Latest from Fintech News ME
Fintech News ME
a day ago
- Business
- Fintech News ME
MENA Startup Funding Hits US$2.1 Billion in H1 2025
Startup funding in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) reached US$2.1 billion during the first half of 2025, with 334 deals recorded across the region. This marks a 134% increase compared to the same period in 2024. While part of the growth was driven by an increase in debt-based financing, the figures reflect a notable level of investor activity amid persistent regional uncertainty. The second quarter ended with US$583.4 million invested across 149 deals, surpassing both the value and volume recorded in Q2 2024. Despite a slowdown in June, the quarter's performance indicated continued investor appetite for regional startups. Market conditions remained difficult in the first half of the year. Currency fluctuations, geopolitical tensions and volatile commodity prices, particularly in gold, oil and the US dollar, all contributed to an unpredictable environment. Nonetheless, several venture capital firms remained active, investing with caution. Fintech drew the highest amount of capital in Q2, with 38 startups raising a total of US$170 million. Proptech followed with US$77 million across eight deals, while the traveltech sector raised US$40 million through two transactions. Saudi Arabia recorded the highest funding volume during the quarter, overtaking the UAE. A total of US$231.5 million was invested in 38 Saudi startups, compared to US$197.7 million across 52 UAE-based companies. Egypt ranked third, attracting US$133 million through 30 transactions. By stage, mid-stage startups received the largest share of capital, with 10 Series A rounds totalling US$161 million. Early-stage companies accounted for the majority of deals, with 67 transactions recorded. Only four debt deals took place during the period, alongside two later-stage equity rounds. Total investment in H1 2025 reached US$2.1 billion, a substantial increase from US$898 million in H1 2024. However, excluding debt financing, which contributed US$930 million, the year-on-year growth narrows to 53%. The increase in funding coincided with renewed international interest in the region following a visit from US President Donald Trump, who was accompanied by a group of major Silicon Valley investors. The visit was widely seen as a signal of strategic interest in the region's technological infrastructure and market potential. Saudi Arabia accounted for approximately 64% of total capital deployed across MENA during the first half of the year. Investment volume in the Kingdom rose 342% year on year, driven by a policy-backed ecosystem and consistent government support. Fintech was the leading sector in Saudi Arabia, securing US$969 million across 20 deals. Contech and proptech followed with US$48 million and US$39 million respectively. Local venture capital firms received support from sovereign wealth funds, while government incentives attracted international startups and technologies. Male-led ventures continued to dominate the funding landscape. However, three female-founded startups in Saudi Arabia raised a total of US$60 million, and mixed-gender founding teams secured US$34 million across seven transactions. Domestic firms such as STV, Wa'ed Ventures and Raed Ventures led funding activity in the Kingdom. Foreign participation was also present, including JPMorgan's involvement in a debt round raised by Lendo, which signalled institutional interest in Saudi fintech. The UAE recorded steady growth despite competitive regional pressure. In H1, 114 UAE-based startups secured US$541 million, an 18% increase compared to the previous year. Debt made up 19 percent of this total, suggesting a relatively stronger equity market. Fintech led sectoral funding in the UAE with US$265.8 million raised across 35 deals. Insurtech followed with US$55 million from five transactions. Web3 and AI companies each raised US$44.7 million, through 11 and 13 startups respectively. Eight female-led startups in the UAE raised US$17.6 million, while mixed-gender teams secured US$91.7 million. Startups founded exclusively by men received the majority of capital. Egypt recorded a 106 percent year-on-year increase in startup funding, with US$179 million raised across 52 deals. This growth came despite continued macroeconomic strain, including external debt reaching 38.8% of GDP by the end of 2024. Debt financing accounted for 13% of activity in the market. In contrast to Saudi Arabia and the UAE, Egypt's most funded sector was proptech, which attracted US$75 million through three deals. Fintech companies raised US$85.3 million across 10 transactions, and e-commerce startups secured US$24.8 million across seven. Female-founded ventures in Egypt raised a total of US$425,000, while mixed-gender teams secured US$23 million. The remaining capital went to 37 startups led exclusively by men. Across the MENA region, fintech remained the top-funded sector in H1, attracting 62% of all deployed capital through 77 deals. Two of the three largest deals recorded during the period were directed toward fintech firms. A single large investment in iMena Group boosted venture studios to second in terms of capital raised, followed by proptech, which attracted US$119 million across 16 companies. E-commerce startups raised US$65 million in 24 deals. Debt instruments played a significant role in shaping funding trends in H1, accounting for approximately 44% of total capital or US$930 million. This reflects a shift in investor behaviour in response to wider global economic uncertainty. Early-stage companies, from pre-seed to Series A, attracted US$568 million in funding, while later-stage companies, ranging from pre-Series B to pre-IPO, raised US$431.7 million. Despite mid-stage rounds capturing the largest share by value, early-stage startups remained dominant in terms of deal count. Business-to-business models drew the most investor interest, with B2B startups raising US$1.5 billion across 197 transactions. This represented 70% of total funding in the first half. The remainder was allocated to B2C or hybrid startups. Funding distribution across genders remained uneven. Startups founded exclusively by men received nearly 89% of total H1 capital. Female-founded companies raised a combined US$84.5 million across 27 deals, while mixed-gender teams secured US$150 million.
Fintech News ME
a day ago
- Business
- Fintech News ME
Dubai Land Department, Emirates NBD Launch Joint Studies to Reform Property Registration
The Dubai Land Department (DLD) has signed a memorandum of cooperation with Emirates NBD, a major banking group in the Middle East, North Africa and Turkey (MENAT) region. The agreement sets out a joint framework for regulatory and technical studies aimed at improving real estate transaction registration processes and strengthening the overall efficiency of the sector. The partnership includes two studies. The first will explore ways to optimise the registration process for real estate transactions completed outside the UAE. The second will focus on the development of financial services that can support the registration of real estate sales. These efforts are intended to improve customer experience and provide better support for investors throughout their property transactions. Omar Hamad BuShehab, Director General of the Dubai Land Department, said: 'This partnership marks a significant step toward establishing a shared knowledge base that opens up new horizons for advancing real estate registration services, thereby further strengthening Dubai's position as a global destination for real estate investment. These efforts also align with the objectives of the Dubai Real Estate Strategy 2033, which aims to build a resilient, competitive, and innovation-driven sector that reflects the emirate's status as a global leader in real estate.' Hesham Abdulla Al Qassim, Vice Chairman and Managing Director of Emirates NBD, said: 'Integrated offerings under this collaboration will help enhance the property transaction experience while building greater confidence among market participants, including investors, ensuring Dubai maintains its leadership position in the global real estate sector.' The initiative is in line with the objectives of the D33 Economic Agenda, which aims to position Dubai among the world's top three economic cities. It also reflects ongoing efforts to make the real estate market more attractive to international investors by providing a supportive regulatory framework, encouraging sustainable growth, and improving service delivery.
Fintech News ME
a day ago
- Business
- Fintech News ME
UAE Central Bank Partners with Mercury to Launch Unitey for National Payments Infrastructure Overhaul
The Central Bank of the United Arab Emirates (CBUAE) and Mercury, a UAE-based fintech firm specialising in payments infrastructure and services, have announced the establishment of a joint venture, Unitey Business Services. The initiative is aimed at supporting the CBUAE's Financial Infrastructure Transformation (FIT) programme by strengthening the operations of the UAE's national financial market infrastructure and enhancing efficiency, resilience and business continuity across systems and platforms. The partnership aligns the CBUAE's strategic vision with Mercury's technical expertise, forming a public-private collaboration that reinforces the central bank's commitment to maintaining national oversight of critical financial systems. Commenting on the agreement, Ebrahim Obaid Al Zaabi, Assistant Governor for Monetary Policy and Financial Stability at the CBUAE, said: 'This joint venture reflects our ambition to build a future-focused payments infrastructure that is both innovative and resilient, and promotes financial inclusion across the UAE. Our partnership with Mercury enables us to harness global best practices and capabilities as we drive the digital transformation of the UAE's financial ecosystem.' Muzaffar Khokhar, Executive Chairman of Mercury, added: 'We are honoured to partner with the Central Bank of the UAE in this strategic venture which plays a central role in advancing the vision of CBUAE's FIT programme and highlights our mutual dedication to creating a secure, inclusive and future-ready payments infrastructure for the nation.'
Fintech News ME
2 days ago
- Business
- Fintech News ME
FSRA Licenses 272 Firms in 2024 Amid Key Regulatory Reforms
The Financial Services Regulatory Authority (FSRA) of ADGM has released its 2024 Annual Report, detailing key regulatory developments and reaffirming its role in maintaining a high-standard regulatory environment for financial services. The report outlines the FSRA's continued efforts throughout the year to ensure its framework remains consistent with international standards, with a particular emphasis on financial crime prevention. Notable progress was made in areas such as digital asset regulation, supervisory alignment, and institutional transparency. A significant development in 2024 was the introduction of a dedicated regulatory framework for fiat-referenced tokens (FRTs), a category of stablecoins. The framework outlines specific requirements on reserve quality, governance, and redemption rights to support financial stability and investor protection. By formally recognising FRT issuance as a regulated activity, the FSRA aims to support responsible financial innovation within the jurisdiction. The FSRA also implemented proposals to align its supervisory practices more closely with the Core Principles for Effective Banking Supervision issued by the Basel Committee on Banking Supervision. In parallel, a new whistleblowing framework covering the entirety of ADGM was introduced, aimed at improving transparency and market integrity. On financial crime, the FSRA collaborated with national authorities and ministries to provide technical input for strengthening the UAE's anti-money laundering (AML) and counter-financing of terrorism (CFT) regime. These contributions supported the UAE's successful removal from the Financial Action Task Force (FATF) grey list in 2024. These initiatives, among others, have contributed to a more resilient, transparent, and innovation-supportive regulatory environment in ADGM. The FSRA also engaged extensively with domestic and international partners to advance regulatory standards and promote cross-border cooperation. The number of financial services firms licensed by the FSRA grew by 30% year-on-year to 272, the highest annual increase recorded to date, reflecting continued expansion within ADGM's financial ecosystem. The report further highlights the FSRA's commitment to workforce development, particularly through initiatives such as the Al Yah Programme, which provides UAE nationals with technical training, soft skills development, and structured mentorship. Looking ahead, the FSRA states that it remains committed to supporting sustainable financial growth and maintaining market confidence through innovation and collaborative regulation. Reflecting on the year, Emmanuel Givanakis, CEO of the FSRA, said: 'From streamlining our supervisory focus to continuing to enhance our regulatory framework, including for digital assets and sustainable finance, we have continued to build a trusted, risk-proportionate, and forward-looking regulatory environment. Looking ahead, we remain focused on deepening collaboration with stakeholders to ensure Abu Dhabi, and the UAE more widely, continues to thrive as a leading global financial hub.'
Fintech News ME
2 days ago
- Business
- Fintech News ME
Dow Jones Appoints Anand Joawn as Middle East General Manager
Dow Jones has named Anand Joawn as General Manager, Middle East, a newly created role aimed at supporting the company's ongoing expansion in the region. In this position, Joawn will oversee Dow Jones's commercial strategy and operations across the Middle East. He will be responsible for strengthening the company's regional presence and leading efforts to invest in local talent, partnerships, and platforms aligned with growing demand for reliable business intelligence. Joawn will report to Chief Revenue Officer Josh Stinchcomb. Joawn brings nearly 20 years of experience across the Middle East, having held senior roles at the London Stock Exchange Group (LSEG), Refinitiv and Thomson Reuters. His career has focused on delivering financial data, analytics and risk solutions, with a strong emphasis on supporting decision-making in complex market environments. He is also recognised for building and leading cross-cultural teams across the region. 'I'm delighted to be joining Dow Jones to lead its expansion in the Middle East, a region defined by ambition and rapid transformation,' said Joawn. 'With its long-standing legacy of trusted journalism, data and insights, Dow Jones is uniquely positioned to help businesses and decision makers navigate change with confidence. I look forward to working with our exceptional team to strengthen relationships, drive growth and further expand the company's presence and impact across this vital market.' The appointment follows Dow Jones's recent announcement to expand its operations in key growth sectors in the Middle East, including compliance, energy, and digital media.
