Key trends include: 

• Collaborative Growth – The Rise of Payment and Lending Solutions: The region is witnessing a strong wave of collaborations aimed at enhancing digital payments and SME lending capabilities, including Riyadh Air’s partnership with noon Payments, Network International’s partnership with Orabank, and Lendo’s alliance with J.P. Morgan. The overarching trend is integration of fintech solutions into diverse industries—from travel to e-commerce, businesses are leveraging fintech to offer real-time payment experiences and to close SME financing gaps. For businesses, offering integrated payment solutions and expanding access to capital means enhanced customer experiences and competitive differentiation in a crowded market.
• Financial Ecosystem Expansion – From Installment Payments to Wealth Management: MENA’s fintech ecosystem is expanding both horizontally and vertically. Jumia Egypt’s partnership with Forsa to offer flexible installment payments, and Tabby’s acquisition of Tweeq to integrate Saudi mobile wallet services into its ecosystem, highlight the region’s focus on providing more diversified financial services to the masses. This expansion into BNPL services and mobile wallet integration is empowering consumers with more flexible options, while at the same time, increasing digital access to financial services.
• Digital Banking Innovation – A Booming Opportunity: The digital banking space in MENA is on a meteoric rise, exemplified by Vision Bank’s launch as the 3rd licensed digital bank in Saudi Arabia, alongside other moves by CFI Financial expanding into Abu Dhabi and Fido securing Series B funding for African expansion. These developments are indicative of a growing appetite for digital-first financial services across MENA, with local players building innovative infrastructures that are more inclusive, faster, and fully digital.