The Forrester report, which lists 42 vendors, provides financial institutions with an overview of notable vendors and the key market dynamics shaping the rapidly evolving financial crime management (FCM) market, including fraud and anti-money laundering (AML) solutions.

MOZN was listed in the report with a geographic focus on Europe, the Middle East, and Africa (EMEA) and the Asia-Pacific (APAC) regions, and an industry focus on financial services, government, and insurance. The recognition underscores the company’s sustained investment in AI-driven innovation and its focus on delivering scalable, future-ready financial crime solutions tailored to high-growth and complex regulatory markets.

At the center of this recognition is FOCAL, MOZN’s end-to-end financial crime management platform. Built on a unified FRAML (Fraud + AML) architecture, FOCAL leverages agentic AI to automate data integration, accelerate risk-scoring, and streamline alert triage, enhancing investigator productivity while preserving human judgment. The platform offers flexible deployment options, allowing organizations to modernize their operations in a way that aligns with their technical and regulatory needs.

“MOZN’s inclusion in Forrester’s report reflects the progress we have made in building technology that truly transforms how institutions combat financial crime,” said Dr. Mohammed Alhussein, Founder and CEO of MOZN. “As Saudi Arabia designates 2026 as the Year of Artificial Intelligence, it reinforces the Kingdom’s ambition to lead in shaping the future of AI globally. At MOZN, we are proud to contribute to this vision by engineering AI-native platforms that make financial crime prevention more proactive, precise, and effective. This milestone reflects both the momentum of our mission and the growing global relevance of technology built in the region.”

By combining deep regional expertise with global technology standards, MOZN continues to advance its purpose of empowering organizations with intelligence that matters. The company remains committed to delivering AI-native solutions purpose-built for the world’s most regulated and knowledge-intensive sectors, enabling institutions to operate with greater clarity, confidence, and control. As demand for advanced AI-driven capabilities accelerates worldwide, MOZN is expanding its global footprint, supporting organizations as they navigate an increasingly complex financial crime landscape.

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For decades, white-glove banking in the Middle East relied on personal trust. High-net-worth individuals (HNWIs) and family offices turned to relationship managers (RMs) for access, expertise, and discretion. However, today’s digital-first generation of clients is inheriting wealth, and they expect faster, more transparent, and more personalised service than traditional models can deliver.

Why are younger clients walking away?

Recent surveys show a dramatic shift. Capgemini reports that 81% of affluent heirs plan to change their wealth managers. The reason is not a lack of expertise, but dissatisfaction with slow, opaque, and disconnected experiences.

Traditional private banking often resembles a black box: clients see limited transparency, receive quarterly reports, and rely on infrequent meetings. In contrast, new generations want data, control, and insights at their fingertips. EY research confirms this gap, noting that only 7% of Gen Z trust bank advisers for financial guidance. Digital-first wealth platforms like Sarwa and StashAway are stepping in to meet these demands.

The human role in private banking

Despite this shift, the human element remains essential. Relationship managers still play a critical role in building trust and offering tailored advice. However, many spend most of their time on administrative tasks rather than client-facing work. McKinsey estimates up to 70% of RM time goes to back-office processes.

For banks, the solution lies in rethinking the role of advisers and empowering them with technology that eliminates inefficiencies while elevating client engagement.

Digital tools that elevate wealth management

Digitisation should enhance, not replace, personal service. Clients now expect customisable dashboards that reflect estate planning, performance analytics, or ESG-focused investments. Both advisers and clients benefit when these tools deliver real-time insights that support collaboration.

In addition, clients want flexible access to their advisers. EY notes that 85% still value personal advice, but they prefer it delivered on their terms—through secure chat, video calls, or collaborative digital platforms.

How AI empowers relationship managers

Technology can give RMs the edge they need. AI tools identify risks, recommend diversification, and flag liquidity needs. When embedded in RM workspaces, these insights keep advice timely and proactive.

Automation further reduces administrative work, allowing advisers to spend more time building meaningful client relationships. This shift restores the core value of wealth management: trust, loyalty, and personalised advice.

From products to financial journeys

Wealthy clients no longer want just products; they want holistic support. They expect advisers to guide them through succession planning, family governance, philanthropy, and alternative investments. Global disruptors like Robinhood proved how fast expectations can change, and regional players such as Baraka are echoing this trend.

Reinventing the white-glove model

Private banking is not obsolete, but it must adapt. Banks that reinvent white-glove banking for digital-first clients will combine AI-driven efficiency with human empathy. By empowering advisers, streamlining processes, and blending digital convenience with trust, banks can keep this premium model relevant.

In the end, successful institutions will prove that strong relationships, enhanced by smart technology, remain the most valuable currency in wealth management.

Check out our previous post on Sobha Realty Green Sukuk marks $750m milestone

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Lebanon’s financial system has faced extraordinary pressure in recent years. Yet within these challenges lies an unexpected opportunity: the rise of Lebanon fintech investment as a driver of inclusion and growth. Among the companies leading this shift is Whish Money, a digital-first platform serving more than 1.3 million users in 110 countries. In this exclusive Q&A, Toufic Koussa, Co-Founder and CEO, explains how Lebanon can position itself as a hub for fintech despite ongoing uncertainty.

Lebanon fintech investment appeal for global investors

Q: In Lebanon’s current economic climate, what factors can attract local and foreign fintech investment, and how is Whish Money positioned to benefit?

Toufic Koussa: Lebanon’s economy has created a surge in demand for secure, accessible, and compliant financial solutions. Investors now search for opportunities where technology fills urgent gaps. They want platforms that streamline payments, enable quick transfers, and promote financial literacy. Whish Money’s 1.3 million users across 110 countries show that fintech can scale locally and globally. Our commitment to trust and inclusivity makes us an attractive partner for Lebanon fintech investment.

Strategies sustaining Lebanon fintech investment growth

Q: What investment strategies and operational efficiencies have been key to sustaining Whish Money’s growth in an uncertain regulatory and economic environment?

Toufic Koussa: Growth in Lebanon could not depend on costly infrastructure. Instead, we focused on agility and smart resource allocation. Scalable digital rails and strong compliance frameworks gave us a solid base. We relied on strategic partnerships rather than trying to build everything in-house. This approach kept us flexible and efficient. At the same time, we co-created our roadmap with users. Services such as instant transfers and QR payments solved real problems. Each decision translated into adoption and sustainable growth—strengthening Lebanon’s fintech investment landscape.

Partnerships powering Lebanon’s fintech investment ecosystem

Q: How do partnerships with Visa, Mastercard, and TerraPay boost investor confidence and accelerate market expansion locally and abroad?

Toufic Koussa: Partnerships are central to our expansion. When Visa and Mastercard integrate with Whish, it confirms that our platform meets global standards. It also proves our ability to connect seamlessly with international ecosystems. TerraPay and Ria extend our reach to Lebanon’s diaspora, making remittances faster and safer. These alliances inspire confidence, increase scalability, and highlight Lebanon as an emerging fintech investment hub.

How Lebanon fintech investment empowers communities

Q: How can fintech—especially digital payments—drive economic empowerment in Lebanon, and what investment in infrastructure or regulation is needed to maximize this impact?

Toufic Koussa: Digital payments empower people and businesses alike. Workers who receive wages digitally enter the formal economy and gain access to vital protections. Merchants who accept QR payments reach more customers and reduce dependence on cash. Families who rely on remittances benefit from transparent and instant transfers that improve stability. To maximize these gains, Lebanon must invest in infrastructure and adopt forward-looking regulation. The Central Bank of Lebanon licenses Whish Money, but progress depends on broader collaboration. Regulators, telecom providers, and fintech innovators must work together to unlock the full promise of Lebanon fintech investment.

Lessons shaping Lebanon’s fintech investment future

Q: From serving over 1M users in 110+ countries, what lessons can you apply to Lebanon’s fintech scene, and how do you position the country as attractive for fintech investors?

Toufic Koussa: Our journey shows that agility and customer focus drive scale. We built a culture that listens to communities and responds with transparent solutions. This approach ensures innovation is tied to real needs, not abstract ideas. Internally, we promote continuous learning, which allows us to adapt to changing conditions.

For Lebanon to draw investors, it must embrace entrepreneurship, encourage collaboration, and support startups with impact-driven missions. Above all, the ecosystem should build trust and prioritize transparency. With these values in place, Lebanon can emerge as a hub where innovation and inclusion converge. That vision makes Lebanon fintech investment a story of resilience and opportunity.

Check out this previous post on British International School Riyadh Board Governance Excellence

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As decentralized finance gains global traction, DeFi Technologies’ compliance strategy is setting a new benchmark in digital asset management. By aligning its infrastructure with regulatory requirements and future-proofing through quantum security, the company is redefining how traditional investors access and trust the decentralized economy.

How Infrastructure Experience Drives DeFi Technologies Compliance Vision

Chase Ergen’s background in satellite and telecom shaped his outlook on digital finance. Having worked on cryptographic systems at Dish Network in his teens, he grew fascinated with decentralized architecture. Discovering Bitcoin in 2010, he was less intrigued by the asset than the protocol powering it: a transparent, distributed network with real-time data security.

“Blockchain, telecom, and quantum encryption all share the same foundation: secure information over distributed systems,” says Ergen. “We’re connecting that legacy with next-gen finance.”

His early exposure to encryption now influences DeFi Technologies’ investment in quantum-secure systems, a critical step as AI and quantum computing become central to fintech’s evolution.

Making DeFi Accessible — Without Compromising Compliance

As the first Nasdaq-listed digital asset manager of its kind, DeFi Technologies has built trust frameworks that rival traditional institutions. With third-party audits, financial disclosures, and partnerships with tier-1 custodians, the firm ensures compliance while offering exposure to high-liquidity, secure protocols like Ethereum and Solana.

Importantly, DeFi doesn’t operate in a silo. “We collaborate with protocol developers to better assess risks and governance,” Ergen explains. Their DeFi Alpha division also creates volatility-aware trading strategies, marrying performance with regulatory alignment.

Strategic Growth: From Bitcoin Mining to 1,000 ETPs

The team behind DeFi Technologies co-founded HIVE Blockchain, the first publicly listed Bitcoin miner. They also introduced XBT Tracker to Nasdaq Stockholm in 2015—well ahead of institutional crypto adoption. That experience now fuels their product strategy.

Through Valour, the company has launched over 65 exchange-traded products (ETPs) and aims to cross 100 by the end of 2025. By 2030, they plan to offer 1,000 globally, covering everything from tokenized assets to stablecoins and quantum-secure infrastructure.

“We’re not just issuing crypto products,” says Ergen. “We’re building rails for the next wave of financial infrastructure.”

A Diversified Revenue Model, Built for Sustainability

DeFi Technologies earns fees through assets under management (AUM), similar to traditional fund managers. ETPs offer liquid, regulated access to crypto markets, while internal divisions like Stillman Digital (institutional services) and Reflexivity (research) further enhance revenue and agility.

Unlike speculative token-based projects, their model focuses on infrastructure, compliance, and risk-mitigated growth—elements that attract both retail and institutional clients.

Scaling Globally, Region by Region

As DeFi scales, compliance by jurisdiction is vital. The company is publicly listed in North America, active in Europe, and recently expanded into the UAE, which it views as a global regulatory innovation hub. According to Ergen, “Dubai and Abu Dhabi are shaping the narrative for secure and compliant crypto adoption.”

This flexible, region-by-region approach allows DeFi Technologies to grow responsibly without stalling innovation.

Planning for a Quantum-Driven Future

DeFi Technologies’ roadmap is future-oriented—both in product and security. The company is closely aligned with BTQ Technologies, a quantum cybersecurity firm chaired by CEO Olivier Roussy Newton. As quantum threats rise, the need for next-gen security becomes urgent.

“We’re not waiting for threats to arrive,” says Ergen. “We’re protecting the financial infrastructure of tomorrow—today.”

Check this out, previous news: Blockchain Applications Beyond Cryptocurrency in GCC Finance

The post Why DeFi Technologies Is Betting on Quantum and Global Compliance appeared first on The Integrator.

SC Ventures fintech growth in the Middle East is gaining strong traction, with the firm ramping up its presence through regional partnerships, venture creation, and digital asset innovation. As the venture arm of Standard Chartered Bank, SC Ventures is driving transformation by combining entrepreneurial thinking with global banking scale.

At the 2025 Dubai FinTech Summit, we spoke with Mohamed Fairooz, SC Ventures Lead for the Middle East, to explore the company’s strategy, recent expansion, and why the region is central to its innovation agenda.

A Distinctive Innovation Engine SC Ventures

Q: Can you start by giving us an overview of SC Ventures and what sets it apart?
Mohamed Fairooz: SC Ventures is the innovation and venture arm of Standard Chartered. Although we’re backed by the bank, we operate independently with a dedicated team, mandate, and entrepreneurial mindset. Since 2018, our goal has been to go beyond traditional banking to create impactful solutions that solve emerging financial needs.

Key Areas of Focus when it comes to SC Ventures

Q: What areas does SC Ventures focus on when building or backing ventures?
Mohamed: We concentrate on four key themes: online economies and lifestyle, SMEs and trade, digital assets, and financial inclusion. Whether the ideas come from internal teams or external collaborators, we remain open to innovation from any source.

Building From Within — and With Others

Q: What’s your approach to venture creation versus investing in existing fintechs?
Mohamed: We do both. Some ventures we build from the ground up; others we support through investment or co-creation. Our approach always emphasizes solving real-world problems. Ultimately, we’re ecosystem participants — not just investors.

A Region on the Rise

Q: You’ve expanded significantly in the region. What does that growth look like?
Mohamed: In just 18 months, we’ve scaled from two to seven ventures across the region, created over 150 jobs, and launched our Digital Asset Fund in the UAE. It’s a signal of our long-term commitment and belief in the MEASA region’s potential.

The Allure of MEASA

Q: What makes the MEASA region such an attractive market right now?
Mohamed: The shift is clear — there’s more capital, stronger regulatory support, and exceptional talent emerging locally. These conditions make the region a compelling launchpad for innovative financial solutions.

Aligning with DIFC

Q: Tell us more about your partnership with DIFC. What does that involve?
Mohamed: At the Dubai FinTech Summit, we announced a strategic partnership with DIFC. SC Ventures is now their official venture-building partner. This isn’t just symbolic — we’re working hand-in-hand to strengthen the local fintech ecosystem.

The Power of Collaboration

Q: Any other strategic partnerships you’re excited about?
Mohamed: Yes, we’ve signed over eight major partnerships with regional banks, family offices, and ecosystem players. Each collaboration enables us to scale faster and deliver more tailored, impactful solutions.

Final Thoughts

From venture building to co-creation, SC Ventures is helping to redefine the fintech narrative in the Middle East. As more partnerships take shape and the region opens up to experimentation, one thing is clear — innovation here is just getting started.

For more news, check out Stride Ventures Doubles Down on Saudi Arabia

The post Venture Building and Fintech Growth: SC Ventures’ Mohamed Fairooz on Innovation in the Middle East appeared first on The Integrator.

Through this new functionality, merchants can generate a payment link or QR code with just a few taps, which customers can then use to complete their payment in seconds.

Collect Payments in Seconds, Not Days

With this solution, SME clients can:

• Log in to the Mashreq Biz app
• Tap ‘Pay’ → ‘Collect Money’
• Generate a secure link or QR code
• Share it with customers for instant payment

Most importantly, the payer does not need to enter bank details. Instead, payments are processed directly through Aani, the UAE’s instant payment platform.

“This is a game-changer for small businesses,” said Rajeev Chalisgaonkar, Head of Business Banking and NEO BIZ at Mashreq. “Our clients can now collect money in seconds, improving cashflow and offering their customers a simpler way to pay.”

Supporting a Seamless and Cashless Economy

This initiative doesn’t just benefit SMEs—it also supports the UAE’s broader vision for a cashless, digitally connected economy. According to Andrew McCormack, COO at Al Etihad Payments, this collaboration represents a key milestone.

“We’re proud to onboard Mashreq as an Aani provider,” said Andrew McCormack, COO at Al Etihad Payments. “This opens new possibilities for small merchants and supports nationwide financial inclusion.”

Consequently, SMEs gain access to real-time payment capabilities that were previously available only to larger enterprises.

A Feature Built for SME Agility

Not only does the solution reduce friction, but it also eliminates reliance on traditional account details. Additionally, it offers zero cost for both the merchant and customer, making it highly attractive for growing businesses.

Through Aani on Mashreq Biz, SMEs can accept payments from any enrolled Aani user in the UAE, giving them a broader reach and more flexibility.

“We’re focused on real-time payment solutions that fuel business growth,” said Kartik Taneja, Head of Payments & Consumer Lending at Mashreq. “With Aani, we’re delivering seamless, secure, and cost-effective options for SMEs.”

Aligned With the UAE’s Vision for Payments

Moreover, this launch directly supports the UAE National Payment Systems Strategy, which aims to enhance interoperability and digital access across the country’s financial infrastructure.

The solution isn’t just about speed—it’s about inclusivity, security, and empowering merchants to run their businesses with greater confidence.

Designed With the Future in Mind

By integrating Aani instant payments into Mashreq Biz, the bank is reinforcing its reputation as a progressive challenger bank, one that prioritizes innovation for its SME clients.

This move reflects Mashreq’s larger ambition: to offer banking that’s agile, intelligent, and designed to help customers rise every day, no matter their size or sector.

For More on digital payments, check this out: Digital Payments, Blockchain, and AI in Trading

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Q1: What is the strategy of etisalat by e& to drive growth in its transformation from a telco to a techco?

With the successful launch of the new brand identity of Etisalat Group to e&, the overall strategy is now anchored towards driving business growth through the creation of distinct business verticals. This was accompanied with the strength of etisalat by e&’s advanced and one of the world’s fastest mobile and fixed networks, best of class products and services, well-established digital channels, and our top commitment to provide the highest customer experience.

To thrive and sustain leadership as a service provider, the focus to transform from a telco to a techo was a critical imperative. While shifting towards a digital services provider, etisalat by e& remained committed to lead the telecom network evolution through rolling out advanced bundled network capabilities, addressing our various customer segments and their requirements with the continuous evolution of the network. This included 5G High Speed Services, 5G Private Networks, Multi-Cloud connectivity, security Services, SD-WAN, Fixed Services, and others. etisalat by e& is also investing and attracting new talents, leading the development of advanced technologies and new capabilities in the areas such as: Artificial Intelligence, cloud, cybersecurity, Robotics,  Metaverse, 5G, IoT, OTT and others. This will help establish and fulfil unique and effective E2E digital services across various business verticals Fintech, Health, Government, Education, and among others. Our continuous efforts and technology investments have helped retain leadership and maintain the highest speeds in our network including the rollout of 5G Standalone and the enablement of various 5G uses cases for both business and consumers. In fixed network infrastructure, the digital business product portfolio has expanded to include new features and capabilities across IoT and M2M products, SD-WAN, cyber security, business vertical solutions and end-to-end managed service. The consumer products were enhanced with the adoption of OTT services, integration on the retail front with Al Grocer, payment channels, and the loyalty point system.

Q2. What has been the impact of 5G on etisalat by e& services?

Since 2018 etisalat by e& was among the first operators to invest in wide 5G rollouts and adoption to establish the foundation for the network of tomorrow. Today due to these efforts and investments, 5G is now widely available in UAE, enabling our consumers to experience our mobile services on one of the fastest networks in the world.

etisalat by e& has been working closely with businesses to enable 5G capabilities to address various use cases, such as in the area of 5G private networks enabling organizations to build secure, high speed and fully managed private 5G networks, connecting their different entities, systems, equipment to their critical business applications. New features and use cases will enable network slicing, latency sensitive M2M (machine to machine) IoT (Internet of Things) through active developments and partnerships to ensure readiness and effective tangible benefits to UAE businesses.

Q3: Tell us about the focus of etisalat by e& on AR or VR (Metaverse) and future technologies?

Although the Metaverse technology is still at its early stages, we see a significant opportunity in the technology that will totally transform the user experience, how people and businesses can connect, communicate, and interact and improving the overall quality of life.

The infrastructure foundation is built to support future technologies like Augmented Reality (AR)/ Virtual Reality (VR) that require low latency, leveraging on our high-speed 5G and fixed network, comprehensive coverage, and multi-cloud infrastructure, including MEC.

We also work closely with Metaverse partners and technology providers to enable various use cases, such as digital twin for visualizing and visualizing a company’s infrastructure and physical presence. For example, providing customers with virtual live visualisations of their physical locations to enable effective new floor plan designs, changes, and problem solving without having to conduct costly visits and actual reworks. We have also implemented several use cases in the consumer and entertainment sectors which were launched and showcased at GITEX, the global technology exhibition held in Dubai this year.

Q4: What is your Cloud Strategy? 

Cloud is at the heart of etisalat by e&’s strategy through our extensive hybrid cloud adoption and by partnering with public hyperscalers, building, and evolving our private and edge clouds at the same time establishing a robust secured multi-could connectivity.

etisalat by e& is continuously fostering new innovative cloud capabilities, investing in developing and adopting cloud native platforms and applications, enabling higher efficiency and faster time to market of new enhanced services targeted to enhance the overall customer’s experience. By partnering with public cloud providers and technology partners etisalat by e& is leveraging on the offerings and innovation capabilities to benefit our business customers and enable their business growth.

The post etisalat by e& is Continuously Fostering New Innovative Cloud Capabilities, Investing in Developing and Adopting Cloud Native Platforms. appeared first on The Integrator.

Funding or access to capital has significantly hindered the growth of start-ups and micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs) in the UAE. Funding Possibilities is a sought-after platform for both seekers and providers of capital, providing access to various forms of capital beyond equity, including traditional debt, alternative and structured finance. It aims to make private markets more accessible and transparent.

It seeks to give retail investors access to start-ups and enable retail investors to contribute to the overall start-up ecosystem and new-age businesses.

Funding Possibilities is a sector and stage agnostic platform aiming to build more than ten profitable unicorns, i.e., Profi-Corns, in the coming decade.

The launch of Funding Possibilities comes barely three weeks after the launch of the Dubai Economic Agenda ‘D33’ by His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice-President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, that includes 100 transformative projects, with economic targets of Dh32 trillion over the next ten years, doubling its foreign trade to reach Dh25.6 trillion and adding 400 cities as key trading partners over the next decade. More than 400,000 SMEs operate. They represent more than 60 per cent of the UAE’s non-oil economy and provide employment opportunities for 86 per cent of the workforce in the private sector, the Khalifa Fund for Enterprise Development reports.

“Dubai will rank as one of the top four global financial centres with an increase in FDI to over Dh650 billion over the next decade and an annual Dh100 billion contribution from digital transformation. Over 300,000 global investors in Dubai today are helping build Dubai into the fastest growing global city,” HH Sheikh Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum said in a statement.

Dubai is home to more than 10,000 small and medium start-ups. Funding is crucial for the success of start-ups as well as MSMEs. Funding Possibilities would play a significant role in helping start-ups and new-age businesses to grow and become profitable unicorns, i.e. Profi-Corns in future. This will help these businesses play an essential role in realizing Dubai Government’s D33 Vision.

Sheetal Soni, CA, CFA Charter Holder and Founder of Funding Possibilities, says, “Increasing funding options is necessary for the UAE’s small businesses and start-ups. Funding Possibilities is set to fill a clear gap in the start-up and MSME space providing quality funding channels for them to grow and fuel the growth of the UAE economy.

“The launch of Funding Possibilities is well timed with the announcement of D33 – which will accelerate the growth of the economy of Dubai and the UAE in the next decade. It will bring investors closer to the start-ups for multi-stage funding and provide small businesses with the working capital requirement.”

Start-ups across the Middle East, Africa, Pakistan and Turkey raised $7.2 billion through 1,473 deals. Last year, despite macroeconomic and geopolitical uncertainty, according to a report by data platform Magnitt. With Funding Possibilities, this number will multiply to help thousands of start-ups in the early stage of incubation.

The Funding Possibilities comprise highly-qualified chartered accountants, certified public accountant professionals, tech geek, and serial business entrepreneurs.

Prateek Toshniwal, CA and Co-Founder of Funding Possibilities, says, “We will serve the business community with curated deals to suit their needs, ease informed investment through a four-dimensional due diligence process, provide ease of exits and need-based relevant information at the user’s palm.

“In a nutshell, we want to build a community of start-ups, investors, bankers, alternative finance providers, wealth managers, private equities, family offices, venture capitalists and all other private institutional players.

“We will create a knowledge and resource bank for start-ups, create an eco-system to find the right co-founders, help them in ease of capital raise through various sources of capital, handhold at various stages of their journey from incubation to profitable unicorns.”

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GITEX GLOBAL 2022 and its seven co-located events will take place from 10-14 October 2022, its largest ever edition featuring more than 4,000 exhibitors from 80 countries spanning 25 fully booked halls at the Dubai World Trade Centre.

The annual five-day event, organised by the Dubai World Trade Centre, covers three additional halls this year, opening up two million sq. ft of ground-breaking applications covering AI, cloud computing, big data, web 3.0, blockchain, cybersecurity, metaverse, fintech, 6G, and future mobility, under the ‘Enter the Next Digital Universe’ theme.

With the participation of more than 230 government entities leading strategic digital projects and public-private partnerships, 1,000 speakers across 14 conference verticals, and 800-plus start-ups seeking to become the next international Unicorn, GITEX GLOBAL 2022 will unite the world’s most influential ecosystems advancing business, economy, society and culture.

Seven co-located events including launches of Global DevSlam and X-VERSE
With a fully immersive deep dive into the digital universe, GITEX GLOBAL 2022’s returning co-located events include Ai Everything, North Star Dubai (formerly GITEX Future Stars), Fintech Surge, Future Blockchain Summit, and Marketing Mania.

Two new events will also launch this year: Global DevSlam, and X-VERSE.  Committed to creating a thriving home in the UAE for international coders and developers and advancing the digital economy, Global DevSlam aims to connect 6,000 coders alongside developers from the world’s biggest tech companies, including Anaconda, AWS, Google, Instagram, Microsoft, Oracle and Red Hat.

Meanwhile, X-VERSE is set to be the world’s largest curated web 3.0 immersive journey providing a first-hand look into the greatest shifts and the most potentially disruptive industry applications of the metaverse – a network of 3D virtual worlds.

With nearly 25 real-world metaverse case-studies and never-seen-before virtual experiences across manufacturing, gaming, education, healthcare, retail and the future of work, X-VERSE will enable global enterprises to understand and adopt this nascent technological development.

African start-ups share centre-stage at North Star Dubai

Launched as GITEX Future Stars in 2016, the newly named North Star Dubai in 2022 reflects the ongoing evolution of the global start-up ecosystem, and the important role start-ups play in advancing innovation and international business collaboration.

This year, the world’s largest start-up event reflects this trend by bringing together more than 800 exhibitors from 60 countries with over 600 investors in a thriving innovative entrepreneur ecosystem.

Along with a specially curated matchmaking programme, North Star Dubai will for the first time introduce ‘Africa Fast 100’, the largest ever gathering of African start-ups to be hosted outside Africa, connecting investors with Unicorn prospects from the world’s second largest continent.

North Star Dubai’s highly popular Supernova four-day start-up competition also returns, inviting the best local, regional, and international start-ups to showcase their disruptive ideas and compete for the ultimate prize of US$200,000.

As the host city, Dubai is one of the world’s most innovative and technologically advanced cities. GITEX GLOBAL is aligned with Dubai’s digital transformation strategy, based on cutting-edge applications in A.I., the metaverse, smart cities and attracting the best ICT talent and coders.

International footprint and power-packed conference programme

GITEX GLOBAL’s vast international footprint is underlined by the presence of 33 country pavilions, including new pavilions from Cyprus, Ethiopia, the European Union, Kuwait, Uganda, and Turkey.  The United States, France, Germany, the UK, India, Pakistan, Saudi Arabia, Morocco, Nigeria, and Brazil, are among those with increased presence to showcase their national technology prowess and leading innovations.

Inspirational insights and unparalleled knowledge sharing will also come to the fore, as 14 dedicated conference tracks deliver more than 500 hours of thought-provoking talks, case studies, industry trends, and workshops.

A stellar line-up of more than 1,000 government ministers, global technology leaders and experts will share their perspectives on major trends, from A.I., cloud computing, crypto, 6G, and the metaverse, to the new frontier of future mobility, from flying cars to electric aircraft.

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Elaborate on the significance of Adyen’s payment platform in a merchant store

When users attempt to make payments at a merchant store or e-commerce website, their data flows through different breakpoints, usually handled by several companies in the process. This model has been the default for over two decades and it is failing for many reasons. So, Adyen built an all-in-one payments solution to ward off any difficulties that either merchants or customers face.

For example, if a merchant sells flowers online, we provide them with the payment gateway, APIs, an anti-fraud solution, the processing solution, and more. This in itself is already a big step up for merchants because we are working end to end to optimize their business.

Could you elaborate on the competitive advantages of using Adyen solutions compared to other platforms in the market?

With end-to-end payments, data, and financial management, we provide customers with best-in-class solutions. Businesses will have lesser breakpoints when they choose to work with Adyen and they will get to know the customer behind each payment. In addition, we offer them efficient risk management to keep fraudsters out of their stores.

Our unique approach helps businesses solve many of their payment challenges. From there, we evolved into the financial technology platform of choice for the world’s leading companies. Adyen’s system is flexible for adjustments and the amount of control we give to the merchants is incredible. Similarly, if we make changes, it reflects everywhere across the platform.

Tell us about how well you could configure Adyen solutions to the existing applications and software the merchants use

Good question.

Global merchants have middleware in their payment structure that can connect to Adyen. Therefore, we can work with multiple applications and customers get to control the entire activity internally alongside hassle-free integration to their existing systems. We also have off-the-shelf integrations that merchants can decide to use, which saves a lot of implementation time. 

What are your stakes in hospitality and mobility solution verticals?

The good thing about the versatility of the Adyen platform is that it can cater to a wide variety of industries. Both of these industries have their specific needs and we use different features and products to help those businesses get better at accepting payments.

When it comes to serving mobility and micro-mobility businesses, we are helping them to keep their customer base accurate while making the sign-up process very smooth and also cutting down on fees, contracts, and partners.

In hospitality, we have a different scenario that includes prompt check-ins and check-outs of guests and payments at restaurants, spas, bars, etc.

Many businesses have very specific payment needs. If you take the example of unmanned gas stations, where users get to pay upfront and fill their vehicles after an approved transaction, it is completely different from what other industries require in terms of payment service.

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