What the new UAE e-invoicing accreditation rules mean for providers now
The UAE e-invoicing accreditation rules changed on October 1, and existing service providers now have 30 days to comply. A direct accreditation process from the UAE Ministry of Finance e-invoicing programme replaced the preliminary approval stage used during development and testing. Ministerial Decision No. 168 of 2026 took effect on October 1. It repealed Decision […]
Wio Bank introduces the UAE’s first auto-enabled Click to Pay solution
Wio Bank has switched on a Click to Pay solution across its cards, becoming the first issuer in the UAE to auto-enable Mastercard’s online checkout solution for eligible cardholders. The change means a customer paying on a participating website no longer fills in a long card number, an expiry date, and a security code. One […]
Why a $233 million Series F round now puts Tabby at $6.5 billion valuation
A $233 million Series F round has put Tabby at a $6.5 billion valuation, and every dollar came from investors already on the shareholder register. Blue Pool Capital led the round. Alibaba co-founder Joe Tsai backs the Hong Kong firm, and HSG, Wellington Management and Arbor Ventures took part alongside it. Tabby announced the deal […]
Tawakkalna monthly transactions reach 4.4 billion as Saudi app expands
Tawakkalna monthly transactions averaged more than 4.4 billion over the past six months, a figure that shows how deeply the platform now sits in daily life across Saudi Arabia. Alongside that count, the app drew 13.3 million active users each month. Dr. Esam Alwagait, director of the National Information Center at SDAIA, shared the data […]
Apple link-out fees proposed at 15% as Epic Games court battle continues
Apple link-out fees are back on the table. The company filed its proposed rates with the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California on Thursday, the same day the Supreme Court refused to pause the case. Apple wants 15% on purchases made through external links inside standard iOS apps. That is half the […]
Dubai Duty Free now accepts crypto payments across DXB and online channels
A step that puts one of the world’s largest single-airport retailers inside Dubai’s wider move toward digital money. The retailer has become the first airport operator in the Middle East to add Crypto.com Pay as a regulated digital payment option. Eligible customers can use it at Dubai International Airport (DXB), at Al Maktoum International Airport, […]
Yalla payment services approval brings the UAE closer to cashless finance
The Yalla payment services approval moves a growing fintech one step closer to serving customers across the UAE. On Monday, Yalla Financial Solutions said the Central Bank of the UAE (CBUAE) had granted it an In-Principle Approval for a Retail Payment Services Category II License. The nod falls under the CBUAE Retail Payment Services and […]
Buy Now Pay Later Data From Tabby and Tamara Enters UAE Credit Reports
Buy Now Pay Later records from Tabby and Tamara will enter UAE credit reports from July 2026, changing how lenders read the finances of people who split payments into instalments, WAM announced today. Etihad Credit Bureau, the federal body that oversees credit information in the country, said the accounts of both current and new customers […]
Jaywan, the UAE’s first domestic card scheme, gains Mastercard credit card
Jaywan, the UAE’s first domestic card scheme, will carry a Mastercard badge on a new credit card under a partnership announced by Al Etihad Payments. AEP owns and operates the country’s national card switch and the Jaywan scheme, and it is a wholly owned unit of the Central Bank of the UAE. Both sides describe […]
Stripe to buy PayPal in a $53B offer signals a new era in global payments
Stripe to buy PayPal in a $53B offer now sits at the center of global payments. Payment processing firm Stripe and Advent International submitted the bid to PayPal earlier this month. They offered $60.50 per share for PayPal Holdings, a company facing real market pressure. The offer price sits about 28% above PayPal’s closing share […]
TotalPay obtains SAMA approval to join Saudi Arabia digital payments race
TotalPay obtains SAMA approval to become the first Indian firm cleared for this role in the Kingdom. The Saudi Central Bank granted the license so the company can serve merchants across Saudi Arabia. You now watch an Indian fintech enter one of the region’s fastest digital payment markets. Regulators approved TotalPay as an e-commerce payment […]
The 5 Best Online Banks in the UAE (2026): Fees, Features and Who Each One Is For
The UAE’s digital banking market has matured quickly. Account opening that once took weeks now takes minutes, branch visits are optional, and the competition has split cleanly into business-first players and everyday personal accounts. This guide covers the five strongest online banks in the country right now, what each does best, and the trade-offs to […]
