A new study of 2,000 UK couples reveals that 74% speak different ‘money languages’, creating tension in 66% of relationships and delaying key milestones like home ownership and starting a family. Starling Bank’s research highlights seven distinct money languages, offering guidance on improving financial compatibility and communication for stronger, long-term partnerships.

Sustainable Bitcoin Protocol (SBP) completed the first transaction of its SBP token on Coinbase Project Diamond within ADGM, linking bitcoin mining to verified clean energy and creating a new climate-aligned digital asset class for institutional and retail investors.

Audi and Revolut reveal the Audi Revolut F1 Team name and logo, ahead of a Berlin launch, marking a milestone partnership combining motorsport innovation with fintech-driven fan engagement and global expansion.

botim money and Binance signed an MoU to explore providing secure, compliant digital asset access for UAE users. The collaboration aims to expand botim’s fintech ecosystem, support financial inclusion, and further integrate crypto into everyday financial services in the region.

Qwacks, a Saudi gaming technology startup, has raised SAR 1.8M in pre-seed funding from Merak Capital to scale its unified platform for backend services, AI-driven playtesting, and market intelligence as demand for local game development tools rapidly grows.

Hosts Mark Walker and Grant Niven are joined by Stephen Philips to explore the rapidly changing landscape of digital assets. With extensive engineering and blockchain experience spanning the Caribbean, Europe, Africa, and the Middle East, Stephen shares valuable insights into how tokenisation is transitioning from policy to production. The episode dives into the practical applications of Central Bank Digital Currencies (CBDCs), stablecoins, and the fundamental distinction between backed and unbacked assets.

The Property Finder Awards 2025 gathered top UAE real estate leaders at the Armani Hotel to honour outstanding agencies, agents, developers, and proptech innovators, spotlighting excellence, transparency, and rising talent across one of the region’s most competitive property markets.

Fikra Ventures joins Hub71 as a venture studio, creating AI-native startups in-house and forming joint ventures with global AI companies, accelerating commercialisation and scaling from Abu Dhabi to global markets.

Ethiopia has launched a new AI-powered super-fast EV charging station in Addis Ababa, expanding its green mobility network. The facility supports 16 vehicles, enhances charging efficiency, and advances the nation’s push toward digital transformation and sustainable transportation.

The AI Academy launches its second Executive Program for Chief AI Officer, training senior leaders from government and industry in responsible AI governance, large-scale deployment, and strategic decision-making across the UAE, GCC, and global regions.

HID highlights advanced access control, mobile credentials, and passwordless authentication at Intersec Dubai 2026, reinforcing its leadership in cyber-resilient, user-centric security solutions across the Middle East’s rapidly evolving digital landscape.

Hashgraph Ventures has committed $1 million to the Hedera Africa Hackathon, supporting 13,000 developers and 1,300 startups across 20+ cities, accelerating Web3, AI, and blockchain innovation for economic inclusion in Africa.

The European Investment Bank unveils Space TechEU, a €500 million financing initiative for European space companies. Focused on SMEs and midcaps, the programme aims to boost innovation, mobilise €1.4 billion in investment, and strengthen Europe’s global space competitiveness.

The Arab Energy Fund becomes the first MENA multilateral institution approved to issue RMB-denominated Panda Bonds, enhancing funding diversification, fostering China-MENA capital market collaboration, and supporting long-term energy investment strategies.

WeRide and Uber have launched Level 4 fully driverless Robotaxi operations in Abu Dhabi, the first outside the U.S. Passengers can now book autonomous rides via Uber, marking a milestone in the Middle East’s self-driving mobility expansion.

The 2025 Discovery Series by Heriot-Watt University and Grant Thornton highlights women’s representation in UAE financial services boards, CROs, and HIAs, revealing progress while identifying gaps to accelerate gender-balanced leadership and inclusive governance across the sector.

In this episode of Born to Disrupt, hosts Grant Niven and Mark Walker sit down with Ulf Zetterberg, the founder of Seal Software and now the driving force behind Digital Mirror. Recording from the US, Dubai, and the UK, the trio dives into the next evolution of legal tech: moving beyond static contract management to dynamic performance tracking.

Aveni’s report explores AI adoption in UK financial services, revealing uneven maturity, operational gains, and the need for governance, explainability, and regulatory alignment to scale AI responsibly across wealth, insurance, advice, and consultancy sectors.

Chargebacks911 warns romance scams are rising ahead of Valentine’s Day, with UK losses exceeding £106M and reports up 35% in early 2025. Victims face low recovery rates, highlighting the need for vigilance across dating apps and social platforms.

Unbox Robotics has secured $28 million in Series B funding led by ICICI Venture to expand its robotics platform, strengthen engineering teams, and scale intelligent warehouse automation across India and international markets.

Datawave secures majority investment from Cerberus to develop the SING subsea cable system, linking the Middle East, South Asia, and Southeast Asia. The 16-fibre-pair network will deliver high-capacity, low-latency connectivity to support AI, cloud, and hyperscale infrastructure growth.

Huawei’s Allen Tang outlines how 5G-Advanced, Standalone networks, and mobile AI can drive telecom growth in the Middle East. Operators can unlock new revenue, immersive experiences, and AI-driven operations, positioning the region as a global leader in 5G innovation.

Silicon Valley chipmaker d-Matrix raised $275M in Series C funding, backed by Qatar Investment Authority, to scale its in-memory AI inference platform. The company aims to cut latency and power costs as global demand shifts from training to large-scale AI deployment.

Ant Group enhances its AI-native health assistant AQ with DeepSearch, offering clinicians rapid access to evidence-based guidelines, structured research, and clinical decision support. The platform integrates 36M+ publications and supports high-quality, reliable medical recommendations across China.

Street Child streamlines multi-currency fund management, donor reporting, and real-time financial visibility using Aqilla cloud accounting software, enabling faster month-end close, improved audit readiness, and full transparency across its 15 international offices.

NEO PAY and Wio Bank partner to offer a PoS lending solution for UAE SMEs, providing quick, sales-linked financing. The initiative simplifies access to working capital, empowering merchants to grow, manage cash flow, and seize new business opportunities.

ADX marked the UAE’s first 2026 financial listing with the Boreas S&P Absolute Luxury UCITS ETF, expanding investor access to global luxury brands and reinforcing Abu Dhabi’s position as the Middle East’s most active ETF market.

Property Finder and Stake join forces to enable fractional property investment in the UAE, starting from AED500, making real estate accessible to a wider audience while accelerating the digitalisation of the region’s real estate ecosystem.

Lloyds Banking Group introduced the AI Academy to provide practical AI skills across all roles, enabling colleagues to implement AI responsibly, improve customer services, simplify processes, and prepare the workforce for future AI-driven transformation.

Two flagship KAFD restaurants, Benoit and Il Baretto, earn MICHELIN Guide recognition, highlighting Riyadh’s growing culinary scene and the district’s commitment to world-class dining experiences as part of its Vision 2030 transformation.