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UAE Fintech Qashio Raises $19.8M For Regional Expansion
The Dubai-based fintech will use the cash injection to expand its B2B spend management platform and loyalty program across the MENA and Europe.
Dubai-headquartered fintech Qashio has raised $19.8 million in its latest funding round, paving the way for continued geographic expansion and growth of its industry-leading B2B loyalty ecosystem. Already operating in 22 countries — including the UAE, Europe, and the UK — the company will use the new capital to support its imminent entry into Saudi Arabia and strengthen regulatory compliance.
The funding, comprising equity and non-equity sources, was led by existing Silicon Valley-based investor Rocketship. Qashio’s consistent growth, demonstrated by over 800% year-on-year revenue increases for three consecutive years, reflects the platform’s rising dominance in B2B expense management solutions.
In addition to Rocketship, several existing investors including ABN Ventures, MITAA, and Oneway VC reaffirmed their support. The round also welcomed strategic new backers, such as Luxembourg-based MoreThan Capital, prominent regional banks, and several family offices from across the region.
“We invested in Qashio because of their bold vision to modernize spend management in the Middle East, a region ripe for financial innovation,” said Sailesh Ramakrishnan, Managing Partner at Rocketship. “They’re not just solving a pain point, but transforming how companies operate and scale”.
Unlike traditional corporate cash back programs, Qashio’s loyalty network uniquely features premium partners like Emirates, Air France, KLM, Avios (British Airways, Iberia, Finnair), US Airways, and elite hotel groups including Jumeirah One, Accor, and IHG Intercontinental Hotel Group. These high-value rewards differentiate Qashio from competitors, enhancing its appeal to businesses that previously had limited access to such exclusive benefits.
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“At Qashio, we understand change often meets resistance, especially when shifting from manual processes,” said Armin Moradi, CEO and Co-founder. “Our loyalty program is designed to reward positive financial management behaviors with meaningful incentives like air miles and hotel points — rewards that are typically hard to obtain. Coupled with transparent pricing, lowest cross-border fees, and unmatched cashbacks without restrictive conditions, we empower businesses to embrace streamlined financial management”.
With profitability achieved — earning over $1.2 million in the first quarter of 2025 — Qashio’s fresh capital infusion positions the fintech leader to further accelerate its ambitious growth across MENA and into European markets.
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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.
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.
