10 Graphs You Need to See About Fintech in the Middle East

By Erika Masako Welch • 19 February 2025

10 Graphs Explaining Fintech in the Middle East & the World in 2024

Fintechs have been bubbling up the world over, and their strong foothold in the Middle East is no exception. What might come to the surprise of many, is just how strong and diverse the regional Fintech landscape is, how much financing regional players are attracting, how many Fintech unicorns the region is producing, and just how well it measures up against global heavy-weight Fintech nations like the US and the UK. Check out these 10 graphs to put it all into perspective for you.

1. Who’s Producing the Majority of the World’s Fintech Startups?

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Mentioned Startup & VC Profiles

Foodics

Foodics is a restaurant management system that manages sales, transactions, inventory, employee schedules, and customer relationships.

Tabby

Tabby is a buy now, pay later (BNPL) platform that allows shoppers to split their purchases into multiple installments at no additional cost from various merchants.

Careem

Providing a range of daily services, Careem is a Dubai-based ride-hailing and super app company that aims to simplify people's daily lives in over 100 cities across 13 countries.

Fawry

Fawry provides electronic payment solutions and digital to individuals and businesses that's available through a network of over 100,000 payment points.

STV

STV established itself in 2018 and is the largest privately-held technology VC investment firm launched in the Middle East to date.

Plug and Play

Plug and Play is an innovation platform bringing together startups and large corporations.

Techstars

Techstars is a global platform that provides investment and innovation.

Flat6Labs MENA

Flat6Labs is a leading seed and early stage venture capital firm in the MENA region, renowned for its startup programs.

500 Global

500 Global is a prominent global venture capital firm headquartered in Silicon Valley, managing over $454 million across 4 central funds and 15 thematic funds.

Shorooq Partners

Shorooq Partners is an Abu Dhabi-based investment fund that specializes in backing early-stage technology startups, primarily in the MENAP region.

Related Report

The State of Fintech in the Middle East

With 1,500+ fintechs, $4.2B in 2023 funding, 7 IPOs, 30+ M&A exits, and the rise of unicorns and superapps, the Middle East’s fintech sector is transforming into a global powerhouse. Discover the key players, emerging trends, and market forces shaping the future of finance in MENAT.