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Fintech

Open finance, AI agents and the price of being chosen

The UAE’s open finance payment volumes have nearly quadrupled in three months, with Lean doing almost all the running. Now add AI agents to the mix, and there’s the small matter of who wins the customer, who moves the money, and who gets to take a cut.

Jamie Lane

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Sep 28, 2026

erad raises $22M Series A led by MEVP as SME financing reaches $133M

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AÏZA parent Amaani raises $5M Series A led by BECO to expand beauty brand across the GCC

Sep 23, 2026

Huspy enters Italy with Integra Finance acquisition, plans $86M investment

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Open finance, AI agents and the price of being chosen

Sep 30, 2026

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🇦🇪 UAE

Sep 30, 2026

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12 min read

Open finance, AI agents and the price of being chosen

Sep 28, 2026

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2 min read

AÏZA parent Amaani raises $5M Series A led by BECO to expand beauty brand across the GCC

Sep 23, 2026

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2 min read

Huspy enters Italy with Integra Finance acquisition, plans $86M investment

🇸🇦 KSA

Sep 28, 2026

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erad raises $22M Series A led by MEVP as SME financing reaches $133M

Sep 25, 2026

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MASNA Ventures seeks $150M fund capacity as Saudi defence investor accelerates maritime push

Sep 16, 2026

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9 min read

Money 20/20 Field Notes: mega-rounds, growing faultlines, and the increasing importance of taste

🇪🇬 EGYPT

Sep 21, 2026

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Paymob raises $35M pre-Series C co-led by Mubadala and EBRD as GCC nears half of revenue

Sep 11, 2026

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Egypt-born Kareem Amin’s Clay raises $115M Series D at $7.1B valuation

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WEEKLY ROUND-UP

Paymob’s Gulf shift, Huspy doubles down on Europe

LATEST EPISODE

How to Raise a Seed Round in MENA

LATEST STORY

AÏZA parent Amaani raises $5M Series A led by BECO to expand beauty brand across the GCC

Open finance, AI agents and the price of being chosen

MOST POPULAR

erad raises $22M Series A led by MEVP as SME financing reaches $133M

AÏZA parent Amaani raises $5M Series A led by BECO to expand beauty brand across the GCC

Huspy enters Italy with Integra Finance acquisition, plans $86M investment

🔒 Premium content

Open finance, AI agents and the price of being chosen

Breaking America and the forward-deployed PT

Money 20/20 Field Notes: mega-rounds, growing faultlines, and the increasing importance of taste

Learn what matters in MENA startups and VC

Weekly Round-ups

Latest episodes

News

Interviews

🇦🇪 UAE

Open finance, AI agents and the price of being chosen

AÏZA parent Amaani raises $5M Series A led by BECO to expand beauty brand across the GCC

Huspy enters Italy with Integra Finance acquisition, plans $86M investment

🇸🇦 KSA

erad raises $22M Series A led by MEVP as SME financing reaches $133M

MASNA Ventures seeks $150M fund capacity as Saudi defence investor accelerates maritime push

Money 20/20 Field Notes: mega-rounds, growing faultlines, and the increasing importance of taste

🇪🇬 EGYPT

Paymob raises $35M pre-Series C co-led by Mubadala and EBRD as GCC nears half of revenue

Egypt-born Kareem Amin’s Clay raises $115M Series D at $7.1B valuation

Swvl secures $13M investment led by Sawiris-backed Coefficient as it targets US expansion

Learn what matters in
MENA startups and VC