{"id":111129,"date":"2026-01-07T00:00:00","date_gmt":"2026-01-07T00:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/enterpriseam.com\/uae\/?p=111129"},"modified":"2026-01-07T03:11:04","modified_gmt":"2026-01-07T03:11:04","slug":"this-morning-ae-coin-to-be-integrated-into-network-internationals-pos-and-e-commerce-payment-infrastructure-non-oil-private-sector-ended-2025-firmly-in-growth-territory","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/enterpriseam.com\/uae\/2026\/01\/07\/this-morning-ae-coin-to-be-integrated-into-network-internationals-pos-and-e-commerce-payment-infrastructure-non-oil-private-sector-ended-2025-firmly-in-growth-territory\/","title":{"rendered":"THIS MORNING: AE Coin to be integrated into Network International\u2019s PoS and e-commerce payment infrastructure + Non-oil private sector ended 2025 firmly in growth territory"},"content":{"rendered":"

Good morning, lovely people. <\/strong>We might have spoken too soon on the news cycle\u2019s pace, which still seems to be in sleep mode in the first week of the new year.<\/p>\n

We have two major stories to report this morning: BlueFive Capital<\/strong>, former Investcorp executive Hazem Ben-Gacem\u2019s new private equity firm, was tapped as general partner for a USD 4.6 bn China-focused fund of funds \u2014 marking a major vote of confidence as the firm looks to launch a USD 1 bn Asia-focused fund soon. <\/p>\n

Plus: Emirates Islamic<\/strong> is providing Jordan-based Mass Group Holding a USD 500 mn structured facility for a 1.7 GW Romanian power plant. <\/p>\n

AND- We have a breakdown of how the Venezuelan oil saga could trickle down to the region\u2019s oil markets <\/strong>in this morning\u2019s Planet Finance, below. <\/p>\n

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WEATHER- Temperatures are cooling down slightly<\/strong>, with a chance of light rainfall near coastal areas, according to the National Center of Meteorology. The mercury will reach a high of 25\u00b0C today, with an overnight low of 16\u00b0C, while Abu Dhabi will see a high of 24\u00b0C and a low of 15\u00b0C.<\/p>\n

Watch this space <\/p>\n

<\/a> CRYPTO <\/strong>\u2014<\/strong> AE Coin inches towards mainstream adoption:<\/strong> Dubai-based digital payments firm Network International has signed an MoU with Al Maryah Community Bank to plug AE Coin \u2014 the UAE\u2019s first Central Bank-licensed<\/a><\/a>stablecoin<\/a> \u2014 into its point of sale and e-commerce infrastructure, marking the first move to place an AED-backed stablecoin on mainstream payment rails, according to a press release<\/a>.<\/p>\n

ICYMI- Merchant adoption is already building:<\/strong> As we previously reported, state-owned 7X has integrated AE Coin<\/a> for logistics payments, with other early adopters including Air Arabia<\/a>, the Abu Dhabi Judicial Department<\/a>, and Tawasul Taxis<\/a>. Separately, the Central Bank of the UAE has approved Zand AED<\/a>, the country\u2019s first multi-chain, AED-backed public stablecoin, while IHC, ADQ, and First Abu Dhabi Bank are developing<\/a> a regulated AED token of their own.<\/p>\n

What to watch: <\/strong>The real test is whether this converts into a commercial rollout at scale, and whether AE Coin will become a mainstream form of payment as several AED-backed stablecoins hit the market. Plus: Merchant adoption is one thing, but demand among actual consumers is an entirely different story, so we\u2019ll be looking out for data \u2014 if only anecdotal \u2014 on the use of stablecoins in day-to-day transactions.<\/p>\n

Data point <\/p>\n

<\/a> 54.2 \u2014 that\u2019s the seasonally adjusted purchasing managers\u2019 index <\/strong>figure for th<\/strong>e UAE in December<\/strong>, according to the S&P Global UAE PMI (pdf)<\/a>. The reading indicates a steady and healthy improvement in the non-oil private sector, landing only 0.1 points shy of the index's long-term average of 54.3 and down from November\u2019s reading<\/a> of 54.8.<\/p>\n

The breakdown:<\/strong> Business activity decelerated from its November peak as sales dipped despite strong international demand, but was still among the strongest expansion rates seen this year. Cost pressures hit a 15-month high, which led to an increase in output charges, while reports of heightened competition signaled another headwind for the sector. Meanwhile, job creation was conservative, with employment rising only marginally, leading to a sharp buildup of work backlogs and a strong drawdown of inventories \u2014 and confidence was at a three-year low. <\/p>\n

It was a similar story in Dubai<\/strong>, where PMI reached 54.3 in December, indicating solid growth as output levels expanded at the fastest rate since March 2024, despite a loss of sales momentum. Firms continued to expand their activities, but the reading saw the sharpest reduction in inventories since April 2020 along with a slight increase in staffing levels. Meanwhile, cost pressures hit a one-year high.<\/p>\n

PSA- <\/p>\n

<\/a> Watchers of All Her Fault will love this: <\/strong>Parents will now have to obtain permits to pick up students from government schools, Gulf News<\/a> reports. The permit is issued at a nominal fee and parents must submit a copy of their Emirates ID, a recent passport-sized photo of the student, and sign a written agreement in person which specifies the method of departure and who is responsible.<\/p>\n

The big story abroad <\/p>\n

Uh, did the US just *literally* steal Venezuela\u2019s oil? <\/strong>Oil tankers are moving from the US towards Venezuela to begin loading stranded Venezuelan oil after US President Donald Trump said Venezuela will hand over some 30-50 mn barrels of oil to the US. The sale of the cargoes could be worth around USD 3 bn at current prices. <\/p>\n

What he said: <\/strong>\u201cThat money will be controlled by me, as President of the United States of America, to ensure it is used to benefit the people of Venezuela and the United States,\u201d Trump wrote in a post on his Truth Social platform.<\/p>\n

^^ The must-read on the topic: Trump: Venezuela to turn over 30-50 mn barrels of oil to US<\/a>.<\/p>\n

And the White House is now saying that military forc<\/strong>e is on the table in its bid to <\/strong>\u201cacquire\u201d Greenland. <\/strong>\u201c\u201cPresident Trump has made it well known that acquiring Greenland is a national security priority of the United States, and it\u2019s vital to deter our adversaries in the Arctic region,\u201d White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt said. \"The president and his team are discussing a range of options to pursue this important foreign policy goal, and of course, utilizing the US military is always an option at the commander-in-chief\u2019s disposal.\u201d<\/p>\n

Her remarks came after White House Deputy Chief of Staff Stephen Miller channeled his <\/strong>inner Balon Greyjoy<\/strong>, saying, \u201cNobody\u2019s going to fight the United States militarily over the future of Greenland. \u2026 We live in a world, in the real world \u2026 that is governed by strength, that is governed by force, that is governed by power. These are the iron laws of the world since the beginning of time.\u201d See more in the New York Times<\/a> and the FT<\/a>. <\/p>\n

Closer to home: <\/strong><\/p>\n