Author: Emirates Insight

Dubai Chambers has welcomed Louise Araneta-Marcos, First Lady of the Republic of the Philippines, to its headquarters, as both sides explored ways to strengthen bilateral ties and deepen cooperation between the the emirate and Philippine business communities. The visit comes as trade and investment ties between Dubai and the Philippines continue to expand. Non-oil bilateral trade reached AED3.1bn ($844m) in 2024. During the first nine months of 2025, a total of 653 Philippine companies joined Dubai Chamber of Commerce, bringing the total number of active members from the Philippines to 2,508 by the end of September last year. Dubai trade…

Dubai has launched a new initiative, ‘Sitr’, committing AED 10 million to support families struggling with rent. The move comes as rental costs continue to rise across the city. Want instant updates? Follow Lovin on WhatsApp, and never miss a beat! What’s Sitr and who’s behind it? ‘Sitr’ has been introduced by the Rental Disputes Center (RDC) in partnership with the Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum Charitable Establishment. The initiative backs the UAE’s Year of the Family 2026, helping families stay stable and communities stay strong across Dubai. The RDC works with key stakeholders to make sure support reaches those who…

Despite falling meme coin volumes in 2025, Solana revealed Pump.fun and launchpads generated massive revenue. Solana-based meme coin launchpad, Pump.fun, emerged as one of the ecosystem’s top revenue-generating applications. Pump.fun was listed among seven Solana apps that generated more than $100 million in revenue during the year, as meme coin issuance and speculative trading remained a major activity driver on the network. Pump.fun Stole the Spotlight According to the latest findings by Solana, alongside Pump.fun, five other launchpads each recorded over $1 billion in volume in 2025. They collectively contributed to launchpad revenues doubling year-over-year to $762 million. Pump.fun…

Alternative parcel delivery scaleup Sendle has halted operations just five months after it merged with two US delivery firms amid claims of financial irregularities. In a terse statement from the firm’s PR agency, the company said “Sendle has informed its customers that it is no longer taking any future bookings. We are not able to provide any further comment at this time.” The top of the company’s site says “As of January 11 2026, Sendle will be halting all bookings for parcel pickup and delivery.” In an email to customers, Sendle said: “I am sorry to let you know that, effective…

Figures published in the international trade bulletin for October 2025 by the General Authority for Statistics showed year-on-year growth of 8.4 per cent, an increase of more than SR14bn compared with SR169.8bn ($45.3bn) in October 2024. Merchandise exports accounted for 56.5 per cent of total trade, reaching SR103.9bn ($27.7bn), the highest level recorded in 2025. Imports stood at SR80.1bn ($21.4bn), representing 43.5 per cent of total trade. Data showed that the highest overall trade volume this year was recorded in July, when it exceeded SR185bn. Saudi Arabia recorded a trade surplus of SR23.9bn ($6.4bn) in October 2025, representing an annual…

Ever feel like you live in your car more than your apartment? You’re not alone. A Dubai-based content creator is asking companies to allow employees to WFH, instead of making them spend hours stuck on the road every day. “If someone spends 5-6h on commute daily, that’s almost 30h per week just on the road (100h+ a month),” Naomi D’Souza said. Want instant updates? Follow Lovin on WhatsApp, and never miss a beat! Work from home isn’t just a perk Some roles obviously can’t go remote. But most jobs can, especially in today’s digital world. Naomi is encouraging companies to start…

We’ve all lived this stress. You pay for parking, keep half an eye on the clock, and still feel that mini heart attack every time you unlock your phone… all to avoid that AED 150 fine. Well, one driver found out the hard way that timing really is everything. They were fined the exact minute their parking expired. No delay. No buffer. Want instant updates? Follow Lovin on WhatsApp, and never miss a beat! The reddit rant everyone related to The driver took to Reddit to vent, writing:“I got an RTA parking fine the EXACT minute it expired. How is that…

ZEC stands in one corner, while POL is in the other. Bitcoin’s weekend price stagnation continues as the asset has failed to make even a minor move out of the $90,000-$91,000 tight range. Most larger-cap alts have remained sluggish as well, with just a few impressive price gainers over the past 24 hours – XMR and RAIN. BTC Stalls at $90.5K Bitcoin entered 2026 after a controversial 2025 that actually ended in the red. It quickly started to regain value and surged past $90,000 on the second day of the new year. Even the geopolitical tension between the US…

Wio Bank has launched the first UAE bank account designed specifically for content creators and digital entrepreneurs, marking a strategic move to support the rapidly expanding creator economy with tailored financial tools. The launch took place during the fourth edition of the 1 Billion Followers Summit, the world’s largest gathering dedicated to the content creation economy, organised by the UAE Government Media Office under the theme Content for Good. Amina Taher, Chief Marketing Officer of Wio Bank, said that participating in the summit for the second consecutive year has contributed to enhancing her expertise through direct engagement with leading content…

In the season finale of Build Mode, Isabelle Johannessen sits down with Paul Irving, partner and COO of GTMfund, to discuss go-to-market strategies for the AI era. Paul shares specific, actionable advice on how early-stage startups can win even when facing well-funded competitors who iterate at lightning speed. He also explains why distribution has become the final remaining moat when technical advantages disappear in months instead of years, and why every company needs a unique go-to-market motion tailored to their specific ICP.  They also dive into the power of warm-introduction mapping and building authentic relationships with operators who can open doors. Irving highlights one of the best parts of the…