Connect with us

News

Step Conference 2022 Celebrates Cutting-Edge Technologies

Step is celebrating its 10 year anniversary with the Step Conference 2022 edition back in-person.

Published

on

step conference 2022 celebrates cutting-edge technologies

Our increasingly digital lives are shaped by cutting-edge technologies that enable information to be exchanged faster and more easily than ever before. From February 23 to February 24, Step Conference 2022 will celebrate artificial intelligence, cryptocurrencies, fintech, Web3, cloud technology, healthcare technology, and other building blocks of the modern world.

10th Anniversary Of Step Conference

This year’s conference is extra special because it marks the 10th anniversary of the event, which started as a series of workshops and small gatherings in 2011.

Since its humble beginnings, Step Conference has grown to become a comprehensive conference ecosystem that brings top tech experts to Dubai to share their insights with large audiences, exchange expertise, and drive innovation.

Step Conference is organized by new media company Step. During the past decade, Step has hosted more than 200 events and programs, with participation from more than 2,000 startups from MENA and other regions.

Step’s investor meeting and mentorship programs have helped facilitate over 10,000 connections, many of which have resulted in fruitful partnerships.

Step Conference 2022 is happening alongside Expo 2020 in the heart of Dubai Internet City. “Our partnership with Dubai Internet City has been impactful in engaging and supporting entrepreneurs in the region” said Ray Dargham, CEO of Step.

What You Can Look Forward To At Step Conference 2022

The 10th iteration of Step Conference will be full of interesting events to attend. The topics they will explore include:

NFTs: Non-fungible tokens, which are cryptographic proofs of ownership stored on a blockchain, have profoundly transformed the art industry, and they continue to disrupt how assets (mainly digital but also physical) are owned. From Coinbase to Meta to Ubisoft, established companies are joining the NFT revolution and exploring a broad range of potential use cases.

Web3: Thanks to the decentralized infrastructure provided by Blockchain technology, the World Wide Web is now evolving to give its users the ability to actually own and control the data they generate, among other things. While still in its early stages, Web3 is likely to have just as profound impact on society as user-generated content enabled by Web 2.0 has had.

Metaverse: Virtual reality has matured to such an extent that it can now be used to overcome the limitations of remote working, provide more memorable and immersive education, deliver healthcare services to people in remote areas, and more. What is emerging is an interconnected network of virtual reality worlds, and this network is referred to as the metaverse.

Discussing these and other hot topics will be Elie Habib, the founder of the Middle East’s leading music streaming service Anghami; Michelle Arrazcaeta, head of Brand Strategy & Collaborations at Polaroid; Paul Misener, the Vice President of Global Innovation Policy and Communication at Amazon; Sidra Qasim, co-founder of Brooklyn-based shoe brand Atoms; and others.

“We hope to welcome international delegations to the conference, expanding the potential for partnerships and investment on a larger scale than ever before” said Ammar Al Malik, Managing Director of Dubai Internet City.

How To Attend Step Conference 2022

If you would like to attend Step Conference 2022 yourself, you can purchase tickets from the Step website. Early discounts are no longer available, but regular tickets can be purchased until February 13.

Tickets are divided into three main Tracks (Fintech, Future, and Digital) based on covered topics. The Fintech Track revolves around the latest in financial technology, blockchain, and digital currencies. The Future Track is all about automation, smart cities, the Internet of Things, and artificial intelligence. The Digital Track covers everything from digital marketing to advertising technology.

You can also purchase a Master Pass to access all main tracks plus workshops, satellite events, entertainment venues, and more.

Advertisement

📢 Get Exclusive Monthly Articles, Updates & Tech Tips Right In Your Inbox!

JOIN 21K+ SUBSCRIBERS

Click to comment

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

News

Saudi Digital Payments Reach 80% As Cash Use Shrinks

Visa data shows cards and mobile wallets dominate spending, with smartphones now driving a growing share of daily transactions.

Published

on

saudi digital payments reach 80% as cash use shrinks

Digital payments now account for 80% of all transactions in Saudi Arabia, according to Visa’s latest Where Cash Hides report, another marker of how quickly the Kingdom is moving away from cash.

The share is up four percentage points from a year ago. Around 67% of consumers are now largely non-cash users, paying mainly with cards or mobile wallets. Smartphones are taking a bigger role, with mobile payments making up 16% of transactions.

visa where cash hides saudi arabia 2026

Cash is retreating in routine spending. Eating out dropped 9%. Bill payments fell 8%, as shoppers opt for faster checkouts and app-based payments.

“The data shows a steady move toward digital payments in Saudi Arabia. Such progress is possible only because banks, fintechs, merchants, and technology partners are moving together in the same direction, in line with the Kingdom’s Vision 2030,” said Ali Bailoun, Visa’s Senior Vice President and Group Country Manager for Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, and Oman.

Also Read: UAE Users Sleep Less, But More Efficiently, ŌURA Data Reveals

Despite the recent findings, it’s important to note that cash hasn’t yet disappeared. It still shows up for tips (39%), peer-to-peer transfers (28%) and rent (14%).

Visa points to security features such as tokenization, along with rewards and cashback, as factors nudging more spending onto cards and phones — a shift that tracks with Saudi Arabia’s wider Vision 2030 push to digitize commerce.

Continue Reading

#Trending