News

MENA Online Electronics Sales Grew By 7% In 2023

Despite inflation and rising prices, the Admitad affiliate network says growth aligns perfectly with the global rate.

Published

2 years ago

October 31, 2023

mena online electronics sales grew by 7% in 2023

According to newly released data from the Admitad affiliate network, MENA shoppers made 7% more orders in 2023 and spent 5% more while doing so. The reported rates perfectly align with the pace of global growth, according to Admitad’s analytics.

As part of the study, the company examined over 9 million online orders across 360+ brands. 600,000 MENA online orders were included in those figures, along with 144 local brands and local branches of global companies such as Canon, Dyson, Huawei, Alibaba, and more.

When it comes to online electronic purchases, the MENA cities with the highest share of orders in 2023 were Dubai, Tel Aviv, Riyadh, Abu Dhabi, Jeddah, Ramat Gan, Petaẖ Tiqwa, Istanbul, Sharjah and Kuwait City.

According to Admitad’s data, the main channels through which MENA brands and marketplaces attracted sales were: (by their share in the total number of sales)

Affiliate Stores: 23%
Content Platforms & Online Media: 21%
Groups & Blogs In Social Media: 4%
Contextual & Targeted Ads: 5%
Cashback Services: 2%
Coupon Sites: 4%
External Mobile Apps: 2%
Other: 3%

Sales through third-party mobile apps grew significantly in 2023, with purchases of electronics through those mediums doubling. Sales through affiliate stores jumped 62%, while MENA buyers also paid more attention to recommendations from content platforms and media this year, with sales through those channels rising by 12%.

Also Read: Tribit FlyBuds C1 Earbuds Review: The Ultimate Bang For Your Buck

Admitad experts remain optimistic about their forecast for the growth of online sales of electronics in 2023 and believe that the MENA market will continue to expand. Of key importance for the industry is the upcoming holiday sale season, with brands hoping to maximize profits during White Friday and Cyber Monday.

News

Dirham-Backed Stablecoin DDSC Enters Live Phase In UAE

Central Bank approval moves the dirham-backed token into deployment, targeting regulated payments and settlement flows.

Published

4 days ago

February 13, 2026

Nour Nasir

dirham-backed stablecoin ddsc enters live phase in uae

The UAE has cleared the launch of DDSC, a dirham-backed stablecoin now entering live operation after approval from the Central Bank. The move pushes the project beyond its pilot phase and into the country’s regulated financial system.

The token is backed by a consortium led by IHC, Sirius International Holding and First Abu Dhabi Bank (FAB), framing it as an institutional instrument rather than a consumer crypto product. DDSC was first announced in April 2025, but regulatory clearance now allows deployment and integration across approved channels.

DDSC runs on ADI Chain, a Layer 2 blockchain built by the Abu Dhabi-based ADI Foundation. The infrastructure is designed for governance and performance requirements expected by large institutions, linking blockchain settlement with existing compliance and oversight frameworks.

The focus is practical, targeting treasury settlements, high-value payments, trade and supply-chain transactions, and programmable financial flows for regulated entities. FAB plans to offer access to the token through approved platforms for its clients, keeping the rollout inside controlled banking environments.

“DDSC marks a defining milestone in the UAE’s digital finance journey,” said Syed Basar Shueb, CEO of IHC. “With the Central Bank’s approval and our transition into live operation, we are delivering trusted, institutional-grade infrastructure that strengthens resilience, accelerates innovation, and expands what is possible in regulated digital payments”.

Also Read: Basatne Debuts ORBT Platform For Digital Refunds In UAE

FAB says the project reflects how stablecoins can sit within traditional finance when risk controls are built in from the outset. “This milestone underscores that stablecoins can be integrated responsibly into the financial system when built to meet rigorous regulatory and risk requirements,” said Futoon Hamdan AlMazrouei, Group Head of Personal, Business, Wealth and Privileged Client Banking Group at FAB.

The launch reinforces the UAE’s strategy of pushing digital finance through regulation instead of open-ended crypto experimentation. Stablecoins in this model are positioned less as trading assets and more as programmable extensions of national currency, aimed at institutional scale and government use cases.