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First Paperless Direct Debit Marketplace Launches In UAE
The UAE-based FinTech company, Direct Debit System, has launched an all-in-one platform called Direct Debit Marketplace to help users make recurring payments.
Direct Debit System’s new platform will charge merchants a fixed fee for credit card & current account transactions, significantly reducing operating costs. The platform provides consumers and merchants with a simple all-in-one method for setting up and receiving recurring payments, such as school fees, rent, utility bills, and general subscription-based services, such as gym memberships.
One of the headline features of the service is that it will not affect merchant relationships with banking providers. In addition, the platform’s transactions are integrated with (and regulated by) the UAE Central Bank.
“We are delighted to see the launch of Direct Debit, another success story from our Innovation Accelerator program, where we nurture promising startups that innovate and use technology to disrupt industries. Direct Debit is a perfect example, providing merchants and payers in the UAE with a marketplace where they can transact recurring payments efficiently at low cost,” says Fatima Al Naqbi, Chief Innovation Officer, Ministry of Finance and MBRIF representative.
Writing cheques for rent or school fees is still common in the UAE, so Direct Debit Marketplace hopes its app will provide a safer, more convenient, and centralized alternative. UAE-based merchants using the platform can easily integrate with their accounting software or use the built-in dashboard. Direct Debit Marketplace is integrated with UAEPASS, the UAE’s secure digital identity scheme, which makes the entire process paperless.
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“Data security is very important for us, and the system is hosted in Dubai’s Data Center, known as Dubai Pulse. This makes us DESC (Dubai Electronic Security Center) compliant, with data positioned safely behind government firewalls and systems, which are the best in the world. Direct Debit Marketplace is a Decretal System of the UAE, which means the system is accepted by the national courts. With recent changes to laws related to cheques, both paper-based redundant cheques and new paperless digital direct debits carry equal weight when it comes to the law,” says Ummair Butt, Founder, and CEO of Direct Debit System.
The new service is supported by the National Bank of Fujairah (NBF), and it’s hoped that the platform will be fully operational before the end of 2022. Direct Debit Marketplace is already seeing huge interest from merchants and promises to drastically cut the time spent organizing recurring payments.
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UAE Prepares To Launch Two Satellites: Thuraya-2 And MBZ-SAT
HH Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum chaired the first meeting of the Supreme Space Council yesterday.
HH Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Crown Prince of Dubai and Deputy Prime Minister of the UAE, chaired the first meeting of the Supreme Space Council in Dubai on December 16, 2024. The session highlighted the UAE’s ambitious space plans and took stock of the sector’s economic progress.
The council emphasized the growing role of private companies in advancing space technologies, noting that their contributions are now equal to that of the public sector. Members also praised initiatives like the Space Economic Zones Programme, which are designed to fuel innovation and investment in the space industry.
خلال ترؤسنا الاجتماع الأول للمجلس الأعلى للفضاء، بحثنا الاستثمارات الوطنية والمشاريع المقبلة في قطاع الفضاء والذي يشهد تطوراً مستمراً… وجددنا التزامنا بدعم ومواصلة تنفيذ برامج طموحة لاستكشاف الفضاء الخارجي حيث وصل حجم الاستثمارات في هذا القطاع إلى 40 مليار درهم خلال السنوات… pic.twitter.com/etJ33OnuSu
— Hamdan bin Mohammed (@HamdanMohammed) December 16, 2024
Discussing the UAE’s space journey, HH Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum remarked, “The national space sector continues to grow and advance, and we take immense pride in the remarkable achievements we have accomplished over the years”.
Sheikh Hamdan also received updates on two upcoming satellite projects: Thuraya-2 and MBZ-SAT. Thuraya-2, developed by Space42, is slated for launch this December. Meanwhile, the MBZ-SAT, created by the Mohammed Bin Rashid Space Centre (MBRSC), will soon follow. MBRSC, a major driver of the UAE National Space Programme, continues to lead the nation’s space-related developments.
Space42 took the opportunity to showcase its advancements, including ongoing collaborations between public and private entities. The company also outlined strategies to promote innovation, boost revenue streams, and create new opportunities for growth in the sector.
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The UAE’s current projects build on a growing legacy of space exploration. Back in 2020, the nation made headlines with its Mars mission, successfully sending a probe into the planet’s orbit in 2021. This mission, which is now in its second phase as of June 2024, has been collecting critical data to develop a comprehensive diurnal image of Mars.
The UAE also ventured into lunar exploration with an unmanned mission aimed at studying untouched regions of the Moon’s surface. While the probe ultimately crashed during its landing attempt after communication was lost seconds before touchdown, the effort represented a significant step in the country’s exploration ambitions.