logo
The Arab Energy Fund and Stonepeak Enter $1 Billion Strategic Partnership to Advance Energy Infrastructure Across the Middle East

The Arab Energy Fund and Stonepeak Enter $1 Billion Strategic Partnership to Advance Energy Infrastructure Across the Middle East

Business Wire19-05-2025
RIYADH, Saudi Arabia & NEW YORK--(BUSINESS WIRE)--The Arab Energy Fund (formerly APICORP), a leading multilateral impact financial institution focused on the MENA energy sector, and Stonepeak, the world's largest independent infrastructure firm and leading US infrastructure investor, today announced that they have entered into a strategic partnership to invest in energy infrastructure across the Middle East.
The partnership will primarily focus on businesses in the energy sector, supporting efforts to build critical infrastructure in the region.
'This strategic alliance marks a defining step in our mission to mobilize global capital into the region's evolving energy landscape,' said Khalid Ali Al-Ruwaigh, Chief Executive Officer of The Arab Energy Fund. 'With Stonepeak as a partner, we aim to accelerate the development of resilient, future-ready energy platforms that contribute to economic growth and energy security across the Middle East.'
'This partnership reinforces our long-term strategy to back high-quality energy assets in collaboration with experienced global investors,' said Maheur Mourali, Chief Investment Officer of The Arab Energy Fund. 'Stonepeak brings world-class expertise and alignment with our vision to deliver both impact and value through disciplined investment in essential infrastructure.'
'The Middle East has made energy diversification a key priority, with Saudi Arabia and other nations throughout the region setting ambitious targets,' said Mike Dorrell, CEO, Chairman, and Co-Founder of Stonepeak. 'We are thrilled to be partnering with The Arab Energy Fund to build and create businesses in the region focused on this mission-critical sector.'
'This partnership will support the continued growth and evolution of the region's energy sector,' added Hajir Naghdy, Senior Managing Director and Head of Asia and the Middle East at Stonepeak. 'With our local presence in the region and deep expertise in the global energy sector, Stonepeak is well-positioned to contribute meaningfully to this exciting partnership.'
About The Arab Energy Fund
The Arab Energy Fund is a multilateral impact financial institution focused on the MENA energy sector established in 1974 by the ten Arab oil-exporting countries. The Arab Energy Fund's mission is to enable a secure and sustainable energy future for the region through a comprehensive range of financing and direct equity solutions and expert advisory services across the entire energy value chain to leading public and private sector business partners in over 35 markets. The Arab Energy Fund applies best-practice ESG principles across all operations, with environmental and socially linked projects comprising 20% of its USD 5.8bn loan portfolio. The Arab Energy Fund is the only energy-focused financial institution in the MENA region rated 'Aa2' by Moody's, 'AA' by Fitch and 'AA-' by S&P.
About Stonepeak
Stonepeak is a leading alternative investment firm specializing in infrastructure and real assets with approximately $73 billion of assets under management. Through its investment in defensive, hard-asset businesses globally, Stonepeak aims to create value for its investors and portfolio companies, with a focus on downside protection and strong risk-adjusted returns. Stonepeak, as sponsor of private equity and credit investment vehicles, provides capital, operational support, and committed partnership to grow investments in its target sectors, which include digital infrastructure, energy and energy transition, transport and logistics, and real estate. Stonepeak is headquartered in New York with offices in Houston, Washington, D.C., London, Hong Kong, Seoul, Singapore, Sydney, Tokyo, Abu Dhabi, and Riyadh. For more information, please visit www.stonepeak.com.
Orange background

Try Our AI Features

Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:

Comments

No comments yet...

Related Articles

Xsolla Expands Payments in the Americas to Boost Conversions With Pay by Bank, Affirm, and Recurring Billing via Mercado Pago
Xsolla Expands Payments in the Americas to Boost Conversions With Pay by Bank, Affirm, and Recurring Billing via Mercado Pago

Business Wire

time11 minutes ago

  • Business Wire

Xsolla Expands Payments in the Americas to Boost Conversions With Pay by Bank, Affirm, and Recurring Billing via Mercado Pago

LOS ANGELES--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Xsolla, a global commerce company helping developers launch, grow and monetize their games, announces today a major expansion of its localized payments offering across North and South America today. With new support for Pay by Bank and Affirm in the United States, Affirm in Canada, and recurring billing via Mercado Pago in Brazil, developers and publishers using Xsolla Pay Station can now unlock new revenue streams, reduce friction, and better connect with players through regionally trusted payment methods. The Americas remain one of the largest and most diverse gaming regions, with a combined market value of approximately USD 100 billion. However, while opportunities are vast, consumer expectations regarding payments vary dramatically by country. Players in the U.S. increasingly seek fast, secure alternatives to credit cards; Canadian gamers are embracing flexible payment options; and in Brazil, a major economy, recurring billing through trusted platforms like Mercado Pago is essential for long-term retention. To meet these regional needs, Xsolla Pay Station now supports: Pay by Bank in the U.S. – Faster, secure, bank-direct payments are rapidly gaining traction among players and retailers. Affirm in the U.S. (live) and Canada – A flexible Buy Now, Pay Later option that increases accessibility and basket size. Mercado Pago in Brazil (enhanced) – Now supporting recurring billing to enable live service models and subscription-based monetization. Key benefits of the Payments in the Americas expansion include: Localized Payment Solutions: Offer trusted regional payment methods, including Pay by Bank, Affirm, and Mercado Pago, ensuring players can pay in their preferred manner in every market. Reflects the growing consumer shift toward convenient, secure, and flexible payment methods. Frictionless Checkout Experiences: Mobile-first, secure payment flows help reduce abandonment and improve conversion rates. Wider Reach Across North & South America: Localized support in the U.S., Canada, and Brazil opens access to millions of players, backed by the adoption of Pay by Bank (35M+ U.S. users engaging with open banking), Affirm (22M+ U.S. shoppers as of 2024), and Mercado Pago (64M monthly active users in Brazil, integrated across 145,000+ live sites), reflecting the growing demand for convenient, secure, and flexible payment experiences. Flexible Monetization Models: To fit your revenue strategy, offer one-time payments, Buy Now Pay Later (BNPL) options, and subscriptions. Increased Player Trust and Loyalty: Familiar payment methods foster confidence and encourage players to return. 'We're making it easier for developers to reach players in North and South America with payment experiences that feel native to each market,' said Chris Hewish, President at Xsolla. 'By enabling Pay by Bank, Affirm, and recurring billing with Mercado Pago, we're helping our partners connect with more players, increase conversions, and offer real flexibility in how they monetize across the Americas.' To learn more or enable these regional payment methods for your game, get started: For a complete list of enhancements and developer tools, visit: About Xsolla Xsolla is a global commerce company with robust tools and services to help developers solve the inherent challenges of the video game industry. From indie to AAA, companies partner with Xsolla to help them fund, distribute, market, and monetize their games. Grounded in the belief in the future of video games, Xsolla is resolute in the mission to bring opportunities together, and continually make new resources available to creators. Headquartered and incorporated in Los Angeles, California, Xsolla operates as the merchant of record and has helped over 1,500+ game developers to reach more players and grow their businesses around the world. With more paths to profits and ways to win, developers have all the things needed to enjoy the game.

Here's Why Ethereum ETFs are Surging
Here's Why Ethereum ETFs are Surging

Yahoo

time27 minutes ago

  • Yahoo

Here's Why Ethereum ETFs are Surging

Ethereum (ETH) is skyrocketing, outperforming Bitcoin in recent sessions. Over the past month, Ethereum has gained 50% while Bitcoin has added about 2%. Since mid-April through early August, ETH-USD has been trading in a steady ascending channel, with swing lows rising from $3,200 to $3,729 and highs moving from $3,936 to $4,013. Ethereum continues to dominate as the leading DeFi platform, with bullish price predictions caused by growing interest in staking, tokenization and institutional adoption. Behind the Drivers Whale and institutional buying have been a driving force behind Ethereum's rally. Ethereum's network activity is also surging — daily transactions hit 1.74M on Aug. 6 (the highest since May 2021), monthly volumes topped 46 million, and staked ETH now accounts for over 15% of total supply. These factors make the case for a sustained demand above $4,000. Institutional Treasuries and ETF Inflows Corporate Ethereum treasuries are rapidly expanding. BitMine holds 833,000 ETH ($3.3B), SharpLinkGaming has 522,000 ETH ($2.1B), and The Ether Machine holds 345,000 ETH ($1.4B). Standard Chartered projects that treasuries could expand to 10% of circulating supply over time, potentially injecting another $50 billion of demand, as quoted on Meanwhile, U.S. spot Ethereum ETFs have attracted nearly $5B in net inflows over the past month, outperforming Bitcoin ETFs proportionally and creating a solid long-term support base, as mentioned on the same source. Macro, Regulatory, and Network Tailwinds A 90% probability of a U.S. Fed rate cut in September is boosting risk assets, including Ethereum. On the regulatory side, possible SEC approval for staking within U.S. spot ETH ETFs could unlock more opportunities. On July 17, 2025 BlackRock also filed with the SEC to include staking in its ETHA exchange-traded fund (ETF), which also boosted the sentiment for crypto's second-largest coin. The Shanghai upgrade has unlocked over 24 million staked ETH, improving liquidity dynamics, while layer-2 adoption on networks such as Polygon and Optimism has surged, jointly processing over 20 million transactions in July. ETFs in Focus Exchange-traded funds (ETFs) like 21Shares Core Ethereum ETF CETH, Vaneck Ethereum ETF ETHV, Invesco Galaxy Ethereum ETF QETH, Grayscale Ethereum Trust ETF ETHE and iShares Ethereum Trust ETF ETHA added about 50% each over the past month. Want the latest recommendations from Zacks Investment Research? Today, you can download 7 Best Stocks for the Next 30 Days. Click to get this free report This article originally published on Zacks Investment Research ( Zacks Investment Research Error in retrieving data Sign in to access your portfolio Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data

Bitcoin sinks following hotter-than-expected inflation print, Bessent comments on strategic reserve
Bitcoin sinks following hotter-than-expected inflation print, Bessent comments on strategic reserve

Yahoo

time2 hours ago

  • Yahoo

Bitcoin sinks following hotter-than-expected inflation print, Bessent comments on strategic reserve

Bitcoin (BTC-USD) retreated more than 3% from its record highs on Thursday after hotter-than-expected inflation soured expectations of a large rate cut in September and Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent signaled the US won't be purchasing bitcoin for its strategic reserve. On Wednesday, bitcoin touched an all-time high past $123,500 per token in anticipation of looser monetary policy and corporate purchases. Crypto rolled over after July's producer price index came in much higher than expected. During an interview with Fox Business, Bessent said US reserves of bitcoin amount to around $15 billion or $20 billion at today's prices. "We've also started to get into the 21st century — a bitcoin strategic reserve. We're not going to be buying that, but we are going to use confiscated assets and continue to build that up," he said. Expectations of Fed rate cuts, coupled with heavy purchases from corporate treasurys, have driven up the price of the asset this year. The cryptocurrency has gained 25% year to date and has rallied roughly 57% since the April lows. Inflows into spot exchange-traded funds, along with purchases from public companies copying the blueprint of software firm-turned-bitcoin juggernaut Strategy (MSTR) by adding bitcoin to their balance sheets, have been key drivers of this year's rally. Strategists also point to the Trump administration's pro-crypto stance as a major catalyst. "The administration is pushing crypto. They are pushing bitcoin. Bitcoin is the lead dog in the crypto market," Tom Essaye, founder of Sevens Report Research, told Yahoo Finance earlier this week. "So is it short-term a little frothy? Sure," he added. "But longer term, there are some fundamental changes here that I think are bullish for it." Last week, President Trump issued an executive order directing the Labor Department to explore allowing 401(k) plans to hold cryptocurrencies and other alternative assets, a move that could significantly expand retail investor access to crypto. The price surge also comes as US equities have notched all-time records on expectations the Federal Reserve will cut interest rates in September, and that Trump's next Fed chair pick will likely favor looser monetary policy. Meanwhile, ethereum (ETH-USD) prices also retreated more than 3% on Thursday after rising to near record levels as Wall Street grows increasingly bullish on the world's second-largest cryptocurrency by market cap. Companies have been adding ether to their balance sheets as a way to gain exposure to the tech infrastructure behind decentralized finance and digital assets, such as stablecoins. Ines Ferre is a Senior Business Reporter for Yahoo Finance. Follow her on X at @ines_ferre. Click here for in-depth analysis of the latest stock market news and events moving stock prices Sign in to access your portfolio

DOWNLOAD THE APP

Get Started Now: Download the App

Ready to dive into a world of global content with local flavor? Download Daily8 app today from your preferred app store and start exploring.
app-storeplay-store