BANKING-

#1- Abu Dhabi Islamic Bank (ADIB) has rolled out a digital platform for retail investors to buy fractional sukuk certificates starting with as little as USD 1k, as opposed to the traditional USD 200k entry barrier, according to a press release. The platform is accessible via ADIB’s mobile app, and offers fully digital onboarding, trading, and the management of fractional sukuk with no lock-in periods. Investors receive income distributions tied to underlying assets and access to curated sukuk options.

ICYMI- Sukuk issuances in the emirates doubledq-o-qin1Q 2025 to reach USD 4.9 bn, with the shariah-compliant bonds representing a fifth of total outstanding debt in the. Emirates Islamic debuted the region’s first fractional sukuk in April last year, allowing investors to access the market with a minimum investment requirement of USD 25k.

STARTUPS-

#1- Pakistani startup Haball raises USD 52 mn to fuel expansion to UAE and GCC: Pakistan’s supply chain fintech SME-focused company Haball raised USD 52 mn in pre-series A funding to drive its expansion into the GCC, including by entering the UAE market in either 2025 or 2026, CEO Omer Bin Ahsan told EnterpriseAM UAE in response to emailed questions.

Regional expansion: The funding will also help the startup expand its local footprint, Haball said in a press release (pdf). The firm’s priority is establishing a presence in Saudi Arabia before entering the UAE market, and it is looking to form banking partnerships and to onboard customers to solidify its foothold in the region, Bin Ahsan told us.

FMCG sector in focus: The company’s first target market in the UAE and GCC will be fast-moving consumer goods (FMCG). Haball’s digital shariah-complaint supply chain financing solution will be its unique selling point in a market where it sees high demand, Bin Ahsan added.

Rentify lands USD 500k in pre-seed funding: Proptech startup Rentify secured USD 500k in pre-seed funding from an undisclosed consortium of investors to scale its AI powered rental platform, which aims to upgrade manual processes like cheque payments and paper-based agreements, according to a press release.

Where will the funds go? The money will be used to expand its automated rent collection, rent now, pay later options, and rewards programs to incentivize timely payments. The platform integrates digital lease agreements, AI verification for tenants and landlords, and real-time payment alerts. The startup also aims to add predictive analytics for landlords, and counts ex-CEO of Emaar Development Bader Hareb and Rotschild & Co Partner Saeed Al Awar among its advisors.

FINTECH-

Tap Payments secures UAE license: Payment institution and technology provider Tap Payments has received a retail payment services license (RPS) from the Central Bank of the UAE (CBUAE), meaning it now has regulatory approval in all six GCC nations, according to a press release.

The next steps: Tap will use its GCC-wide approvals to integrate payment infrastructure across the region, helping businesses scale up operations and expand. It counts flydubai, Wego, and Lulu Hypermarkets among its Emirati clients, and its regional customers include Talabat and Careem.

#2- Plus500 launches subsidiary following new mainland license: Global multi-asset fintech and LSE-listed firm Plus500 has obtained a UAE mainland license from the Securities and Commodities Exchange (SCA), enabling direct client operations under its new entity Plus500 Gulf Securities, according to a press release. Last year, it received regulatory approval to operate in the Dubai International Financial Centre (DIFC) through its subsidiary, Plus500AE.

What’s next? The approval means Plus500 can grow its Emirati customer base and expand its offering beyond contracts for differences (CFD) to share dealing, futures, and options on futures. The firm will launch tailored products for UAE investors.

CAPITAL MARKETS-

IHC’s new capital markets arm Finstreet has partnered with Anglo-South African asset management business Ninety One to develop advanced exchange-traded products, Wam reports. The collaboration will focus on creating and trading structured products and private debt instruments on Finstreet Global Market, while providing Ninety One with liquidity for its private debt solutions, including infrastructure debt, Ninety One’s Co-Head of the Middle East, Nicolas Alberts said.

REMEMBER- Finstreet launched its blockchain-powered digital trading platform in December, which includes a digital multilateral trading facility (MTF), offering secondary market trading for securities listed on other exchanges; a central securities depository to hold assets in custody; and a private financing platform, allowing for trading in private markets.

FINANCE-

Aquila Group expands to Abu Dhabi, eyes energy and data investments: Germany-based investment firm Aquila Group is setting up shop in Abu Dhabi with the launch of a subsidiary, Aquila Capital Middle East, after receiving preliminary approval from ADGM, according to a statement (pdf). The company, which manages assets worth EUR 15.4 bn (c. USD 16.9 bn), says the subsidiary will focus on investing capital in Middle Eastern projects, including data centers and renewable energy initiatives.

CONSTRUCTION-

Majid Al Futtaim has awarded homegrown Ducto Construction an AED 1.6 bn contract for the Serenity Mansions project, a luxury development at its flagship destination Tilal Al Ghaf in Dubai, according to a press release. The project will see the construction of 109 standalone mansions as well as outbuildings, landscaping and infrastructure. SAOTA, Nabil Gholam, and Blink Design Group will collaborate on the buildings’ designs.

ICYMI- The conglomerate awarded construction contracts for projects in its Tilal Al Ghaf development worth AED 3 bn to Innovo Build and Unec last year.

INVESTMENTS-

UAE and UNCTAD to advance sustainable investment policy reform: The UAE Investment Ministry and UN Trade and Development (UNCTAD) signed a cooperation agreement to work on sustainable investment frameworks and economic growth strategies, according to a press release. The agreement, focusing on areas including joint research, knowledge sharing, and advisory support, would “attract high-impact investments” to the Emirates, Investment Ministry Undersecretary Mohammad Alhawi said.

AI-

UAE-based AI language and translation solutions firm Tarjama launched Pronoia V2, an advanced Arabic-focused large language model that outperforms global LLMs like GPT-4o and DeepSeek-V3 in accuracy, language performance, and cost-efficiency, according to the press release. The model excels in tasks such as Arabic translation, contract review, content creation, multilingual support, and document processing.

What’s next? The company is currently developing Pronoia Vv32, which is expected to have an 80% average across Arabic evaluation datasets and a 94+ COMET score for translation quality.

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