaborating to drive financial inclusion across the Middle East and Africa by partnering to open up digital commerce in the region,...

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Cloud Kitchen Softwares Help MENA Restaurants Optimize Costs, Expand Reach
Cloud Kitchen Softwares Help MENA Restaurants Optimize Costs, Expand Reach
May 12, 2022  |  Restaurant innovation

Operating — and growing — a restaurant business in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region comes at a steep cost, resulting in shrinking...

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Lean Nets $33M to Expand 3rd-Party Real Time Payments in MENA
Lean Nets $33M to Expand 3rd-Party Real Time Payments in MENA
January 20, 2022  |  Investments

Sequoia Capital India has made its investment debut in the Arab Gulf by leading a $33 million Series A funding round for Lean Technologies, CNBC reported on...

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