Etisalat by e& launch ‘GoChat Messenger’ for free calling
Etisalat UAE, a telecoms company branded as Etisalat by e&, announced the launch of GoChat Messenger, an all-in-one free voice and video calling app, giving customers the flexibility of accessing unique features within one application. GoChat Messenger allows customers to easily make and receive voice and video calls, chat with friends and family, transfer money to their families, pay bills, play games, stay updated with the latest news and events, access Smiles vouchers, and deals, as well as several home services.
MENA’s demand for payment hubs rises
The payments landscape in the Middle East is heading toward an inflection point. Despite the region’s digitally savvy population with smartphone penetration reaching 80 to 90 percent in leading markets, the region has remained heavily dependent on cash. payments practitioners expect the shift to digital to be permanent, in the survey, 90 percent predicted that at least half of new users will stick with digital payments rather than revert to cash later. In addition, more than half of survey respondents said strong growth in noncash payments will continue over the next five years, resulting in a cumulative increase in digital transactions of more than 50 percent above 2020 levels across the region.
Dubai Freezone positions as leading regional fintech hub
Essa Kazim, governor of DIFC, told Euronews at the event that fintech is now the fastest growing sector for DIFC, contributing more than 35% to the total number of companies that have been established over the last 12 months. Part of that success can be attributed to the hub’s role in supporting fintech companies from incubation and acceleration to investment stages, Kazim said, a strategy which was materialized in April 2022 by the announcement of so-called venture studios across the freezone.
Arab Financial Services expand digital payments solutions in Egypt
Arab Financial Services (AFS) a leading digital payment solutions provider and fintech enabler in the Middle East and Africa has announced plans to expand its payments footprint in Egypt with the establishment of a branch. Based in Cairo, Tawfik Mahmoud will be responsible for leading the company’s strategy in Egypt, growing the team across the country, supporting its growth, and scaling Egypt’s merchant clients across all sectors and industries.
