Economy & Business
Business news, economic analysis, fintech innovations, startup ecosystems, and market trends shaping Saudi Arabia's digital economy and Vision 2030.
Mashreq Launches Digital Loan Solution for UAE Healthcare Services with Toothpick Partnership
Mashreq and Toothpick launch embedded financing for UAE healthcare, enabling patients to finance dental and aesthetic treatments up to AED 150,000 through a fully digital process.
Saudi Arabia Launches Digital Transformation Index 2026 for Government Entities
Saudi Arabia’s Digital Government Authority launched the Digital Transformation Index 2026 to help government entities improve digital performance and service quality, with 2,800 specialists from 249 entities participating in the initial workshop.
Investor Warns of Rising Drone Threats to Private Infrastructure Across Middle East and NATO Region
Investor warns that drone threats infrastructure are escalating across the Middle East and NATO’s eastern flank, with recent attacks on cloud operations signaling that private companies must invest in defence systems.
Amazon Agrees $11.6 Billion Deal to Acquire Globalstar
Amazon agreed to acquire Globalstar for $11.6 billion to expand its satellite connectivity services. The deal includes a parallel agreement with Apple to power satellite services on iPhones and Apple Watch devices.
Anthropic valuation 800 billion: AI Company Attracts Major Investor Interest
Anthropic valuation 800 billion has been achieved as the AI company attracts investor offers, reflecting strong investor confidence in the artificial intelligence sector and the company’s development of large language models.
Anthropic Receives $800 Billion Valuation Offers From Multiple Investors
Anthropic receives multiple investor offers valuing the AI startup at $800 billion, more than double its February valuation, driven by strong enterprise revenue growth.
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PayTabs Completes Acquisition of TAPn’GO to Expand Contactless Payment Services Across MENA
PayTabs Group completed its acquisition of TAPn’GO, integrating contactless payment capabilities into its Super App platform. The move targets merchants across retail, hospitality, and healthcare sectors in the MENA region.
E-commerce Scams Account for 85% of Financial Phishing in Middle East, Kaspersky Report Finds
Kaspersky’s latest report reveals e-commerce scams phishing attacks account for 85% of financial phishing in the Middle East, with over one million banking accounts compromised by infostealers in 2025.
Saudi Arabia Ranks First Globally in AI Security and Women’s Empowerment
Saudi Arabia AI ranking shows the Kingdom achieved top global rankings in AI security, privacy, and women’s empowerment, with over 80% of employees using AI regularly compared to the global average of 58%.
Bupa Arabia Reaches 750 Beneficiaries Through Ramadan Health and Humanitarian Programs
Bupa Arabia community initiatives reached 750 beneficiaries through preventive health services, clothing donations, disability support, and financial assistance programs involving 370 volunteers.
Bigo Live and Mobile Legends Partner for MPL Season 9 Esports Coverage in MENA
Bigo Live and Mobile Legends: Bang Bang partner to broadcast MPL Season 9 across MENA from April 10 to May 23, 2026, featuring interactive watch parties, Arabic commentary, and exclusive in-app effects.
Aramco Digital Partners with Cumulocity to Deploy Industrial AIoT Solutions Across GCC
Aramco Digital and Cumulocity have formed a strategic partnership to deploy industrial AIoT solutions across the GCC, combining global platform technology with regional execution expertise.
HONOR Signs Strategic Partnership with Motorcycle Racing Team ZXMOTO
HONOR will sponsor ZXMOTO’s 2026 FIM Superbike World Championship campaign as Official Strategic Partner. The deal follows ZXMOTO’s historic double win at the Portuguese WSBK round.
OpenAI Touts Amazon Partnership in Internal Memo, Says Microsoft Has Limited Its Enterprise Reach
OpenAI’s chief revenue officer sent an internal memo touting the company’s Amazon alliance as a key enterprise growth driver, while saying Microsoft has limited its ability to reach clients.
Mohamed Yousuf Naghi Motors Launches Hyundai Exclusive Offers for April and May 2026
Mohamed Yousuf Naghi Motors is offering zero down payment, a 5-year warranty, and a 50/50 financing plan on select 2026 Hyundai models through May 30, 2026.
Renaissance Services Completes Acquisition of Socat LLC, Sodexo’s Omani Arm
Renaissance Services has completed its acquisition of Socat LLC, Sodexo’s Omani subsidiary, marking the first deal under its inorganic growth strategy. The move expands the company’s facilities management reach across more than 100 sites in Oman.
Kodamai Launches Mathematically Verified AI Agent Platform, Signs First Mills as First Customer
Kodamai has launched a mathematically verified AI agent platform and signed First Mills as its first enterprise customer in Saudi Arabia, deploying across four production facilities.
Middle East Gaming Market Hits $2.52 Billion as Video Games Outpace Streaming and Music
Video games spending across Saudi Arabia, the UAE, and Egypt reached USD 2.52 billion in 2024, outpacing streaming and music combined. Egypt leads by volume while Saudi Arabia records the region’s highest average revenue per user.
Careem Pay Expands International Transfers to Turkey and Saudi Arabia
Careem Pay has added Turkey and Saudi Arabia to its international transfer network, letting UAE residents send money to bank accounts in both countries within 10 minutes.
ZTE and CIMB Sign MoU to Advance 5G and Digital Infrastructure Across ASEAN
ZTE Corporation and CIMB Bank Berhad signed an MoU on April 14, 2026, to support 5G deployment and digital infrastructure across ASEAN. The agreement covers Malaysia, Indonesia, Singapore, Thailand, and Cambodia.
Saudi Ministry of Finance Activates Financial Control Law and Releases Implementing Regulations
Saudi Arabia’s Financial Control Law entered into force on December 1, 2025, replacing the Financial Representatives Law. The Ministry of Finance has also issued implementing regulations covering four oversight approaches for government entities.
Saudi Women Empowerment Reaches New Milestones in 2025, Observatory Director Says
Saudi women’s labor force participation reached 34.2% in 2025, with women-owned enterprises numbering 774,123 and representing 43.8% of all registered businesses in the Kingdom.