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Instagram Reels Has Arrived To The Middle East
Instagram’s long awaited short-form video-sharing feature, Instagram Reels, has finally started rolling out in the Middle East. During Instagram’s previous “House of Instagram” event, the company announced that Reels would be a brand-new way for content creators and businesses in the MENA region to create and discover short and entertaining videos. The announcement of Reels comes just days after Instagram released Instagram Music in the Middle East.
Reels allows users to take and edit multi-clip videos up to 30 seconds long, with the ability to add effects and other new tools dedicated to this feature. Once taken, users can share Reels with their followers (for private accounts) and potentially with the entire Instagram community (your account will need to be set to public).
If you have the latest version of Instagram installed on your smartphone, you should see the Reels icon in the bottom center of the app’s homepage.
“Self-expression and versatility are part of the creative DNA of the region’s Gen Z and millennial population. As one of the primary platforms for this group of creators, we have always sought to adapt our features to what they need. With Reels, they now have more leverage when it comes to creating and sharing short-form content. Reels provides our community with greater freedom and flexibility to innovate, experiment and elevate their content, and we cannot wait to discover a new generation of talent via the feature.” said Samer Jamal, strategic partner manager at Instagram MENA.
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Instagram isn’t the only company to explore this type of short-form content. Last September, YouTube announced a similar feature called “Shorts” which gives creators the ability to capture short and catchy videos straight from their smartphone.
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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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