Technology news and insights in the Middle East, South Asia, and Africa
Technology News and insights in the Middle East, South Asia, and Africa
Pakistan’s digital payments ecosystem is growing rapidly but remains fragile due to transaction failures, regulatory friction, and low trust. Experts say operational fixes, open banking, and better fraud management could improve reliability and confidence without major infrastructure spending.
DIB Pakistan has partnered with Zindigi to offer a Shariah-compliant current account operated directly through the Zindigi app. The collaboration aims to expand digital banking access, enhance financial inclusion, and support the growth of Islamic fintech services in Pakistan.
VEON has launched Islamic banking services in Pakistan through Mobilink Microfinance Bank, opening its first branch in Karachi with expansion planned nationwide. The initiative supports financial inclusion and responds to rising demand for Shariah-compliant banking, as Islamic banking assets now account for over one-fifth of Pakistan’s banking sector.
MoneyHash and Mastercard have partnered to expand access to MoneyHash’s Merchant Cloud platform across the Middle East and Africa. The collaboration enables a single API connection to the Mastercard Gateway, improving payment performance, transaction visibility, analytics, and scalability while maintaining high security and reliability standards.
Valu has partnered with Tactful AI to enhance customer experience through unified omnichannel engagement, AI-driven automation, and advanced insights. The collaboration supports faster, more personalized interactions across digital touchpoints while showcasing the growing strength of Egypt’s homegrown fintech and AI ecosystem.
First Abu Dhabi Bank and Mastercard have launched a mobile-first virtual corporate card solution in the UAE, allowing enterprises and government entities to issue and manage virtual cards via mobile wallets. The platform streamlines expense management, enhances security and transparency, and supports real-time payments, reflecting the UAE’s accelerating shift toward digital and contactless B2B payment ecosystems.
The partnership between PayTabs and BEDE aims to strengthen Kuwait’s digital commerce ecosystem by providing SMEs and startups with fast, secure, and locally tailored payment solutions. Through the launch of BEDE Shop, merchants can quickly create online storefronts, accept social and QR-based payments, and streamline checkout without technical complexity, supporting broader fintech adoption and SME growth in Kuwait.The partnership between PayTabs and BEDE aims to strengthen Kuwait’s digital commerce ecosystem by providing SMEs and startups with fast, secure, and locally tailored payment solutions. Through the launch of BEDE Shop, merchants can quickly create online storefronts, accept social and QR-based payments, and streamline checkout without technical complexity, supporting broader fintech adoption and SME growth in Kuwait.The partnership between PayTabs and BEDE aims to strengthen Kuwait’s digital commerce ecosystem by providing SMEs and startups with fast, secure, and locally tailored payment solutions. Through the launch of BEDE Shop, merchants can quickly create online storefronts, accept social and QR-based payments, and streamline checkout without technical complexity, supporting broader fintech adoption and SME growth in Kuwait.
Veon’s Mobilink Bank has launched Islamic banking services in Pakistan, opening its first Shariah-compliant branch in Karachi and planning nationwide expansion. The move taps into the country’s fast-growing Islamic banking sector, supporting financial inclusion and offering faith-aligned deposit and financing products through physical and digital channels.
Pakistan is seeking Chinese fintech investment to expand digital lending, boost SME financing, and advance financial inclusion. Talks with Fintopia China highlighted Pakistan’s underbanked market, regulatory reforms, and incentives aimed at attracting foreign fintech firms as part of a broader digital economy strategy.
Pakistan held high-level talks with Ant Group and Easypaisa to expand digital payments and fintech services, focusing on financial inclusion, cashless transactions, and digital lending. The discussions explored QR-based payments, digital banking, tokenisation, and regulated fintech frameworks to support Pakistan’s transition to a digitally enabled economy.