Latest news with #digitalcommerce
Entrepreneur
7 days ago
- Business
- Entrepreneur
The Recap: Leaders in E-Business Awards 2025
The Leaders in E-Business Awards 2025, staged by BNC Publishing with the support of in5 and The honored the visionaries, disruptors, and forward-thinking organizations that are redefining how business is done in the digital age You're reading Entrepreneur Middle East, an international franchise of Entrepreneur Media. In a celebration of trailblazers transforming the digital economy, the fifth edition of the Leaders in E-Business Awards was staged by BNC Publishing with the support of in5 and at Sofitel The Palm on May 27, 2025. This prestigious recognition honors the visionaries, disruptors, and forward-thinking organizations that are redefining how business is done in the digital age—across sectors such as fintech, retail, logistics, healthtech, and beyond. As the region continues to cement its position as a global hub for digital commerce, this year's honorees stand out for their bold strategies, customer-centric technologies, and measurable impact on the evolving e-business landscape. Best New E-Commerce Experience - Piece of You by Amreen Iqbal Real Estate E-Solution of the Year - Colab Cloud Tech Fintech Company of the Year - LQUIDPAY DEO BANK Marketing Leader of the Year - Luna PR Green Mobility Leader of the Year - EVIQ Leader in F&B Fintech Solutions - Foodics Best Crypto Exchange - Best Digital Venture Builder - SC Ventures E-Business Leader of the Year - Haider Ali Khan E-Payment Solution of the Year - du Pay Hospitality Entrepreneur of the Year - Emil Bedretdinov Best Trading Platform - Century Financial Startup of the Year - QYUBIC Best AI Solution of the Year – Bally Singh, Scott Melker and Max Palethorpe from Hum(AI)n Assets E-Invoicing Solution of the Year - AJMS Global Visionary of the Year - Hanan Nagi from HNI (Human Network International) E-Business of the Year - Bayut
Zawya
27-05-2025
- Business
- Zawya
Converge Africa 2025 wraps with record engagement and industry-shaping insights
The continent's most dynamic gathering for digital commerce professionals, Converge Africa 2025, concluded this week at the Cape Town International Convention Centre (CTICC), drawing over one thousand delegates, exhibitors, and thought leaders from across Africa and beyond. Over three action-packed days (6-8 May), Converge Africa delivered immersive workshops, powerful plenary sessions, and solution-driven conversations across five dedicated content tracks: Retail and e-commerce, digital marketing, payments and fintech, digital security, and fulfilment and last mile. Spotlight on innovation: Huawei, Intent HQ, and CX Experts take the stage Among the many standout contributors to this year's programme were Huawei, Intent HQ, and CX Experts, each bringing unique insights to the evolving digital commerce landscape. - Huawei captivated audiences with their vision for digital transformation in financial services, sharing practical strategies on cross-border transaction security and customer interaction at scale. Their sessions - led by senior leaders You Jianguo, Li Mingshan, and Benedict Rono - demonstrated how AI and software innovation are shaping more efficient, secure commerce systems in Africa. - Intent HQ challenged assumptions about consumer engagement in the age of data. Their keynote, "From Transactions to Intent," delivered by CRO Jonathan Woolf, reframed customer intelligence through a behavioural lens, while their workshop offered a hands-on look at leveraging privacy-safe edge AI to unlock deeper customer relevance. - CX Experts returned to the spotlight with high-energy, practical workshops focused on AI in contact centres, customer satisfaction, and avoiding costly support mistakes. Founder Phillip Batt and Head of Success Dave Hobbs brought Zendesk-backed solutions to life, showcasing how businesses can scale human-centric service with smart tech. Startup energy on full display – Sponsored by Peach Payments New this year, the Start-Up Pitch Stage, proudly sponsored by Peach Payments, drew a crowd eager to discover the next generation of digital disruptors. Finalists included fintech and logistics innovators such as, Zazu, TapNGo, Zuke, and Ariel Robotics, with top honors and the cash prize going to NjiaPay! The competition underscored Converge Africa's commitment to supporting early-stage innovation, providing a live platform for startups to pitch their solutions to industry leaders and VCs driving Africa's digital economy forward. A marketplace of ideas and opportunity From discussions on digital ID and cross-border payments to last-mile logistics and omnichannel retail, Converge Africa provided a forum for practical insight, peer learning, and high-value networking. The exhibition floor bustled with technology demos and strategic meeting introductions, while social events like Converge Engage and the Africa Padel networking tournament added energy and connection to the experience. The momentum continues as Converge Africa announces its return to Cape Town in 2026, with dates officially confirmed for 5–7 May 2026 at the CTICC. Following the success of this year's event, preparations are already underway to deliver an even more impactful experience for Africa's digital commerce community. About Converge Africa Hosted by VUKA Group, Converge Africa is the leading digital commerce event in Africa - serving as a critical meeting point for online retailers, tech providers, marketers, fintech innovators, and cybersecurity professionals powering Africa to trade digitally, seamlessly without borders. For media enquiries, interviews or partnership opportunities:
Yahoo
26-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
SPAYZ.io targets expansion in South Africa, Egypt, and Cameroon
Payment solutions provider has expanded its operations into three African markets: South Africa, Egypt, and Cameroon. This initiative is part of the company's strategy to enhance digital commerce by offering localised payment options in African markets. The fintech firm has been assessing potential markets in Africa, with a focus on understanding the regulatory environments, market demands, and opportunities for local partnerships. The company announced that by the end of 2025, its services will be available in multiple new countries within its network. In South Africa, plans to enable EFT Bank Transfers across major markets. Additionally, the company will introduce Mobile Money solutions in Egypt and Cameroon. head of strategic partnerships Dmitrii commented: "It is important that we don't rush into new markets just for the sake of expansion. Instead, we take a deliberate and thoughtful approach to growth that is long-term, ensuring our payment solutions are stable and easy to access. 'Every market we enter is the result of careful research, strategic planning, and a deep understanding of the local ecosystem. It's the reason why Africa is a priority region for us. "Our planned launches in South Africa, Egypt and Cameroon reflect our approach. We are giving our clients access to markets with a burgeoning consumer base, driven by the rapid adoption of new technologies. I look forward to seeing the new opportunities these launches will open to our partners, and look forward to discussing our plans during our participation at FMAS later this month." This follows expansion in Nigeria, Japan, and the Philippines, where the company announced new payment services earlier this year. " targets expansion in South Africa, Egypt, and Cameroon " was originally created and published by Electronic Payments International, a GlobalData owned brand. The information on this site has been included in good faith for general informational purposes only. It is not intended to amount to advice on which you should rely, and we give no representation, warranty or guarantee, whether express or implied as to its accuracy or completeness. You must obtain professional or specialist advice before taking, or refraining from, any action on the basis of the content on our site.
Arab News
25-05-2025
- Business
- Arab News
New Mastercard center to combat growing cyberthreats
Mastercard has launched its Cyber Resilience Center, an initiative that brings together key players from the financial sector to foster collaboration and support shared goals in building a secure commerce and payment ecosystem in the Kingdom. This is Mastercard's first initiative in the Middle East, extending the company's global network of cyber resilience centers, which includes locations in Europe and the US. Riyad Bank has joined as the first partner and will collaborate with Mastercard on training programs, risk evaluations, and the adoption of global cybersecurity standards. The center marks a pivotal milestone in reinforcing the Kingdom's cybersecurity infrastructure, enabling stronger collaboration to protect its fast-evolving digital economy. With cyberthreats becoming more sophisticated and persistent, the center will provide a platform to equip organizations with the tools, expertise, and strategies needed to detect, prevent, and respond to risks in real time. It will also serve as a catalyst for expanding local cybersecurity talent and fostering a culture of continuous learning and improvement. At the heart of the initiative are three core pillars: •Education and training: supporting the development of local cybersecurity talent by working with financial institutions to introduce certifications in Arabic and host knowledge-sharing sessions. • Standards and best practices: building trust in the digital ecosystem by setting measurable cybersecurity benchmarks and enabling institutions to track progress through clearly defined improvement targets. •Risk assessments and readiness: enhancing preparedness through cyber defense exercises, scenario planning, and threat-casting workshops to anticipate and mitigate evolving risks. Mastercard's Cyber Resilience Center aligns with the objectives of Saudi Vision 2030, contributing to the Kingdom's commitment to secure digital transformation, improved public services, and a robust environment for technology-led innovation. Mastercard has invested $10.7 billion in cybersecurity innovation over the last six years, assessing evolving threats, protecting customers and enhancing trust across the digital ecosystem. According to the 2025 Digital Trust Insights Survey, 55 percent of Middle East organizations plan to prioritize digital and technology risk mitigation over the next year, compared to 53 percent globally. 'At Riyad Bank, safeguarding customer trust is central to everything we do. In a rapidly evolving cyberthreat landscape, our collaboration with Mastercard through the Cyber Resilience Center is a testament of our proactive approach to cybersecurity. This partnership enables us to further strengthen our defense frameworks, accelerate the adoption of global best practices of global security, and fortify security in the Kingdom's financial sector. We remain committed to delivering a secure, seamless, and trusted banking experience for every customer,' said Ibrahim A. Al-Sulobi, SVP, head of cyber and information security department at Riyad Bank. 'We live in an ultra-connected world where cyberthreats are becoming more targeted and complex, even as the need for trust and assurance increases.' said Adam Jones, EVP, division president, West Arabia, Mastercard. The launch of the Cyber Resilience Center in Riyadh reflects Mastercard's commitment to staying ahead of emerging risks and helping our partners do the same. We're proud to work with Riyad Bank to help advance a secure ecosystem in the Kingdom, and ensure that people, businesses, and institutions in Saudi Arabia are protected through world-class capabilities,' said Adam Jones, EVP, division president, West Arabia, Mastercard. The Cyber Resilience Center will further position Saudi Arabia as a regional leader in digital security and strength, ensuring its financial sector remains a trusted foundation for innovation and long-term economic growth. Mastercard will continue to expand and enhance its cybersecurity capabilities through innovation and acquisitions. Last year, Mastercard acquired Recorded Future, the world's largest threat intelligence company. The acquisition strengthens trust and enhances security within the digital payment ecosystem.
Arabian Business
23-05-2025
- Business
- Arabian Business
'We don't want to take an American approach': BOLT's Justin Grooms on building for the UAE
Justin Grooms, President of BOLT, didn't land in Dubai with a pitch deck and playbook. He came to listen. After six years leading the company – North America's leading identity layer and payments aggregator – he's learned that the future of checkout won't be built in a lab. It has to be shaped by how people live, pay, and trust in each market. And right now, he believes some of the most interesting progress is happening in Dubai. 'I've been at BOLT for a little over six years now,' he says. 'The company has, to a certain extent, grown a lot, but to another extent, has been exactly on the same mission the whole time. We are currently North America's leading identity layer and payments aggregator for merchants and consumers, and we're looking at expanding into new markets, and that's one of the main reasons that I'm here in Dubai.' BOLT built its name by solving something deceptively simple: giving users control over how they identify and how they pay – all within a single, consistent checkout experience. It's a principle that sounds obvious, but Grooms says it's been missing from digital commerce for years. 'What we found has really been key to our success is to acknowledge that consumers want to have agency over not only their identity but the payment options that they have inside of their wallets,' he explains. 'This is not a radical concept.' From plastic wallets to digital control Grooms brings it back to a habit most of us had for years: carrying a physical wallet. 'If we think of the physical wallets that you and I carry, or at least used to carry around, we would have the physical cards, our identity, everything there and under our control, and it would be up to us when we would take a card out and hand it to a merchant, or hand cash to someone else to pay them.' What changed in the shift to online retail, he says, was ownership. Suddenly, your identity and your payment method were handled by the platform – not by you. 'Where BOLT has been very successful is allowing consumers to sort of own that identity. When we think about owning identity, one of the benefits that it does is that it allows us to incorporate all of the different payment types that a consumer might have under one roof, and then start to deliver some insights to that consumer about what type of payment might be most appropriate for the transaction that they're considering at that moment.' That choice – not just over what to buy, but how and with what – is where Grooms believes the real shift in fintech is happening. 'We think that that's going to be the differentiator between what we're doing today in fintech and e-commerce, and what happens in the future.' Why AI matters more than ever But there's another piece to this puzzle: how fast and accurately platforms can evaluate risk. For years, companies gathered data but didn't have the tools to act on it in real time. That's changing now. 'The data has always essentially been there, the ability to collect the information,' he says. 'What has not been there, and what's only recently really being commercialised, is the ability to process and action on that information very quickly in a transaction.' This isn't a theoretical improvement. It's a fundamental upgrade to how digital commerce functions. 'What that means in a practical basis is that I can look at thousands or tens of thousands of data points in a transaction and, in real time, evaluate if it looks and feels right, and if I feel good about the transaction, and if we should allow it to essentially go through.' Accuracy isn't just about reducing fraud. It's about removing friction for legitimate users – and protecting the pace of the customer journey. 'If we look at the massive amount of data that we collect through a checkout flow or a purchasing flow, we can get extremely accurate in essentially determining how much risk is associated with an individual transaction.' Thinking like a customer Grooms says that inside BOLT, product decisions don't begin with surveys or stakeholder reports. They begin with one question: what would we want as consumers? 'We like to even think internally when we're developing a product, there's this desire sometimes to go out and do market research or talk to merchant partners or whatever,' he says. 'What we found when we built the best product is when we imagine ourselves as consumers and what we would want.' That's especially relevant in the UAE – a region with its own preferences, expectations, and transaction habits. 'One of the reasons that I'm here is to really understand Dubai specifically, the UAE more broadly, and then the whole region. What are the cultural expectations around transactions? How do people view their identity and how identity is managed? What are they used to in market with other successful providers? And how can we incorporate that into the technology infrastructure that we have?' He's direct about what not to do. 'We don't want to take an American approach to identity and e-commerce and export it to this part of the world, just like it would probably not work vice versa.' Local fit, global lessons That sensitivity to context extends to how BOLT handles regulation. Even in the U.S., the company doesn't roll out one uniform system – it adjusts for each state. 'Even there, we have state-by-state application of different privacy laws, different regulations around banking that we've sort of grown up integrating with,' he explains. The same approach is guiding their expansion abroad. Grooms says the goal isn't to make Dubai adjust to their product – it's to shape the product around Dubai's regulatory and consumer frameworks. 'I don't want to export an American way of handling transactions,' he says. 'I want to build an inherently local way that connects with folks here in Dubai, in the region in general.' That mindset also explains why he's paying attention to what's happening here with crypto and digital currencies – not as experiments, but as real consumer tools. 'The adoption of new currencies, of experimentation with cryptocurrencies and using cryptocurrencies in really everyday transactions – not sort of gimmicky, I'm going to try it out – it's really happening here in a way that very few other, you know, really developing or developed parts of the world see.' 'This place reminds me of Silicon Valley' Asked how he sees the UAE's fintech scene evolving over the next few years, Grooms doesn't hesitate. 'The big thing that we see about UAE is a real openness from the government and from regulators to be best in class,' he says. 'To want to build regulations that will, of course, protect consumers in a very robust and legitimate way, will protect the infrastructure of the national economy here, but are also forward-looking… building regulations for 2030 or 2040, as opposed to trying to make regulations that came from 1930 or 1940 apply to what we're doing today.' But it's more than just policy. It's a mindset – one that feels familiar. 'There is a culture of innovation in the UAE generally, and in Dubai specifically, that frankly reminds me a lot of Silicon Valley – very entrepreneurial, very forward-thinking, very risk-taking, a culture of wanting to make the big bets to sort of change the world.' Final thought Grooms isn't here to copy-paste a model. He's here to understand how people buy, what they expect, and how trust is built. 'This is a community, this is a culture that is very much about innovating for the future,' he says. 'And I think that's some of the best things that have, frankly, come out of Silicon Valley in the past, too.'
