News

Sarwa’s New Cash Accounts Boost Growth By 250% In 3 Months

Despite some financial institutions suffering during the economic downturn, Sarwa’s reliability and trustworthiness seem to be paying dividends.

Published

3 years ago

April 5, 2023

Nour Nasir

Sarwa

Sarwa, the personal finance and investment platform, recently launched a new high-yield cash account known as Sarwa Save. Despite the gloomy worldwide economic outlook of late, the new service has been a roaring success, with monthly deposits growing by 250% in just three months.

Sarwa users are increasingly prioritizing short-term savings with generous interest levels, as historically high inflation and aggressive Federal Reserve policies have led to challenging investment conditions.

“We are thrilled to see the rapid adoption of Sarwa Save, which reflects the growing demand for secure high-yield, low-risk products. Sarwa’s customers recognize the value in the offering and trust it with their hard-earned money. This trust has played a pivotal role in the impressive growth. Sarwa Save is a testament to the company’s commitment to providing innovative financial solutions and empowering clients to navigate the evolving economic landscape confidently,” says Shane Shin, Co-founder and Managing Partner, Shorooq Ventures.

Also Read: A Guide To Digital Payment Methods In The Middle East

In the UAE, most savings accounts offer low to zero interest, while Sarwa Save delivers a rate of 3% — nearly four times the average amount. As well as tempting short-term yields, the new accounts have no monthly or low-balance fees. When combined with hassle-free account setup, Sarwa’s platform makes for an appealing choice compared to traditional banks, especially as the startup offers a special, Sharia-compliant option known as Sarwa Save Halal.

Disclaimer: Sarwa Save is a product offered through Sarwa Digital Wealth (Capital) Limited that is regulated by the FSRA in the ADGM. This offering is not regulated by the DFSA. Sarwa is not a bank. We can unlock high-yield accounts through our banking partners.

News

Lebanon Ministers Meet Visa Over National Digital Payment Platform

Finance and technology ministers say a comparative study and roadmap will follow before any decision on adopting a model.

Published

1 day ago

May 5, 2026

Joanna Melki

lebanon ministers meet visa over national digital payment platform

Lebanon’s finance and technology ministers met representatives from Visa last week to discuss a proposed unified national digital payment platform for government services, according to a readout from the Ministry of Finance.

The meeting brought together Finance Minister Yassin Jaber, Minister of State for Technology and Artificial Intelligence Kamal Shehadeh, a Visa delegation, and experts from both ministries. Discussion focused on whether Lebanon could establish a single platform through which citizens and institutions would pay taxes, fees, fines and other official transactions electronically, using mobile phones and other digital channels.

The Visa delegation presented examples from countries that have adopted unified government payment platforms, including the United Arab Emirates, Singapore, Estonia and Jordan. According to the readout, the examples were presented as having increased collection rates and expanded financial inclusion.

Talks covered settlement mechanisms, direct transfer to the treasury account, financial reconciliation, risk management, cybersecurity, fees, and an operational model that would involve the private sector. The parties agreed to continue technical and institutional consultations, prepare a comparative study, and develop an implementation roadmap before any decision on adopting a model for Lebanon.

Jaber said the Ministry of Finance had already enabled citizens to pay using credit cards and e-wallets through transfer companies, but described the proposed platform as a further step. He framed the development of electronic payment and collection systems as a priority within the ministry’s modernization plan.

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Shehadeh outlined the citizen-facing concept as a single mobile application through which users could settle obligations to ministries, government institutions and other bodies.

“The idea, in short, is that any citizen downloads an application on their mobile phone, through which they can pay all service obligations for all ministries, government institutions, or those owned by the Lebanese state, and others as well, as the platform is not limited only to state institutions,” he said.

Shehadeh added that the platform would not displace banks and money transfer companies that currently provide collection services to the state, calling it complementary to their work.