ENovate and Cobi Partner to Launch AI-Powered Digital Payment Infrastructure in Egypt
eNovate, a subsidiary of eFinance Investment Group, has teamed with UAE‑based AI platform Cobi under Mastercard’s Engage programme to embed artificial intelligence across Egypt’s digital payment landscape. The partnership will debut in Q1 2026 on eNovate’s Rize digital wallet, delivering real‑time behavioural insights and personalised “next‑best‑action” recommendations for the country’s youth segment. Following the pilot, the AI layer will expand to eNovate’s full suite of payment services, creating Egypt’s first large‑scale AI‑driven portfolio management infrastructure. The move taps a region where 85 % of consumers already use emerging payment methods and AI‑enabled fintech is forecast to reach $4.7 billion by 2032.
Milo Hits $100million Milestone in Crypto Mortgages Following Record $12million Deal
Fintech firm Milo announced it has originated over $100 million in crypto‑backed mortgages, highlighted by a record $12 million single transaction. The company attributes its growth to AI‑enhanced underwriting, real‑time collateral monitoring, and a zero‑margin‑call track record. Interest rates average...
NPTN by LMS Joins Bank of England Synchronisation Lab to Tackle Remortgage Friction
LMS, through its NPTN network, has entered the Bank of England’s Synchronisation Lab to pilot a synchronized settlement model for remortgages. The eight‑week test will run in a simulated Real‑Time Gross Settlement (RTGS) environment, splitting payments into earmark and settle...
BVNK Secures MiCA Licence in Malta to Expand European Stablecoin Operations
BVNK, an enterprise stablecoin infrastructure provider, secured a Crypto‑Asset Services Provider (CASP) licence from Malta’s Financial Services Authority, aligning it with the EU’s MiCA framework. The licence allows BVNK to passport MiCA‑regulated digital‑asset services across all European Economic Area members....
Mashreq Launches First-of-Its-Kind Digital Cross-Border Accounts for Non-Resident Pakistanis in the UAE
Mashreq Bank has introduced a fully digital cross‑border account service that lets UAE‑based Pakistani expatriates open a Mashreq Pakistan account through the UAE mobile app. The offering replaces manual paperwork with a seamless, end‑to‑end digital experience and integrates a unified...
FCA Chief Nikhil Rathi Confirms Regulatory Shift Away From New Rules in Candid Podcast Interview
FCA chief Nikhil Rathi told the inaugural Fairer Finance podcast that the regulator is moving away from drafting new rules, opting instead to lean on the existing Consumer Duty and supervisory tools. He framed the shift as an outcomes‑based approach,...
Ari10 Parent Morphic Financial Group Secures Dutch MiCA License for EU Expansion
Morphic Financial Group, the London‑based parent of digital payments platform Ari10, has obtained a Markets in Crypto‑Assets (MiCA) licence through its Dutch subsidiary WEB3 Holding B.V. The Dutch regulator’s approval makes Morphic one of the first Central and Eastern European...
Exploring the Future of Crypto and Stablecoins
Fintech Times podcast featured Yap Global founder Samantha Yap discussing the rapid expansion of digital assets and Web3. The conversation highlighted stablecoins as a catalyst for faster, cheaper cross‑border payments and examined the UAE’s proactive regulatory sandbox. Yap noted that...
10x Banking and HassemPrag Partner to Drive Core Banking Modernisation Across Africa
10x Banking, a cloud‑native core banking provider, has teamed up with South African digital platform HassemPrag to offer African banks a low‑risk path to replace legacy systems. The joint solution combines 10x’s modular, cloud infrastructure with HassemPrag’s regional integration expertise,...
Embedded Card Programmes Gain Momentum as European Firms Move Beyond Banks for Issuing
European firms are rapidly adopting embedded card programmes, bypassing traditional banks thanks to API‑driven platforms. Wallester’s recent webinar with Visa and GF Money shows launch times shrinking from a year to as little as 28 days. Regulatory clarity under PSD2 is...
Lunar Teams Up with Wolt on Subscription Benefit Expansion
Lunar, the Nordic challenger bank, has signed a strategic partnership with delivery platform Wolt across Sweden, Denmark and Norway. The deal embeds Wolt+ unlimited delivery into Lunar’s top‑tier Unlimited (personal) and Limitless (business) subscription plans, while lower‑tier customers can redeem...
Criminals Outpacing Banks as Firms Struggle with AI Defence, Report Warns
A new State of Financial Crime 2026 report from ComplyAdvantage reveals that financial institutions are falling behind AI‑enabled criminal networks. Over 600 senior compliance leaders reported 99% detection weaknesses, with only 33% employing AI for core AML functions and manual...
Paytently Strengthens Regulatory Compliance and Fraud Defence with SEON Partnership
Paytently, a Malta‑licensed payment institution, announced a partnership with fraud‑prevention specialist SEON to embed the latter’s command‑centre technology into its orchestration platform. The integration brings real‑time AML screening, risk scoring, device intelligence and centralized case management to the core of...
Shahbandr and Tabby Partner to Bring BNPL to 20,000 Online Stores
Shahbandr, a Saudi e‑commerce enablement platform, has teamed up with fintech app Tabby to embed its Buy‑Now‑Pay‑Later solution across the network. The integration will cover more than 20,000 online stores in Saudi Arabia and Egypt, allowing shoppers to split purchases...
Zodia Custody and LMAX Group Launch ‘Zodia Switch’ to Streamline Institutional Asset Swaps
Zodia Custody and LMAX Group have introduced Zodia Switch, a custody‑native trading feature that lets institutional clients swap ERC‑20 tokens directly from their secure wallets. The solution leverages LMAX’s execution venues, eliminating the need to pre‑fund external trading accounts and...
Juspay Opens Dubai Headquarters to Drive Middle East Expansion
Juspay, the global payments‑infrastructure provider, has opened a regional headquarters in the Dubai International Financial Centre. The new hub will focus on serving enterprise merchants, banks and fintech partners across the Middle East and North Africa. By situating itself in...
Standard Chartered Partners with B2C2 to Enhance Institutional Crypto Access
Standard Chartered has teamed up with digital‑asset liquidity provider B2C2 to create a seamless bridge between traditional banking infrastructure and crypto markets. The alliance will give institutional investors—such as asset managers, hedge funds, corporates and family offices—direct access to spot...
Ripple Prime Adds Hyperliquid Support to Bridge DeFi and Institutional Trading
Ripple Prime, the institutional brokerage arm of Ripple, announced integration with Hyperliquid, a high‑performance decentralized derivatives protocol. The partnership lets institutional clients trade on‑chain derivatives while keeping the capital‑efficiency and risk controls of a traditional prime broker. Clients can now...
Fintech Treyd Targets Doubling UK Customer Base as It Hits £200m Lending Milestone
Swedish fintech Treyd has surpassed £200 million in UK lending since its 2022 launch, making Britain its biggest market with more than 500 customers. The company plans to double its UK client base by 2027, targeting underserved SMEs that need rapid...
FINTECH Circle Partners with JournoLink to Bring AI-Powered PR Tools to Fintechs
FINTECH Circle has struck a strategic partnership with JournoLink to deliver its Volt AI‑powered public‑relations and competitor‑intelligence suite to the Circle’s fintech community. The collaboration gives members automated press‑release distribution, continuous media monitoring and real‑time competitor analysis. By bundling enterprise‑grade...
EToro Launches Shareholder Engagement Initiative in Partnership with Stockperks
eToro has launched a shareholder engagement initiative in partnership with Stockperks, a loyalty‑rewards marketplace for public companies. The program invites eligible eToro shareholders to receive exclusive educational content, event invitations, and direct access to company leaders and market experts. By...
GoCab Secures $45million Seed Round to Drive Mobility Fintech in Emerging Markets
GoCab, a London‑based mobility fintech, closed a $45 million seed round comprising $15 million in equity and $30 million in debt, led by E3 Capital and Janngo VC. The funding supports its drive‑to‑own model that provides vehicle and BNPL financing to gig workers...
Qatar Development Bank Expands Investment Program to QAR 1 Billion as Demand Surges
Qatar Development Bank announced an expansion of its Startup Qatar Investment Program to QAR 1 billion (≈$275 million) by 2030, an eight‑fold increase in capital allocation. The surge follows more than 6,000 startup applications in the past three years, reflecting strong regional...
Zand and Ripple Partner to Power UAE Digital Economy with Stablecoin Innovations
UAE‑based digital bank Zand has signed a strategic partnership with Ripple to accelerate the nation’s digital economy through stablecoin and blockchain solutions. The collaboration will integrate Ripple’s USD‑backed stablecoin (RLUSD) into Zand’s regulated custody platform and explore a direct liquidity...
SumUp Launches ‘Solo Lite’ Card Reader to Target Mobile Merchants in the UK
SumUp has introduced the Solo Lite card reader in the UK, pricing the hardware at a one‑time £25 fee. The device is built for mobile merchants, featuring a Corning Gorilla Glass screen and a battery that can handle over 1,000...
DLocal Partners with DHL Express Brazil to Automate Pix Payments and Speed up Deliveries
Cross‑border payments specialist dLocal has partnered with DHL Express Brazil to embed Brazil’s instant payment rail Pix directly into DHL’s checkout and CRM workflow. The integration replaces manual bank reconciliation with real‑time confirmation, allowing parcels to be released within minutes....
Klarna Backs Google’s Universal Commerce Protocol to Power the Future of ‘Agentic’ Shopping
Klarna announced its support for Google’s Universal Commerce Protocol (UCP), a framework designed to standardise AI‑driven, “agentic” shopping experiences. The move extends Klarna’s multi‑year partnership with Google, building on prior collaborations such as the Agent Payments Protocol and Google Pay....
Revolut Secures First Banking License Outside Europe as Full Operations Launch in Mexico
Revolut has launched full banking operations in Mexico, becoming the first digital‑only bank to secure a banking licence outside Europe. The new entity, Revolut Bank S.A. Institución de Banca Múltiple, entered the market with over $100 million of capital, delivering a...
N26 Launches ‘N26 for Under 18s’ in Strategic Push for Family Banking Market
N26 has introduced “N26 for under 18s,” a debit‑card and account product for children aged 7‑17. The service launches in Germany and Austria and is embedded as a dedicated “Space” with its own IBAN inside the parent’s existing N26 app....
Exploring the Future of Stablecoins and Digital Transformation
In a Fintech Times podcast, MoneyGram CEO Anthony Soohoo discusses stablecoins, digital transformation, and AI's role in financial services. He outlines MoneyGram’s strategy to integrate stablecoins for faster, lower‑cost cross‑border transfers and highlights ongoing regulatory challenges. Soohoo also emphasizes how...
Sumsub Launches ‘Risk Intolerant’ Registry to Spotlight Crypto and Fintech Safety Champions
Sumsub, a global verification and fraud‑prevention platform, has unveiled a public "Risk Intolerant" registry that awards badges to fintech, crypto, gaming, edtech and mobility firms demonstrating strong KYC, AML and fraud‑mitigation controls. The highest "Titan" badge has been granted to...
PayPal and NEO PAY Strike Strategic Alliance to Fuel UAE’s $21B E-Commerce Ambition
PayPal has formed a strategic alliance with UAE‑based digital payments firm NEO PAY. The deal embeds PayPal’s checkout into NEO PAY’s acquiring infrastructure, allowing merchants across the Emirates to accept PayPal. The partnership targets the rapidly expanding UAE e‑commerce market, forecast to...
TerraPay Enters Creator Economy with MilX Partnership to Power Global Payouts
TerraPay has launched a cross‑border payout solution for digital creators through a partnership with MilX, the YouTube‑focused financial service. The integrated platform enables creators to receive earnings instantly in local currencies across more than 70 markets, supporting bank accounts, digital...
Fipto Becomes Europe’s First Dual-Licenced Stablecoin Payment Institution
Fipto has secured a Crypto‑Asset Service Provider (CASP) licence from France’s AMF, joining its existing Payment Institution licence from the ACPR. This makes it the first European stablecoin payment provider to hold both licences, creating a unified regulatory framework for...
Ooredoo Fintech Integrates Western Union to Boost Remittance Options in Qatar
Ooredoo Fintech has partnered with Western Union to embed the global money‑transfer service into its Ooredoo Money app, launching the feature in Qatar. The integration gives users access to Western Union’s network spanning more than 200 countries, expanding remittance options...
Osaka Exchange Taps Nasdaq for Next-Gen Derivatives Trading and Surveillance Tech
Osaka Exchange (OSE), the derivatives arm of Japan Exchange Group, has chosen Nasdaq’s Eqlipse Trading and Market Surveillance platforms to overhaul its trading and surveillance infrastructure. The new system replaces legacy technology with ultra‑low latency, multi‑asset capabilities and AI‑driven market‑abuse...
Taranis Capital Secures DFSA Acknowledgement for New ‘Disruptive Tech Fund’
Taranis Capital Limited has secured formal acknowledgement from the Dubai Financial Services Authority for its newly created Taranis Disruptive Tech Fund LP. The fund, filed in November 2025, targets high‑impact technologies such as artificial intelligence, digital infrastructure, fintech, advanced analytics...
Papaya Global Partners with Fireblocks to Launch Stablecoin-Powered Workforce Wallet
Papaya Global has introduced Banco Wallet, a global workforce wallet that settles cross‑border payroll instantly using stablecoins. The solution, built on Fireblocks’ enterprise‑grade digital‑asset infrastructure, lets employers pay employees in fiat or stablecoins without changing bank accounts. It targets workers...
Vennre Secures $9.6m Pre-Series A to Open Private Markets to MENA’s ‘HENRYs’
Fintech platform Vennre announced a $9.6 million pre‑Series A round, co‑led by Vision Ventures and anb seed fund, with participation from Sanabil 500, Ace & Co, Plus VC and strategic investors. The hybrid equity‑debt financing will fund the digitisation of private‑market access for MENA’s high‑earning, not‑yet‑rich...
Lloyds Banking Group Targets Over £100m Value From ‘Next Gen’ AI in 2026
Lloyds Banking Group aims to generate more than £100 million of value from artificial‑intelligence initiatives by 2026, doubling the £50 million realised in 2025. The bank is moving from generative AI projects to "agentic" AI, deploying autonomous agents that can act on...
ADX Kicks Off 2026 with Region’s First Luxury-Focused ETF Listing
The Abu Dhabi Securities Exchange (ADX) launched the region’s first luxury‑focused exchange‑traded fund, the Boreas S&P Absolute Luxury UCITS ETF, marking the first financial listing of 2026. The fund tracks the S&P Europe Luxury 35/20 Capped Index and provides exposure...
ClearBank and Volt Partner to Bring Open Banking Closer to ‘Card Parity’
ClearBank has teamed up with real‑time payments platform Volt to launch GBP and EUR merchant accounts powered by ClearBank’s cloud‑native infrastructure. The new accounts provide virtual IBANs, named accounts and full lifecycle features such as automated reconciliation, fund attribution and...
Open Banking Faces Imminent Decision on Its Next Chapter
Smart Data Group (SDG) is urging the UK’s open‑banking ecosystem to adopt an independent, industry‑led “Future Entity” as the FCA reviews its long‑term regulatory framework. The proposal separates design and mobilisation from governance, promising a lean structure that can deliver...
GCC Tokenisation Market Set to Hit $500bn by 2030
A Kearney‑Ctrl Alt report projects GCC real‑world asset tokenisation to unlock nearly $500 billion by 2030, as the global on‑chain RWA market surges from $1.1 billion in 2023 to $20 billion by early 2026. The study highlights rapid movement from pilots to regulated...
PayPoint’s Merchant Rentals Taps EIT to Expand Payment Terminal Options
Merchant Rentals, a PayPoint Group subsidiary, has signed a strategic partnership with European Information Technology (EIT) to broaden its payment‑terminal portfolio. The collaboration adds vendor‑agnostic devices from Castles, PAX and Verifone to Merchant Rentals’ financing catalogue, giving merchants greater choice....
Allica Bank Slashes Commercial Mortgage and Bridging Rates to Take on High Street Banks
Allica Bank, a challenger lender for established UK businesses, announced up to a 1.3 per cent cut to its commercial mortgage and bridging rates to rival high‑street banks. The reduction is part of a broader product simplification that also lowers prices...
Transforming Justice: The Digital Revolution in Abu Dhabi
The Abu Dhabi Global Market (ADGM) Courts have completed a full digital overhaul, moving to paperless e‑filing, AI‑assisted case routing, and virtual hearings. Linda Fitz‑Alan, CEO and Registrar, explained how the new platform cuts processing times by up to 40%...
Mastercard Roundtable: Stablecoins Graduate From Crypto Curiosity to Bank-Grade Infrastructure
At a Mastercard‑hosted roundtable in Dubai, senior executives from banks, fintechs and regulators declared that stablecoins have moved beyond speculative hype to become a regulated, bank‑grade payment infrastructure. The discussion highlighted Circle’s USDC pilot with Mastercard to settle acquirer transactions...
Zepz Acquires Pomelo to Push Beyond Remittances Into Credit Cards
Zepz, the parent of WorldRemit and Sendwave, has completed the acquisition of Pomelo, a fintech that offers a credit‑card‑linked remittance product. The deal enables Zepz to move beyond pure cross‑border payments into credit, lending and broader financial‑services offerings. Pomelo’s platform...
ClearScore Acquires Acre Platforms to Accelerate Mortgage Expansion
ClearScore Group has bought Acre Platforms Ltd, the UK’s fastest‑growing mortgage intermediary platform. The deal will integrate Acre’s data‑driven CRM and broker‑routing technology with ClearScore’s 16 million‑strong user base, creating a seamless pipeline for mortgage applications. This follows ClearScore’s earlier purchase...