Middle East news and trends

Mastercard, Amazon Team to Digitize Payment Acceptance in MENA, S. Africa

September 30, 2024
Bahrain’s AI Push in Middle East Could Serve as Model for Region, Experts Say
Artificial Intelligence // September 23, 2024

Bahrain, an archipelago nation of 1.5 million people, is emerging as an unlikely leader in the artificial intelligence race in the Middle East. Bahrain’s push to integrate AI into its economic vision, national security infrastructure and workforce development is part of a rapidly growing movement...

AI Startups Find Financing Pipeline in Middle Eastern Sovereign Wealth Funds 
artificial intelligence // September 22, 2024

Sovereign wealth funds have reportedly become major players in the artificial intelligence (AI) funding race. Countries such as Saudi Arabia, Kuwait and the United Arab Emirates (UAE) are turning to AI projects as a way to diversify their economies, CNBC reported Sunday (Sept. 22). In...

Emirates NBD Says Middle East’s Digital-First Approach Forces Treasury Management Change
Banking // July 23, 2024

The payments landscape is a global one, meaning winning innovations have boundless room to scale. It also means that geographical positioning can help with strategically driving forward various innovations. “The Middle East has always been a very unique trade corridor, placed right in the middle...

Mastercard and LuLu Collaborate on Cardless Payments
Payment Methods // July 05, 2024

Mastercard is expanding its partnership with Dubai-based retail conglomerate LuLu Group. The collaboration, announced Friday (July 5), will extend across the markets of Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, the United Arab Emirates and newly-added Saudi Arabia, integrating Mastercard’s expertise into Lulu Group’s operation. “The partnership will...

Interviews & Exclusives
Emirates NBD Says Middle East’s Digital-First Approach Forces Treasury Management Change

July 23, 2024
The payments landscape is a global one, meaning winning innovations have boundless room to scale. It also means that geographical positioning can help with strategically driving forward various innovations. “The Middle East has always been a very unique trade corridor, placed right in the middle of the world, which facilitates transactions across the West and […]

How Did Saudi Arabia and Kenya Dodge VC Funding Slowdown?

December 23, 2022
After reaching new heights in 2021, VC funding in EMEA slowed sharply in 2022. While final full-year tallies are not settled yet, data from the first three quarters suggests that...

Banking License Puts Profitability Within Reach for UAE Neobanks

October 03, 2022
If the Middle East was late to the neobank party, the United Arab Emirates, at least, is making strides toward the future of digital banking. In an interview with Jayesh...

Cloud Kitchen Softwares Help MENA Restaurants Optimize Costs, Expand Reach

May 12, 2022
Operating — and growing — a restaurant business in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region comes at a steep cost, resulting in shrinking margins for restaurant owners and...

Quick Reads
Mastercard, Amazon Team to Digitize Payment Acceptance in MENA, S. Africa

September 30, 2024
Mastercard and Amazon have teamed to digitize payment acceptance in Africa and the Middle East.  The partnership between Mastercard and Amazon Payment Services, announced Monday (Sept. 30), covers countries that include Bahrain, Egypt, Jordan, Kuwait, Lebanon, Oman, Qatar, South Africa and the United Arab Emirates. The collaboration will see Amazon Payment Services adopt Mastercard Gateway […]

AI Startups Find Financing Pipeline in Middle Eastern Sovereign Wealth Funds 

September 22, 2024
Sovereign wealth funds have reportedly become major players in the artificial intelligence (AI) funding race. Countries such as Saudi Arabia, Kuwait and the United Arab Emirates (UAE) are turning to...

Mastercard and LuLu Collaborate on Cardless Payments

July 05, 2024
Mastercard is expanding its partnership with Dubai-based retail conglomerate LuLu Group. The collaboration, announced Friday (July 5), will extend across the markets of Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, the United Arab...

Paymentology and Audax Partner on Cards-as-a-Service Solution

May 15, 2024
Paymentology and Audax Financial Technology have partnered to enable financial institutions in Southeast Asia and the Middle East to launch and manage their own branded card program. With the Cards-as-a-Service (CaaS)...