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Mid East Info
07-05-2025
- Business
- Mid East Info
Visa and Whish Money Announce a Strategic Alliance that is Set to Revolutionize Digital Payments and Financial Services Regionally and Globally
United Arab Emirates – May, 2025: Visa, a global payments technology leader, and Whish Money SAL, a leading regional fintech, are pleased to announce one of the most strategic partnerships in the region. This partnership will enable Whish to leverage Visa's advanced services and technology for payments and money movement, while allowing Visa to expand its service offerings to over 1 million Whish app users. A signing ceremony was held to commemorate this significant collaboration, marking a new chapter in the fintech landscape of the region. Leila Serhan, Senior Vice President at Visa and Group Country Manager for the North Africa, Levant and Pakistan (NALP) region, commented on the partnership: 'This strategic partnership between Visa and Whish is the first in the levant region with an e-wallet and money transfer company, and we align with Whish on multiple pillars, most of which, trust and innovation. This partnership will enable us to bring our advanced payment technologies to a broader audience, facilitating seamless and secure money movement across the world. And as Whish is already present globally and is further expanding its reach, we can further facilitate the international growth through our presence in over 200 countries.' Toufic Koussa, CEO and Co-Founder of Whish Money , added: 'We are excited to embark on this new collaboration with Visa which marks a significant milestone for Whish Money. By integrating Visa's cutting-edge technology and services, we are poised to enhance our payment solutions and provide even more secure and efficient financial services to our customers. This partnership underscores our commitment to innovation and excellence in the fintech industry and is a testament to the thorough and careful due diligence Visa undertakes while engaging in such an affiliation given their high compliance standards. Our commitment to compliance and security has enabled us to achieve this unique partnership in the region.' This strategic alliance between Visa and Whish Money is set to revolutionize the fintech sector, bringing unparalleled advancements to digital payments and financial services regionally and globally. As both entities leverage their strengths and innovative technologies, the partnership will not only drive economic growth but also set a new benchmark for excellence and security in the industry. About Visa: Visa (NYSE: V) is a world leader in digital payments, facilitating transactions between consumers, merchants, financial institutions, and government entities across more than 200 countries and territories. Our mission is to connect the world through the most innovative, convenient, reliable, and secure payments network, enabling individuals, businesses, and economies to thrive. We believe that economies that include everyone everywhere, uplift everyone everywhere and see access as foundational to the future of money movement. About Whish Money: Whish Money is part of Talaco Group that was established in 2004, specializing in technology, telecom, software development, money remittance, digital payments, and logistics industries. Whish has been one of the first global fintech platforms disrupting the distribution of telecom, ISP, gaming, and gift card vouchers, in addition to the digitization of financial services to corporates, retailers, and end users. With over 1,200 agents in Lebanon and 3,000 points of sale in the UAE, Whish Money continues to expand its reach and impact. Today, Whish has offices in Lebanon, UAE, and the USA serving more than 1 million users in over 110 countries. As a licensed and regulated company by the Central Bank of Lebanon, Whish Money adheres strictly to all local and international laws, regulations, and best practices including stringent Anti-Money Laundering (AML) and Counter-Terrorism Financing (CTF) measures. Whish works closely with local and international authorities to detect and prevent financial crime. Its robust compliance framework, backed by advanced technology and experienced professionals, ensures that every transaction is screened against local and international watch lists, and is scrutinized to identify and mitigate potential risks, enabling it to provide secure and reliable financial services to its customers. Learn
The 961
07-04-2025
- Entertainment
- The 961
Here's Everything That Happened At Whish x AUB Rally Paper This Weekend
AUB Rally Paper is back – and this year, it was wilder, louder, and more creative than ever. Held over the weekend of April 5 and 6, the iconic event brought together students and a whole lot of energy across 2 intense days of nonstop challenges. For those unfamiliar, the Rally Paper is one of the American University of Beirut's (AUB) largest student-led events, blending teamwork, creativity, and a little bit of chaos – all for a good cause. Each team partners with an NGO of their choice and competes in a massive list of challenges, quests, and puzzles. First place? $10,000 donated to their NGO. Second and third win $5,000 and $3,000 respectively. For the first time ever, AUB Rally Paper teams were hosted outside AUB's campus – at the soon-to-open Whish Campus in Spears, Beirut. Whish wasn't only the main sponsor but also the lead supporter behind the scenes. As an AUB alumnus and CEO of Whish, Toufic Koussa takes great pride in being part of the AUB community. He opened up Whish Campus to the teams, giving them a whole new playground for their chaos. It became the central base for organizing the entire event. And yes, a few teams even got creative with the Whish Visa Card, promoting and using it in challenges that ranged from hilarious to downright impressive. This year's teams? La Ekher Nafas (FAS Faculty) (FAS Faculty) Mission 204 (OSB & E4 Faculty) (OSB & E4 Faculty) Telte Sebte (E3 Faculty) (E3 Faculty) Jenno Maana (E2 Faculty) (E2 Faculty) Sophomax (E1 Faculty) Each had their own base. Some were complete chaos (in the best way). Cows, Tesla Cybertrucks, pink golf carts, and even corn stands showed up at some bases. Yes… real cows. And the challenges? A mix of hilarious, heartwarming, and absolutely insane. Teams recreated iconic movie scenes like Mean Girls or went full Adam Sandler. Someone got a tattoo of their team's logo. Real commitment. Public dares included hugging strangers, protesting absurd causes, and holding signs that made people stop and stare. One team flew to Paphos, Cyprus for a treasure hunt, vlogged the whole trip, and still made it back in time. They flew with no cash, just their Whish wallet. They bought tickets with Whish Visa, e-sim on Whish app, and used Whish Visa card there for their day expenses Someone managed to get Krispy Kreme from Dubai… and original Dubai chocolate too. Teams found Lebanese people with Guinness World Records and tracked down people standing in front of some of the Seven Wonders of the World. Teams had to find an astronaut in Gemmayze holding a booklet with hidden coordinates – which led to a Ria location in London. They then had to get someone in London to go to that exact branch and top up their Whish account. But Rally Paper isn't just for those hanging around the base. There's a special group in each team called 'Challengers' – and they're the real daredevils. They take on extreme survival and obstacle course challenges. This year? They did a challenge at an army base obstacle course. They dragged each other on their stomachs across a beach to the sea. They powered through overnight challenges, including a massive murder mystery that had every team hooked until the end. After everything, the winners were crowned on Sunday night – but in a way, everyone walked away with a story. Whether it was filming skits, pulling off hair donations, or rallying guests for the party, each team pushed creativity and energy to the max. Telte Sebte won, giving their prize of $10,000 to the Lebanese Red Cross of Gemmayze. This year's Rally Paper wasn't just another student event. It took over the whole campus, brought real impact, and came with a ton of unexpected moments. And backing all the madness? Whish – a brand that believed in the fun and the cause behind it.
