Saudi Arabia news and trends

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...

Report: Revolut Looks to Expand Digital Banking License Effort to Middle East
Cross-border Payments // September 13, 2024

Revolut is reportedly looking to expand its business into Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC)-member countries. The British FinTech has submitted applications to become an electronic-money institution and offer remittances in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and is seeking ways to expand in Saudi Arabia, Bloomberg reported Friday (Sept....

Shopping App Tabby Acquires Saudi Digital Wallet Tweeq
financial apps // September 03, 2024

Shopping/financial services app Tabby is acquiring Saudi digital wallet Tweeq. The deal, announced Tuesday (Sept. 3), will let Tweeq continue to operate independently, while allowing Tabby to consider expanding its financial products suite to include features like digital spending accounts, cards and money management tools....

How AI Investments Could Change the Middle East
artificial intelligence // March 25, 2024

Saudi Arabia’s reported $40 billion artificial intelligence (AI) investment fund represents a leap to redefine the Middle East’s role in the global technology landscape.  The fund is part of a trend of Middle Eastern countries scrambling to position themselves as leaders in the global AI...

Interviews & Exclusives
Saudi Arabia Takes Global Leadership Role in Click-and-Mortar™ Shopping

October 15, 2024
  In Saudi Arabia, consumers love Click-and-Mortar™ shopping, which mixes the best of online and in-store experiences. More than half of the country’s shoppers prefer either digitally assisted in-store shopping or online order with in-person pickup. Perhaps coming as little surprise, Saudi Arabia’s millennial and Generation Z consumers show the strongest enthusiasm for Click-and-Mortar™ shopping. […]

Meet the Titans: Major Players Funding the Future of AI

March 21, 2024
Saudi Arabia aims to carve out a leadership role in the burgeoning artificial intelligence (AI) field with a proposed $40 billion investment fund, as The New York Times reported. The...

From Portugal to the Philippines, Real-Time Payments Increase Their Global Footprint

July 05, 2023
Real-time payments have gained significant traction worldwide, revolutionizing how consumers and businesses conduct financial transactions. Many countries have successfully implemented real-time payment systems to enhance efficiency and meet the growing...

Business-Friendly Regulations Drive Open Banking Adoption in the Middle East

June 12, 2023
The Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region is quickly becoming a hotbed for open banking, driven by a unique ecosystem, booming consumer demand and “forward-thinking” regulators, said Abdulla Almoayed,...

Quick Reads
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 AI projects as a way to diversify their economies, CNBC reported Sunday (Sept. 22). In the last year, funding for AI firms from these oil-rich […]

Report: Revolut Looks to Expand Digital Banking License Effort to Middle East

September 13, 2024
Revolut is reportedly looking to expand its business into Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC)-member countries. The British FinTech has submitted applications to become an electronic-money institution and offer remittances in the United...

Shopping App Tabby Acquires Saudi Digital Wallet Tweeq

September 03, 2024
Shopping/financial services app Tabby is acquiring Saudi digital wallet Tweeq. The deal, announced Tuesday (Sept. 3), will let Tweeq continue to operate independently, while allowing Tabby to consider expanding its...

FTX’s Stake in Anthropic Draws Sovereign Wealth Fund Investors

March 24, 2024
Investors are reportedly lining up to purchase FTX’s stake in artificial intelligence (AI) company Anthropic. But as CNBC reported Friday (March 22), sources say that while the company has received interest from sovereign wealth...