Nessreen Tamano
Islamic bank and VC firm launch Iraq’s largest tech...
Iraq Islamic Bank (IIB), the country's first Islamic bank established in 1992, has partnered with global investment company MSA Novo to support Iraqi start-ups and contribute to the development of Iraq's digital landscape.
IsDB and partners to mobilize funding for Nigeria’s digital...
The IsDB has joined a consortium of multilateral and development agencies to launch a program aimed at funding the digital and creative sectors of Nigeria.
Qatar’s 2023 fintech strategy prioritizes Islamic banking and insurance
Sheikh Bandar Mohammed Saoud Al-Thani, the governor of the Qatar Central Bank (QCB), has launched the National FinTech Strategy of the Sultanate for the year 2023, which is expected to boost the country's wider fintech sector.
Labuan IBFC aims to issue Shariah compliant security tokens...
The Labuan International Business and Financial Centre (Labuan IBFC), a special economic zone in Malaysia's Labuan, plans to issue Shariah compliant digital security tokens this year, through its newly launched Islamic Digital Asset Centre (IDAC).
TPL Insurance partners with Faysal Bank to extend Takaful...
Over a year after the Pakistani regulator released draft guidelines in support of digital-only insurers, an insurtech company's Takaful window has partnered with a local bank to expand its reach, taking a step forward in the sector's development.
Ethis partners with Islamic rural banks
Shariah compliant fintech platform Ethis Indonesia has finalized its partnership with two Indonesian Islamic rural banks, or Bank Pembiayaan Rakyat Syariah (BPRS) as they are locally known.
Labuan launches initiative to attract Islamic digital assets and...
In a bid to position itself as a strong player in the digital Islamic...
New Islamic trading platform encourages Pakistani diaspora investment
Pakistan Stock Exchange (PSX) and fully-fledged Islamic bank Meezan Bank have collaborated to establish a new, dedicated trading platform catering to Islamic banks' clients that hold Roshan Digital Accounts (RDAs) — an investment solution for non-resident Pakistanis.
Fintech company enters Malaysian Islamic finance market with BNPL...
Fintech and digital commerce solutions provider IOUpay has become the newest player in the thriving Shariah compliant buy-now-pay-later (BNPL) market in Malaysia — the first step in its plan to expand into Southeast Asian countries with large Muslim populations.
Malaysia and Turkey to join hands and establish first...
During an official visit by Malaysian Prime Minister Ismail Sabri to Turkey to meet his counterpart President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and discuss bilateral cooperation, two entities signed an agreement to establish Turkey's first Islamic digital bank.
UAE digital banking start-up raises US$41 million to fund...
UAE-based digital banking app YAP has raised US$41 million to back its growth and expansion plans, through an investment round led by Shariah compliant Saudi firm Aljazira Capital.
Islamic bank ventures into the metaverse
Warba Bank has announced its entry into two metaverses, making it the first Islamic bank in the world and the first bank in Kuwait and the region to have a presence in the virtual world.
Central Bank of Iran launches long-awaited regulatory sandbox
intech start-ups in Iran have received a boost of support with the Central Bank of Iran (CBI)’s recent launch of its regulatory sandbox — a major part of the regulator’s plans to reform the country’s banking sector, which is currently the only fully-fledged Islamic banking system in the world.
Saudi wholesaler explores possible investment into UAE BNPL start-up
Cashew Payments Holding, a fintech start-up headquartered in the UAE, has attracted more support for the imminent launch of Cashew KSA, its operations in Saudi Arabia, with Saudi wholesale and retail trade company Al Hassan Ghazi Ibrahim Shaker Co (Shaker) looking into a possible investment into the former.
New Malaysian Islamic neobank names CEO designate ahead of...
Rafiza Ghazali, who has announced her departure from Malaysian tech start-up funding agency Cradle...
Cambodia to welcome Shariah compliant digital financial services
Singapore-based Bankograph, a digital banking solutions provider, has partnered with Cambodia Asia Bank (CAB), a commercial bank with its headquarters in Phnom Penh, to offer Shariah compliant products to Cambodian customers.
Singaporean company invests in Islamic neobank to boost Indonesian...
Singapore’s ZA Tech Global, a digital insurance solutions provider, is the latest strategic business partner and investor of Bank Aladin, an Indonesian Islamic digital bank, to collaborate on insurtech offerings for Indonesian consumers.
Albania to have its first digital Murabahah platform in...
Albania can expect to welcome its first digitalized Murabahah platform in less than three months, Amel Kovacevic, CEO of United Bank of Albania (UBA), told IFN, the sister publication of IFN Fintech.
Islamic bank and telecoms company jointly launch mobile financing...
Gulf African Bank (GAB), one of Kenya's three fully-fledged Islamic banks, has partnered with telecoms company Safaricom to launch Halal Pesa, a Shariah compliant mobile financing solution.
SHUAA rolls out new Islamic venture fund for tech...
High-growth technology companies across the GCC region can expect a boost in capital funding with the launch of SHUAA Capital’s latest Shariah compliant fund, SHUAA Venture Partners.
Digital solutions company develops Tawarruq platform for Senegalese market
BBS Invest, a Senegalese payment and digital solutions company, is currently working on what it says is the first SMART Tawarruq platform developed in West Africa.
Saudi crowdfunding platform to focus on Islamic financing with...
The thriving Saudi Shariah compliant financing sector can expect to welcome a new player: Funding Souq, a homegrown digital lending platform that has recently closed a successful seed round, which is hoped to support its transition to more Islamic financial transactions.
Uzbek Islamic fintech gets boost for superapp ambitions with...
Islamic fintech start-up IMAN, headquartered in Muslim-majority Uzbekistan, has successfully closed a US$1 million seed round led by institutional investors based in Singapore and the US.
New Shariah compliant digital bank enters the Saudi market
In line with its commitment to developing and supporting innovation in the local banking sector, the Saudi Central Bank (SAMA) has granted a license to a new Shariah compliant digital bank — the third neobank to be established in the Kingdom.