Technology news and insights in the Middle East, South Asia, and Africa
Technology News and insights in the Middle East, South Asia, and Africa
Technology news and insights in the Middle East, South Asia, and Africa
Technology News and insights in the Middle East, South Asia, and Africa
KFH–Bahrain has launched eKey 2.0 for Business in partnership with Beyon Connect, enabling secure digital identity verification for faster onboarding and banking access. The initiative strengthens cybersecurity, reduces fraud, and aligns with Bahrain’s national vision for trusted, customer-centric digital services.
Pakistan has signed an MoU with World Liberty Financial to advance cross-border digital payment innovation. The agreement establishes technical cooperation on next-generation payment architectures, supporting Pakistan’s vision for a “digital Pakistan” and positioning the country within the global digital finance ecosystem.
UAE-based fintech Mal has raised $230 million to build a mobile-first, AI-native Islamic digital bank. Founded in 2025, the Abu Dhabi-based platform targets underbanked communities and plans a 2026 launch, starting in the UAE before expanding across the Middle East and Asia.
Saudi Arabia’s STC Bank has partnered with Mastercard to expand cross-border payment services using Mastercard Move. The collaboration enables fast, secure transfers from the Kingdom to over 120 countries, supporting Vision 2030 by enhancing digital financial services, improving payment transparency, and offering flexible payout options for consumers and businesses.
Pakistan’s finance minister says the country is at a critical early stage in building a regulated digital asset ecosystem. With plans for a Crypto Council and Virtual Assets Authority, Pakistan aims to balance innovation with risk, align with global standards, and channel growing crypto activity into a secure, bank-integrated framework.
ABC Labs has been named among Global Finance’s World’s Best Financial Innovation Labs for the fourth time. The recognition reflects Bank ABC’s leadership in AI, automation, digital onboarding, and tokenised assets, delivering measurable gains in productivity, customer experience, and time-to-market across its regional and global operations.
Mastercard has announced new collaborations in Saudi Arabia and Jordan, partnering with STC Bank to enable fast cross-border transfers via Mastercard Move, and with MEPS to launch Click to Pay for e-commerce. The deals expand secure, transparent, and efficient digital payments across both markets.
CFI Financial becomes the first investment platform in Bahrain to integrate with eKey for Business, enabling biometric, passwordless onboarding. The move strengthens digital trust, streamlines KYC compliance, and advances Bahrain’s eKey 2.0 vision to extend sovereign digital identity across the private sector.
Pakistan is accelerating its shift toward a cashless economy as finance officials engage Visa on digital payments, government digitization, and financial inclusion. The talks align with IMF-backed reforms and focus on modernizing payment rails, expanding access beyond major cities, and building trust in digital finance nationwide.
Thawani and Monak have signed an MoU to embed secure, locally compliant payments into digital platforms across Oman. The partnership combines regulated fintech infrastructure with platform innovation to streamline services, improve onboarding, and support public and private sector digital transformation at scale.