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Tesla Announces Upcoming Saudi Arabia Debut On April 10
The company is expanding its Gulf footprint despite recent sales declines in Europe and China.
Tesla is expanding operations further across the Middle East with an upcoming move into Saudi Arabia. The company shared the news of the April 10 Riyadh debut on its website, hinting at a showcase of its latest innovations but leaving out key details about when its vehicles and energy products will be available for purchase.
“Explore our global bestselling lineup and step into a world powered by solar energy, sustained by batteries, and driven by electric vehicles. Experience the future of autonomous driving with Cybercab, and meet Optimus, our humanoid robot, as we showcase what’s next in AI and robotics,” Tesla stated in its announcement.
The Saudi launch comes at a time when Tesla is grappling with declining EV sales in key markets. Data from the European Automobile Manufacturers Association (ACEA) shows that Tesla’s European sales have dropped by 42.6% this year. In China, the company’s February sales of locally produced EVs fell by 49.2% year-over-year to 30,688 units — the lowest monthly figure since August 2022.
Beyond sales struggles, Tesla has also faced political backlash in the U.S. Protests erupted after CEO Elon Musk took on an advisory role in the administration of former U.S. President Donald Trump and supported sweeping federal government budget cuts.
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Tesla’s presence in the Gulf region isn’t new: The company has operated in the UAE since 2017 and also has a dealership in Qatar. The Saudi launch follows another recent international push — Tesla signed a lease to open its first showroom in Mumbai as part of its strategy to enter the Indian market.
Saudi Arabia’s interest in Tesla aligns with the Kingdom’s broader push toward sustainability and economic diversification away from oil. The country aims to transition 30% of Riyadh’s vehicles to electric by 2030, contributing to a broader goal of reducing the capital’s emissions by 50%.
Saudi Arabia is also investing heavily in its own EV industry, with companies like CEER, Foxconn, and Lucid Motors playing key roles in its domestic manufacturing ambitions. The country’s sovereign wealth fund holds a majority stake in Lucid Group, positioning the startup as a potential Tesla rival in the years to come.
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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.
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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”.
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