News

Gen Z Spearheading Payment Innovation In The Middle East

According to new data, Gen Z’s adoption of new payment technology is driving widespread growth across the MENA region.

Published

3 years ago

February 24, 2023

gen z spearheading payment innovation in the middle east

As Gen Z begins to make its presence felt in economies worldwide, the technological proficiency of the demographic is driving innovation in the digital space. In the Middle East — and the UAE especially — research shows a sharp drop in cash purchases as digital payments and their associated technology become commonplace.

According to data from Amazon Payment Services, a digital payment revolution is taking place in the UAE, with contactless and app-based transactions rising at a compound annual growth rate of 18.3% between 2021 to 2023.

“About 61% of Gen Z in the UAE have digital wallets, which indicates that they are adopting new ways of payments and technology. On the other hand, millennials have access to disposable income. Many of them are entrepreneurs and are not only users of digital payments from a consumer perspective but also a business perspective. This combination is the unbeatable match in the region,” says Peter George, Managing Director of Amazon Payment Services.

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According to George, travel, hospitality, and airlines have seen the most significant changes in payment preferences. By 2023, however, the UAE, Saudi Arabia, and Egypt’s digital payment sectors are expected to double in size across the board. High rates of internet use, a fintech boom, and a comparatively young population are driving the digital payment sector, eventually leading to a trickle-down effect allowing small businesses to flourish.

News

YouTube Rolls Out Supervised Children’s Accounts Across MENA

An industry-first feed timer lets parents cap Shorts scrolling. Access can also be switched off entirely ahead of exam season.

Published

12 hours ago

July 10, 2026

Dana Saadeh

YouTube

YouTube has launched supervised kid accounts across the Middle East and North Africa, giving parents a way to hand their children the main YouTube app without handing over all of it. Announced in Dubai on July 2, the accounts are built directly into the platform rather than the standalone YouTube Kids app, and are aimed at families who feel a child has outgrown the curated library but isn’t ready for the open feed.

Parents can choose from three content settings, each broadly aligned with international content ratings. Explore covers educational videos, tutorials, arts and crafts, and dance. Explore More adds gaming and live streams. Most of YouTube opens up almost everything except videos rated 18+ or deemed inappropriate for supervised accounts.

The standout tool is an industry-first Shorts feed timer, which lets parents set daily limits on short-form scrolling. Set it to zero and Shorts disappears altogether – a lever YouTube suggests parents might pull ahead of exam season. Other protections are on by default for all users under 18: “Take a Break” and “Bedtime” reminders, no personalized ad targeting, autoplay switched off, and no ability to upload videos or write comments. The accounts are optional, and parents can end supervision at any time.

The kid accounts join supervised teen accounts already available across the region, which notify parents by email when a teenager uploads a video or starts a live stream.

“YouTube has been a huge part of families’ lives across this region for over 20 years,” said Javid Aslanov, head of YouTube Middle East and North Africa, citing Kantar research showing 95% of viewers in Saudi Arabia and the UAE agree YouTube has top content in education and learning.

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“It’s essential that we protect young people in – not from – the digital world,” added Garth Graham, YouTube’s head of health.

The new settings are rolling out gradually across the MENA, including the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, Oman, Kuwait, Qatar, Bahrain, Jordan, Lebanon, Egypt, Tunisia, Algeria, and Iraq. The latest features can be set up through Family Center in the YouTube app or via Google Family Link.