Author: Emirates Insight

Nasdaq Dubai has welcomed the listing of USD 500 million Trust Certificates (Sukuk) issued by ICDPS Sukuk Limited, guaranteed by The Islamic Corporation for the Development of the Private Sector (ICD), a multilateral financial institution and member of the Islamic Development Bank (IsDB) Group. Rated A2 (Stable) by Moody’s, A (Stable) by S&P, and A+ (Stable) by Fitch, ICD priced the benchmark five-year Reg S senior unsecured Sukuk at 65 basis points over U.S. Treasuries, with a profit rate of 4.391%, paid semi-annually. The transaction attracted strong investor demand, with order books exceeding USD 2 billion (excluding joint lead manager…

Kraken’s IPO filing arrives days after its co-CEO said the company was not rushing. Kraken has confidentially filed a Form S-1 with the US Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) for a proposed initial public offering (IPO). The filing places the Wyoming-based crypto exchange in the SEC’s review process at a time when the regulator has only recently returned to full operations following a 43-day government shutdown. Confidential IPO Filing Despite being its first formal step toward going public, Kraken has yet to comment on the filing, either on its social channels or through a press release. It had previously…

New Zealand startup Kiki Club’s move from Sydney to New York generated just $76,000 in revenue over two years, but has cost them three times that figure in fines for operating illegally there. Kiki Club paid US$152,000 (A$224k) to settle charges by the Mayor’s Office of Special Enforcement (OSE) that it violated New York City’s short-term rental laws. The penalty amounts to three times the fees Kiki collected for short-term rentals (STRs) on its platform. The startup agreed to the settlement without admitting or denying the findings of an OSE investigation. OSE concluded that Kiki advertised and facilitated STRs between…

Drone delivery will play a vital role in shaping the Middle East’s sustainable urban development, according to Dr. Yinian Mao, Vice President of Meituan and President of Keeta Drone, speaking at Dubai Airshow 2025. In his keynote speech titled “From Policy to Progress – Building the Skyways for Urban Logistics,” Dr. Mao described Dubai as a “singularity” in the global low-altitude economy, driven by progressive policies and technological innovation. Keeta Drone secured Dubai’s first Beyond Visual Line of Sight (BVLOS) commercial drone delivery licence in late 2024 and has since launched multiple delivery routes around the Dubai Silicon Oasis district.…

LG Electronics unveils an exclusive first preview of LG Channels, its free, built-in streaming service, at a special two-day showcase at Global Village on November 15 and 16. The event marks the first public activation of LG Channels ahead of its official UAE launch on end of November. Designed as an immersive consumer experience, the showcase allows visitors to explore LG Channels’ world of free, premium entertainment, offering access to several live and on-demand channels without subscriptions, cables, or sign-ins. LG Channels also highlights new regional partnerships: WATCH IT onboards the Egyptian VOD, eight FAST channels, offering a rich mix of Egyptian…

Dubai International (DXB) achieved the highest quarterly traffic in its 65-year history in Q3 2025, welcoming 24.2 million guests between July and September – a 1.9% increase year-on-year. The strong third-quarter performance lifted total traffic for the first nine months to 70.1 million guests, representing a 2.1% increase over the same period last year. The airport’s twelve-month rolling traffic at the end of September reached a record 93.8 million guests. Aircraft movements also remained robust, with 115,000 total flights recorded in the third quarter. Between January and September, DXB handled 336,000 flights across all categories, up 2.7% year on year.…

Dubai aims to nearly triple the number of residents actively engaged in sports to 2.6m by 2033 under a wide-ranging new strategy launched by Sheikh Mansoor bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Chairman of the Dubai Sports Council (DSC). The Dubai Sports Sector Strategic Plan 2033 sets out a long-term vision to establish the emirate as one of the world’s leading sports destinations, anchored by community participation, major events and talent development. The Plan, overseen by the Dubai Sports Council, is built around four central pillars: Community Events Clubs Talent Sport in Dubai It includes 19 programmes and 75 initiatives…

The bond lets companies borrow against Bitcoin held by a private custodian, unlocking capital without selling crypto or triggering taxes. The state of New Hampshire has approved the first municipal debt instrument in the United States to be backed by Bitcoin (BTC). Industry observers believe the move could open the door for digital assets to enter the global debt market, which is valued at about $140 trillion. $100M Bitcoin-Backed Financing According to journalist Eleanor Terret, the state’s Business Finance Authority (BFA) greenlighted a $100 million BTC-secured bond on Monday. The initiative allows companies to borrow money using over-collateralized BTC…

When Anthony Sardain began developing Cavela in 2023, an AI startup that helps brands automate supplier sourcing, he did not foresee that new tariffs would drive customers to become increasingly wary of manufacturing products in China. “You don’t just walk into Vietnam and build up a supply chain,” Sardain told TechCrunch. “A lot of brands find one supplier, and they hang on for the rest of their life, because they really don’t want to lose it.” That’s especially true for small and midsize companies that lack dedicated, global sourcing departments. Sardain claims that Cavela solves this problem through its AI…

In a bold step that reinforces the UAE’s position at the forefront of global sports innovation, Precision Football, the country’s leading elite technical training academy, has expanded its groundbreaking AI-Driven Professional Diploma in Sports Management and Analysis, welcoming world-class experts and international partners to further elevate the region’s most future-focused sports education programme. Launched under the patronage of the Ministry of Sports, in collaboration with the UAE Sports Science and Sports Medicine Center, and accredited by EduQual (UK), the diploma is the first of its kind in the region, blending advanced data analytics, sports science, and AI technology with hands-on…