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Paymob Gets Official Certification To Operate In Saudi Arabia
The fastest growing fintech in the MENA region has been issued with Saudi Arabian Payment Technical Services Provider certification.
Paymob, the MENA region’s leading fintech payment provider, has announced that it can now officially provide services in Saudi Arabia, after securing Payment Technical Services Provider (PTSP) certification.
The fintech startup opened an office in Riyad in April 2023, and being given the official go-ahead by the Saudi government represents a considerable milestone for Paymob and its regional expansion plans.
Since its foundation in 2015, Paymob has enabled over 200,000 small-to-medium businesses and e-commerce merchants across North Africa and the Middle East to accept payment via 40+ online and in-store methods.
The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia is home to over 1 million microbusinesses and small-to-medium enterprises and boasts a favorable growth rate of 12% per annum. As part of Saudi Arabia’s Vision 2030 strategy, the government plans to increase the contribution from small businesses to the country’s GDP from 20% to 35% while simultaneously boosting the amount of non-cash transactions to over 70% of the total consumer spend.
Saudi Arabia is also experiencing extremely rapid eCommerce growth, with year-on-year transaction volumes increasing by 65%. The country’s rapid digitization and favorable market conditions make it an excellent fit for digital payments enablers like Paymob, which has a proven history of providing highly-localized, cutting-edge solutions.
Also Read: A Guide To Digital Payment Methods In The Middle East
Islam Shawky, Co-founder and CEO of Paymob, was understandably enthusiastic about the recent certification: “Obtaining the PTSP certification in Saudi Arabia is a significant accomplishment for us. It reflects Paymob’s commitment to our KSA expansion plans while serving merchants and entrepreneurs across the Kingdom to support their growth with cutting-edge financial technology solutions. We are excited to contribute to the emerging fintech ecosystem in Saudi Arabia and to play our part in driving the Kingdom’s digital transformation outlined in Vision 2030”.
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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.
Also Read: IBM Opens New Doha Office To Support Qatar’s Digital Growth
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.