Technology news and insights in the Middle East, South Asia, and Africa
Technology News and insights in the Middle East, South Asia, and Africa
Kazakhstan now accepts Alipay+ payments via Kaspi QR, making it the first in Central Asia to enable cross-border QR payments. The move supports record tourism growth, expands merchant reach, and deepens the Alipay+–Kaspi.kz partnership for both inbound and outbound mobile payments.
EazyPay and Mastercard launched Mastercard Receivables Manager in Bahrain, automating B2B virtual card payments to improve efficiency and cash flow. The platform requires minimal integration and reinforces Bahrain’s role as a fintech innovation hub in the growing global digital payments market.
The UAE’s fintech sector is rapidly advancing, transforming payments into seamless, secure, and personalized experiences that support the country’s digital economy growth. Key innovations include wearable payment technologies and a push toward a cashless economy, with Dubai targeting 90% digital transactions by 2026. Fintech also promotes financial inclusion by providing digital tools to unbanked populations. AI and machine learning enhance fraud detection and personalized services, boosting consumer trust. Strong regulatory support further accelerates fintech adoption and attracts global investment.
Sri Lanka’s Central Bank plans to increase daily digital transactions by 30%, raising volumes from 1.65 million to 2.15 million. Awareness campaigns across major cities will promote online banking and card payments to support a shift toward a cashless economy.
AFS and Oman Arab Bank enhanced their partnership to launch a scalable, tokenization-enabled digital payments platform, accelerating Oman’s digital banking transformation with support for Apple Pay, Samsung Pay, and Google Pay.
Visa and MSMEDA report reveals strong digital payment growth in Egypt’s SMEs, driven by convenience, revenue gains, and e-commerce growth.
stc Bahrain launches Samsung Pay—the first telecom in the Kingdom to offer secure, contactless payments via My stc BH App—boosting customer convenience with advanced security and digital innovation.
Morocco is advancing CBDC exploration to enhance payment systems domestically and across borders, amid ongoing cryptocurrency restrictions. Collaboration with global institutions supports regulatory and technical evaluation.
EazyPay and Tamara have joined forces to offer seamless Buy Now, Pay Later payment solutions in Bahrain and the Gulf. The partnership leverages EazyPay’s local acquiring and payment gateway infrastructure to support Tamara’s expanding merchant network, enhancing payment security, speed, and flexibility across the region.
MyMonty and Mastercard collaborate to expand digital payment adoption in Lebanon, enhancing security and convenience for users while supporting the country’s transition to a cashless digital economy.