News
LVL Wellbeing Receives $10 Million Investment To Scale Operations
The company will use the funds to develop new product features and incorporate Arabic language across the entire platform.

UAE-based startup LVL Wellbeing, a corporate wellbeing platform that aims to help individuals and corporate teams achieve a healthier work/life balance, has successfully closed a funding round led by MG Wellness Holding, a subsidiary of the Abu Dhabi-based Multiply Group.
The $10 million investment from MG Wellness Holding will enable the startup to incorporate HealthierU into its operations, which is already a subsidiary of Multiply Group.
HealthierU is a marketplace-style platform that connects users with wellness consultants worldwide, offering online 1-to-1 sessions. So far, the app’s ecosystem has yielded incredible results, notably a significant reduction in the risks associated with chronic diseases for many of its users.
CEO of LVL Wellbeing, Gary Blowers, is optimistic about the latest development: “This investment will enable us to continue to grow LVL Wellbeing into the market-leading workplace wellbeing platform [and deliver] a range of exciting new features”.
Referencing HealthierU, the CEO added: “The integration of HealthierU into the LVL Wellbeing ecosystem will enable us to combine forces to offer the most comprehensive preventative health and wellbeing services to our members and clients, starting with further growth in the UAE and then expanding our focus regionally, and then globally”.
The LVL Wellbeing app has a wide range of features, including on-demand video content and curated live sessions designed to support members on their journeys toward improved wellness. In addition, LVL Wellbeing’s corporate clients can access real-time data, enabling them to make informed decisions and understand the ROI of their investments.
Also Read: The Largest Data Breaches In The Middle East
As well as the online space, LVL Wellbeing’s service will soon be available directly in corporate settings, with flagship studios soon to be opened in the Standard Chartered Tower and Palm Jumeirah in Dubai, along with ProSeed in Abu Dhabi.
LVL Wellbeing’s latest investment round comes after a series of business wins, including a partnership that will see the company expanding in Dubai, Abu Dhabi, Riyadh, and Halifax, Canada.
News
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”.