On the final day of Make it in the Emirates 2025, Emirates Development Bank (EDB) has launched EDB 360, a groundbreaking, fee-free digital banking platform built to supercharge the ambitions of the nation’s entrepreneurs and micro, small, and medium enterprises (mSMEs).

Designed for growth from day one, EDB 360 breaks down the traditional barriers of business banking. With no fees, no minimum balance, and no red tape, it gives entrepreneurs what they need most: speed, simplicity, and full control. Through smart integration with key government entities, EDB 360 allows users to open an account in minutes – not days – freeing founders to focus on scaling their ideas instead of navigating paperwork.

H. E. Ahmed Mohamed Al Naqbi, CEO of EDB, said: “At EDB, our mission goes far beyond finance. We help businesses grow, because when they grow, the UAE grows. With EDB 360, we’ve created a zero-bureaucracy, high-impact platform that gives entrepreneurs the flexibility, tools, and tailored support they need to build the businesses of tomorrow. By removing friction and expanding access to capital and advice, we’re helping turn bold ideas into real economic impact.”

Launched in collaboration with leading government and entrepreneurship bodies – including the Ministry of Economy, Ministry of Industry and Advanced Technology (MoIAT), Sharjah Entrepreneurship Center (Sheraa), Khalifa Fund, and the Department of Economy & Tourism (DET) — as well as strategic ecosystem partners such as Visa, NymCard, Klaim, eFunder, Thoughtworks, and Trade Capital Partners. 360 connects users with the wider financial and startup ecosystem to help them access new opportunities and scale with confidence.

From a single app, entrepreneurs can manage payroll, invoicing, and payments, monitor cash flow, and access a growing suite of value-added services — including smart integrations with fintech platforms and a dedicated EDB Concierge that offers real-time advice for setup and scale-up.

Entrepreneurs operating in EDB’s key sectors benefit from sector-specific guidance, tools, and financing options that accelerate growth while contributing to the UAE’s broader economic vision.  Now available on iOS and Android, EDB 360 is the UAE’s next step in building a smarter, stronger startup economy. 

Abu Dhabi’s secondary real estate market has kicked off 2025 on a strong note, posting a remarkable 53% year-on-year increase in transaction value, reaching AED 5.04 billion in Q1. This represents an increase from AED 3.3 billion in the same period last year and accounts for 11.4% of the total market, according to data from Metropolitan Capital Real Estate (MCRE), a leading full-service real estate agency based in the Capital.

This performance reflects a sharp rise in demand for ready-to-move-in, high-yield properties, driven by a mix of end-users and international investors seeking stability and attractive returns in the UAE market.

“The performance of Abu Dhabi’s secondary real estate market in the first quarter of 2025 is truly exceptional, demonstrating the underlying strength and increasing maturity of the emirate’s property sector,” said Evgeny Ratskevich, CEO of Metropolitan Capital Real Estate. “The significant growth in transaction value and volume underscores the high demand for ready properties and Abu Dhabi’s continued attractiveness for international investors, drawn by favourable returns and the emirate’s appealing lifestyle.”

MCRE has significantly outperformed the market, posting a 152% year-on-year increase in sales value and capturing a commanding 21% share of Abu Dhabi’s freehold residential secondary market. The company aims to increase this share to 25% by year-end. One of the most notable transactions of the quarter was the AED 83 million sale of a seven-bedroom villa deal on Saadiyat Island, featuring direct sea access. The deal was closed by Natalia Kushparenko, Luxury property specialist, underscores the rising demand for premium lifestyle communities in the Capital.

The residential secondary market alone saw sales values grow by 15%, rising to AED 2.74 billion in Q1 2025 from AED 2.38 billion in Q1 2024, with the number of transactions rising from 972 to 992.

One of the key trends driving this growth is the increasing preference for ready properties. Buyers prefer immediate occupancy or income-generating assets, contributing to the nearly twofold expansion of the secondary market since Q1 2024.

There has also been a surge in villa and townhouse sales with townhouses alone witnessing a remarkable 142% increase in value (AED 76.89 million in Q1 2025 vs. AED 31.71 million in Q1 2024), while villa sales also saw a healthy 15% rise in value (AED 1.47 billion in Q1 2025 vs. AED 1.27 billion in Q1 2024). In contrast, apartment sales value saw a more modest 7% increase (AED 899.33 million in Q1 2025 vs. AED 840.69 million in Q1 2024).

In terms of buyer demographics, UAE nationals led the market in Q1 2025, accounting for 21% of secondary transactions, followed by Russians (10%), UK nationals (9%) and Indians (8%).

Yas Island topped the list of most active areas, recording 266 transactions worth AED 755 million. It was followed by Al Reem Island (195 transactions, AED 275 million), Al Reef (127 transactions, AED 151 million) and Saadiyat Island (113 transactions, AED 909 million).

Looking ahead, MCRE expects the secondary market to maintain its momentum throughout the year, particularly in sought-after lifestyle destinations such as Saadiyat, Yas, and Al Reem Islands. International capital is also expected to continue flowing to the Capital amid rising global geopolitical and economic uncertainty, positioning Abu Dhabi as a haven of stability and growth.

Ripple recently announced two new customers in the UAE utilizing Ripple Payments. Ripple Payments employs blockchain, digital assets, and a global network of payout partners to deliver fast, transparent, reliable cross-border payments and on/off ramps for banks, crypto companies, and fintechs worldwide.

Since becoming the first blockchain-enabled payments provider to be licensed by the Dubai Financial Services Authority (DFSA), Ripple has established partnerships with Zand Bank and Mamo who will utilize Ripple’s blockchain-enabled cross-border payments solution. This functionality, paired with the new DFSA license, enables Ripple to manage payments end-to-end on behalf of its customers, moving funds across the globe 24/7/365, and settling payments in a matter of minutes – reducing time and friction, and making the movement of value in and out of the UAE dramatically more efficient.

“Securing our DFSA license enables Ripple to better serve the demand for solutions to the inefficiencies of traditional cross-border payments, such as high fees, long settlement times, and lack of transparency, in one of the world’s largest cross-border payments hubs. Our new partnerships with Zand Bank and Mamo are testament to the momentum that the license has created for our business,” said Reece Merrick, Managing Director, Middle East and Africa, at Ripple. “As the global cross-border payments market grows, the leadership demonstrated by authorities in the UAE to create a supportive environment for crypto innovation has positioned the nation and its native companies to benefit from the transformative power of blockchain technology to drive efficiency and innovation in payments.”

Ripple is seeing increasing demand for its payments solution across the Middle East from both crypto-native firms and traditional financial institutions. According to Ripple’s 2025 New Value Report, 64% of Middle East and Africa (MEA) finance leaders see faster payments and settlement times as the biggest impetus for incorporating blockchain-based currencies into their cross-border payments flows.

“As a pioneering financial institution with a full-fledged banking license, Zand Bank is paving the way for a stronger digital economy by offering innovative financial products as well as AI and blockchain solutions alongside our institutional-grade digital asset custodial services,”  commented Chirag Sampat, Head of Treasury and Markets at Zand Bank. “Our collaboration with Ripple highlights our commitment to empowering global payment solutions through blockchain technology. Moreover, we are excited to soon launch an AED-backed stablecoin, designed to further enhance seamless and efficient transactions in the rapidly evolving digital economy.”

“The UAE is on an incredible growth path, with over a million businesses expected to call it home by 2030. At Mamo, we’re proud to be at the forefront of this journey making global payments simpler and more accessible for everyone,” said Imad Gharazeddine, CEO and co-founder of Mamo. “Our partnership with Ripple is a big step forward. It allows us to offer faster, more reliable cross-border payments for both businesses and consumers, helping companies across the UAE scale with confidence.”

Ripple’s simple, secure, compliant digital asset infrastructure means it is well-positioned to provide the core services that financial institutions need to tokenize, store, exchange and move digital assets. Ripple Payments has near-global coverage with 90+ payout markets representing more than 90% coverage of the daily FX markets, processing more than $70 billion in volume. Ripple’s licensed payments solution is now available in Dubai, the U.S., Brazil, Mexico, Australia and Switzerland.