Ziina and Virtuzone partner to deliver unified payments and instant settlement to UAE SMEs. Powered by DUBAI, UAE - March 12, 2026 - Ziina and Virtuzone announced a strategic partnership to integrate seamless payments with company formation services, empowering UAE SMEs with instant settlement and unified transaction management. The collaboration enables merchants to accept payments across online and in-person channels while gaining immediate fund access via the Ziina Card. With over 1.4 million companies registered in the UAE by end-2025, the partnership addresses critical cash flow needs amid the country's SME boom. Overview. Announcement specifics. The partnership embeds Ziina's regulated payment gateway into Virtuzone's ecosystem. Newly formed businesses via Virtuzone can deploy Ziina's solutions for payment links, QR codes, Tap to Pay on iPhone/Android, card acceptance, and bank transfers. Key benefits include instant settlement for immediate liquidity and spendable funds through the Ziina Card via Apple Pay and Google Pay. Virtuzone, Dubai-based since 2009, has supported over 80,000 entrepreneurs; Ziina serves more than 260,000 users. Specific transaction volumes were undisclosed. Stakeholder perspectives. "Entrepreneurs launching businesses prioritise speed, simplicity, and early revenue generation. Payments infrastructure plays a critical role from the moment a company begins operating. Through our partnership with Virtuzone, founders can easily deploy Ziina's payment solutions, enabling them to accept payments, access funds instantly, and manage cash flow with greater control from day one." - Faisal Toukan, Co-Founder and CEO at Ziina Why it matters: The statement underscores the partnership's focus on day-one operational readiness, vital for cash-strapped startups. "Company formation and corporate services are fundamentally about enabling businesses to become operational with speed, while ensuring full compliance and a robust foundation for scalable growth. Payment acceptance represents a critical component of that readiness. Integrating Ziina into the Virtuzone ecosystem provides our clients with a seamless, regulated solution aligned with the realities of modern commerce in the UAE." - George Hojeige, Group CEO at Virtuzone Why it matters: It highlights compliance-aligned fintech integration, reducing barriers for SMEs. Industry context. SMEs comprise 94% of UAE registered companies and employ 86% of the private workforce, fueled by non-oil reforms and digital initiatives. Visa research shows over 70% of UAE merchants reported revenue growth from digital payments, with 68% tying expansion to diverse methods. Virtuzone, part of Ascentium, has aided more than 63,000 entities across 23 markets. This deal amplifies fintech's role in SME scaling, potentially boosting conversions and stability in a market exceeding 1.4 million firms as Dubai positions the UAE as an entrepreneurship hub. Conclusion. This partnership sets a benchmark for fintech-corporate service synergies, poised to accelerate UAE SME growth and liquidity. Future expansions may target multi-emirate rollouts, solidifying Dubai's fintech leadership. Reach industry leaders, innovators, and decision-makers in the fintech community. Submit Your PR

Home-grown payments platform Ziina launches Violet lifestyle membership. Ziina Violet offers a new way for UAE residents to get real value from everyday living Life in the UAE moves fast. People commute, work, eat out, stay active, shop online, travel often, and rely on brands that help their day run smoothly. At the same time, consumers are becoming more selective. They want value they can feel, transparency they can trust and benefits that genuinely fit into their routines instead of sitting unused in a loyalty account. Ziina, the UAE's home-grown payments platform, believes consumers deserve better. The company has launched Ziina Violet, a lifestyle membership designed around real life in the UAE. For Dh100 per month, members receive more than Dh850 in monthly value from everyday brands they already use, along with one feature many UAE consumers will immediately appreciate - zero currency fees on global spending using the Ziina Card. For frequent travellers, online shoppers and families paying in foreign currencies, this matters. Foreign exchange markups quietly add up, especially when booking flights and hotels, subscribing to streaming services or shopping internationally online. Ziina Violet removes those hidden extras, letting members pay globally at the true currency exchange rate. In addition, Ziina Violet brings together a curated selection of lifestyle benefits from brands UAE residents love. Members receive recurring monthly benefits from SALT, ounass, deliveroo, classpass, CAFU, yango, bateel el'an, washmen, letswork, bake my day and nordvpn, creating a single platform of value that covers food, shopping, transport, wellness and daily essentials. Instead of collecting points, managing multiple programmes or navigating complicated redemption processes, Ziina Violet focuses on something simpler: recurring monthly benefits people can actually use. Ziina Violet is designed to make everyday life in the UAE feel easier and more rewarding. It brings together brands people love in one place, removes friction from spending and gives consumers real everyday value. Faisal Toukan Co-founder and CEO of Ziina Tackling loyalty fatigue. The UAE is one of the world's most digitally engaged markets. The median age is 32.8. Mobile payments are widespread. Residents live globally but expect convenience locally. At the same time, loyalty fatigue is real. Although the UAE's loyalty industry continues to grow, many programmes struggle with fragmented experiences, limited relevance or benefits that look appealing on paper but rarely translate into something useful. Violet was built directly in response to that consumer sentiment. Ziina's team spent months listening to users and studying how people actually move through their day. What they heard repeatedly was that UAE consumers want simplicity, predictability and benefits grounded in everyday life. Unlike traditional rewards programmes, Ziina Violet is built around daily living. You continue doing what you already do by eating out, commuting, shopping, working out and travelling with brands you already use and Ziina Violet gives you recurring benefits from those same brands, all in one place. As the UAE continues to embrace a mobile-first lifestyle, Ziina Violet reflects a wider shift in consumer expectations: value should be immediate, meaningful and designed around people. For those who live globally, spend frequently and enjoy the UAE's vibrant lifestyle, Ziina Violet offers a compelling proposition: one membership, one card, and one unified experience designed to make daily life feel smarter and smoother. Ziina Violet is now available to all users through the Ziina app. This content comes from Reach by Gulf News, which is the branded content team of GN Media.