News

Botim Launches MENA’s First-Ever “Send Now, Pay Later” Service

The new feature offered via the Botim Ultra App allows users to make instant transfers internationally while deferring payments.

Published

2 years ago

September 20, 2024

Nour Nasir

botim launches mena's first ever send now pay later service

Abu Dhabi-based tech group Astra Tech has launched a first-of-its-kind “Send Now, Pay Later” (SNPL) service in the UAE via its Botim Ultra App. The new feature lets users instantly send funds internationally while deferring payments, making Botim the first fintech provider in the MENA region to offer this kind of solution.

Astra Tech’s fintech ecosystem has seen a huge increase in transaction volumes quarter-on-quarter, and the new SNPL feature follows the success of the company’s expanded remittance services in 2023.

botim snpl service

Expatriates form a significant portion of the UAE’s workforce. SNPL offers these residents, in particular, enhanced financial flexibility to send money overseas and pay later in manageable installments. In the first five months of 2023 alone, Dh6.74 trillion was processed by Botim in remittances from the UAE, highlighting the importance of the service.

Abdallah Abu Sheikh, Founder of Astra Tech and CEO of Botim, commented: “The launch of ‘Send Now, Pay Later’ marks a pivotal moment for Botim and Astra Tech. By leveraging advanced credit infrastructure, we’re offering users a faster, more accessible way to send remittances. This service gives millions of users the flexibility to manage their financial obligations more effectively while continuing to support their families abroad.”

Also Read: A Guide To Digital Payment Methods In The Middle East

The launch of Botim Ultra’s SNPL service aligns with Astra Tech’s mission to expand financial inclusion across the MENA region. The fintech startup has already acquired a Finance Company License through Quantix, a financial service provider licensed by the Central Bank of the UAE. Quantix provides various credit solutions, including SNPL and Buy Now, Pay Later (BNPL).

Ahead of the official rollout of SNPL services, Botim will open pre-registration to its more than 9 million users, allowing early adopters to benefit from instant remittance transfers with flexible payment terms.

News

Instagram Redraws Its Wordmark And The Internet Reads “Instagzam”

Instagram’s first wordmark refresh in a decade arrives with new fonts, a restrained gradient — and a Reddit verdict of sidegrade.

Published

4 days ago

August 14, 2026

Nour Nasir

Instagram

Although Instagram’s famous camera icon hasn’t changed, the company has refreshed the handwritten wordmark at the top of its app. This is the first redesign we’ve seen in ten years, and one the internet promptly set about renaming.

“The wordmark at the top of the app hasn’t changed in 10 years, so it was time for a refresh,” Instagram head Adam Mosseri wrote in a post on August 13, describing the new version as “cleaner and more modern” while keeping references to the original design.

Instagram says its team explored hundreds of options — all-caps lettering, camera-inspired concepts, even literal handwriting — before returning to script. “Script reflects individuality, so referencing that felt right,” Instagram director of product design Jasmine Probst said in Meta’s announcement. “The new wordmark is bolder and simpler, with touches of unexpectedness. It cues individual expression, a personal voice, both of which have always been core to Instagram”.

The wordmark is part of a broader brand overhaul: an updated Instagram Sans typeface, two new fonts — the hand-drawn Instagram Pen and Instagram Mono — plus refreshed motion and layouts, and more restrained use of the signature gradient. The wordmark is rolling out globally now, with the rest arriving throughout 2026 and beyond.

Also Read: Spotify Will Now Tell You If Your Favorite Artist Isn’t Real

The design mixes cursive and print lettering, some characters connected and others floating free. That hybrid approach, combined with unusually shaped “s” and “r” characters, led some users to conclude the logo actually reads “Instagzam”. On the r/logodesign subreddit, one user said the wordmark looked “fan-made,” like something built in Canva; another called it “an unsettling mix of manuscript and cursive”; a third summarized it as a “sidegrade” — or, inevitably, a “zidegrade”.

Not everyone was hostile to the new look. Some found the half-cursive design stylish and surprisingly readable, while others called it an improvement on its predecessor, and one commenter argued Instagram was simply adopting minimalist branding later than everyone else. Either way, the platform now has a refreshed identity, three updated fonts, and an unofficial new pronunciation.