National Bank of Fujairah

National Bank of Fujairah posts 43.7% rise in net profit for Q1 2022

The bank’s operating income for Q1 2022 reached Dhs412.8m, up 14.6 per cent compared to compared to Dhs360.2m recorded during a year-earlier period

New Takaful provider

Dubai, Abu Dhabi companies to merge to create new Takaful provider

The merged company would benefit from cross-selling opportunities via increased geographic footprint and via capitalising on larger underwriting capacity

Agtech Red Sea farms

Agtech Red Sea Farms completes $18.5m fund raise

The agtech company will use the funds for its global and regional expansion plans, including the expansion of its fresh produce business in the GCC

ADCB Q1 2022 earnings

ADCB reports 32% rise in net profit to Dhs1.48bn for Q1 2022

ADCB reported that its Hayyak onboarding app registered a record number of around 57,000 new customers in a single quarter

Oman to split sovereign wealth fund into two portfolios

The country posted a budget surplus of $545m in the first two months of this year

Jubail Island ADIB financing

ADIB signs off Dhs500m Sharia’a-compliant deal to develop Jubail Island

The funding will cover the construction of up to 453 villas and 133 townhouses as part of the Phase 1 development of Jubail Island

Stripe

Stripe teams up with Twitter in renewed crypto payments push

The company processed $640bn in payments in 2021

Kraken joins ADGM

Cryptocurrency exchange Kraken joins ADGM’s virtual assets community

Kraken has received a Financial Services Permission license to operate a regulated virtual asset exchange platform in ADGM

Digital wallet

Careem Pay launches peer-to-peer transfer facility and digital wallet in the UAE

It will soon issue Careem cards that can be used at ATMs and merchants, and will also introduce international remittance solutions

Emirates NBD

Dubai’s Emirates NBD reports 18% rise in net profit for Q1 2022

Total income increased 3 per cent year-on-year to Dhs6.4bn

DIFC-based Tarabut gateway

DIFC-based fintech Tarabut Gateway receives DFSA licence

This licence marks the first time the DFSA has authorised a firm to provide account information services and payment initiation services activities

UAE Central Bank launches two new banknotes

The new banknotes are the third issue of the national currency

UAE money laundering prosecution office

UAE to launch domestic dirhams Treasury Bonds worth Dhs1.5bn

The securities will be auctioned and traded through Bloomberg’s Auction System and settled through a local platform

Bahrain seizes on oil windfall to rebuild funds hit by pandemic

The country will put $2 into the Future Generations Reserve Fund for each barrel of crude sold at over $80

HSBC becomes first international general clearing member on Dubai Financial Market

The bank will be able to provide clearing and settlement services to its customers worldwide and to other DFM trading members

Bitcoin falls to lowest in a month as risk aversion takes oll

Bitcoin has been struggling along with risk assets in recent months

Gold rises to five-week high with growing risks boosting havens

The precious metal climbed as much as 0.5 per cent in early Asian trading after capping a second weekly gain

Standard Chartered closes transition trade facility

StanChart plans to exit seven markets in Africa, Middle East

The markets it plans to exit made up about 1 per cent of total group income in 2021

Binance

IN4X Global introduces cryptocurrency payment solution in the Middle East

IN4X’s platform, a quick, secure and easy-to-use payment processor and crypto payment gateway, will enable businesses to accept cryptocurrencies as payment

UAE’s FTA launches whistleblower programme for tax violations

Effective from April 15, Raqeeb grants the informants with monetary rewards if the report leads the FTA to collect tax worth more than Dhs50,000

Investcorp sets up infrastructure investment platform in North America

Investcorp’s new platform will enable investments in critical infrastructure companies and projects across North America

UAE’s ADX rebrands ‘growth market’ to boost private sector listings

The growth market will enable companies to directly list their shares on ADX, without the need for an initial public offering

First Abu Dhabi Bank

UAE lender First Abu Dhabi Bank pulls bid for Egypt’s EFG-Hermes

FAB had offered to buy a majority stake in EFG-Hermes in February

Bitcoin surpasses $41,000 as technical analysts predict bounce

Bitcoin has been largely stuck in a range of about $35,000 to $45,000 this year

IEA cuts oil demand forecast as China reimposes lockdowns

IEA members announced last week that they will deploy 240 million barrels from emergency reserves

Abu Dhabi invests in Egyptian firms to help shore up economy

Egypt’s central bank held a special policy meeting in March and hiked interest rates for the first time since 2017

Interview: EFG Hermes’ Karim Awad shares the strategy driving the company’s success

The group CEO, chairman of the executive committee, and member of the board of EFG Hermes Holding, shares the company’s key milestones

ADQ and Chimera Investments to launch UAE’s first SPAC on ADX

With the launch and listing of ADC, ADQ and Chimera aim to capitalise on ADX’s newly-issued SPAC regulations

UAE’s National Bonds’ investments rise by 36% to Dhs11.89bn in 2021

National Bonds reported an increase of 17 per cent and 9 per cent, respectively, in its women and junior saver segments’ investments in 2021