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Saudi-Based Mozn Uses AI To Detect Money Laundering & Fraud
The company combats a wide range of financial crimes using pattern recognition and advanced algorithms.
Saudi Arabia’s Mozn, an AI platform founded by Dr. Mohammed Alhussein, uses advanced artificial intelligence algorithms to detect and prevent financial crimes and increase compliance.
The company’s advanced platform is known as FOCAL. It can sift through masses of financial data using pattern recognition and other advanced techniques to spot fraud and money laundering in real time.
Dr. Alhussein developed the FOCAL platform by studying anti-money-laundering and anti-terrorism legislation and compliance and quickly realized that traditional (often manual) checks and safeguards were too slow to act.
Mozn’s AI technology uses name-matching algorithms uniquely optimized for the Arabic language and reconciles its findings against 1,300 international and regional sanctions. Meanwhile, the system’s anti-fraud functionality detects suspicious patterns by confirming payee identities against the records of destination accounts — a process that is said to reduce investigation times by up to 95%.
Also Read: A Guide To Digital Payment Methods In The Middle East
Although the platform was launched in Saudi Arabia, CEO Dr. Mohammed Alhussein recently announced plans to expand into the UAE, noting that the company’s long-term goal would be to develop operations further across the GCC. “The UAE has been making significant strides in enhancing its AML compliance and combating financial fraud, and Mozn entering UAE market will help accelerate these efforts,” Alhussein stated in a press release. “We are excited to begin this next chapter in Mozn’s growth journey as we enter the broader GCC market through our UAE office”.
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Checkout.com Set To Launch Card Issuing In The UAE
The payment service provider’s expansion is a first-of-its-kind investment and could reshape digital transactions across the region.
Checkout.com is laying the groundwork to become the first global payments platform to introduce card issuing in the United Arab Emirates — a move that could reshape how businesses in the region manage financial transactions.
The company plans to roll out its domestic card issuance offering in the UAE by 2026, subject to regulatory approval. The launch would give businesses the tools to issue both physical and virtual branded cards. This, in turn, opens up new ways to reward customers, streamline expense processes, and handle B2B payouts efficiently.
Checkout.com’s CEO and Founder, Guillaume Pousaz, revealed the plans during Thrive Abu Dhabi, the firm’s debut conference in the Emirates. Joined on stage by Remo Giovanni Abbondandolo, General Manager for MENA, Pousaz presented to an audience of over 150 partners and merchants at Saadiyat Island. Also in attendance was H.E. Omar Sultan Al Olama, the UAE’s Minister of State for Artificial Intelligence, Digital Economy, and Remote Work Applications.
Abbondandolo highlighted the strategic importance of the announcement: “As a global business, we focus on bringing products to markets that our customers want and need. Today’s announcement is proof of our commitment to the MENA region and its rising influence in the digital economy. The appetite for innovation here is real, and we’re proud to be building the infrastructure that powers it”.
One early adopter of Checkout.com’s UAE acquiring services is Headout, a travel experiences marketplace, which recently named the payment provider as its main partner in Europe. The company has already begun card issuing there and is keen to expand that offering into MENA once approval is granted.
The expansion of services in the UAE and beyond builds on Checkout.com’s track record in the region. It was the first global payments firm to secure a Retail Payment Services license from the UAE’s Central Bank and was instrumental in rolling out Mada and Apple Pay in both the UAE and Saudi Arabia.
Also Read: Protecting Your WhatsApp Account From Hackers: Kaspersky Expert Tips
The firm has also been rolling out new products: One of the latest is Flow Remember Me, currently in beta testing. It allows shoppers to store their card information once and access it across Checkout.com’s entire network, potentially cutting checkout times by up to 70%.
Earlier this year, Checkout.com also introduced Visa Direct’s Push-to-Card solution in the UAE, enabling both domestic and international payouts. Its collaboration with Mastercard has grown as well, making it easier for businesses to send funds directly to third-party cards securely and quickly.
With regional tech ambitions on the rise — spurred by initiatives like Saudi Arabia’s Vision 2030 and the UAE’s 2031 Agenda — Checkout.com sees its role as one of a key enabler. “Our mission is to help ambitious businesses navigate the complexity of payments, so they can move faster, go further, and make the most of every opportunity,” said Abbondandolo. “In MENA, performance is personal. It’s local. It’s built on trust. And when payments perform, businesses thrive”.
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