Fintech captured 46% of GCC venture capital in Q1 and led sectoral funding for four straight months. Saudi open-banking licences and Tabby's Series E have made the category structurally stronger.
Startups headquartered in the UAE raised $625.8 million across 46 deals in the first quarter, locking in two-thirds of MENA venture capital. Fintech took the largest slice.
Payxem is building invoicing and payment infrastructure for emerging market freelancers, the digital workforce big platforms still treat as an afterthought.
UAE banks are deploying AI faster than most regional and global peers. The story is not in the marketing — it is in fraud, credit, and customer ops.
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