Hamdan bin Mohammed announces granting the Dubai Actions Dubai-it Award in the corporate category in the commercial field to Ziina * Publication date: Saturday - 06:48 pm | 2026-10-31 Built by young Arabs in Dubai to provide financial solutions, its payments reached $1.5 billion Hamdan bin Mohammed: * "Ziina"... It launched from Dubai with the hands of young Arabs, made it easier for thousands of companies to accept payments via mobile... and its payment volume exceeded $1.5 billion in record time * "Ziina" made it easier for thousands of companies to accept payments via mobile... and its payment volume exceeded $1.5 billion * The platform redesigned the payments experience to be simpler and smoother via mobile * It launched more than 13 products and features over 4 years * It reached 500,000 users and supports more than 290,000 business owners * The platform achieved 163% growth in the number of active companies within one year Dubai, xx October 2026: His Highness Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Crown Prince of Dubai, Deputy Prime Minister, Minister of Defence, and Chairman of the Executive Council of the Emirate of Dubai, congratulated Ziina on winning the Dubai Actions Dubai-it Award in the corporate category in the commercial field, in recognition of its success in developing a financial platform that launched from Dubai, provided easy and fast payment solutions for entrepreneurs, and transformed in record time from a peer-to-peer transfers app into an integrated financial platform. His Highness said: "We announce the granting of the Dubai Actions Dubai-it Award in the corporate category in the commercial field to Ziina... It launched from Dubai with the hands of young Arabs and made it easier for thousands of companies to accept payments via mobile... its payment volume exceeded $1.5 billion in record time." His Highness added: "Faisal Toukan, Sarah, and Talal found in Dubai an opportunity to build an integrated financial platform, which they named after their mother... Today it serves 500,000 users and supports 290,000 business owners and small and home-based projects... This is the Dubai-it philosophy... to seize opportunities, grow with your ambition, and achieve an accomplishment whose impact extends... Congratulations to the Ziina team." The siblings Faisal, Sarah, and Talal Toukan developed the Ziina payments platform from scratch in Dubai, and provided a unified experience that enables individuals and companies to send, receive, hold, and spend money easily. The platform redesigned the payments experience to be simpler and smoother via mobile, and enabled business owners to accept payments directly through their phones without the need for separate payment devices. Ziina launched more than 13 products and features over four years, enabling money to be sent, received, held, and spent; payment volume exceeded $1.5 billion; and the platform reached 500,000 users and supports more than 290,000 business owners, small and medium-sized companies, and home-based project owners in the UAE. The company achieved 163% growth in the number of active companies on the platform within one year, with continuous growth in user numbers since its launch. His Excellency Mohammed Abdullah Al Gergawi, Chairman of the Executive Office of His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, said: "In Dubai, opportunities are available to everyone, and young Arabs have an environment that enables them to build their companies, develop their capabilities, and turn their ideas into exceptional successes. Dubai's philosophy of work, Dubai-it, gives this ambition a clear approach: an exceptional achievement, in record time, and with high quality. The Ziina experience embodies the ability of young Arabs to participate in building the new economy and to develop financial solutions that support business growth and expand entrepreneurship opportunities." His Excellency added: "The honoring of Ziina with the Dubai Actions Award comes in appreciation of an experience that transformed the opportunities Dubai offers into Arab technical capabilities and tangible economic value. We want the award to motivate more young people to take initiative and build; every successful company launched from Dubai opens the way for new opportunities and confirms that the ambitions of young Arabs can be transformed here into achievements that compete globally." The Ziina experience translates the Dubai-it approach to work: speed in development, excellence in delivering the experience, and exceptional growth that turns financial technology into real value for individuals and businesses. His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, may God protect him, had launched the "Dubai Actions" initiative to embody Dubai's philosophy of work and its development model based on achievement, hard work, and determination to turn ambitions into tangible achievements in record time. The initiative aims to consolidate a culture of achievement in institutions and companies and to transform Dubai's philosophy of work into a sustainable institutional approach based on speed, mastery, and making an impact. Under the directives of His Highness Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, the Dubai Actions Award (Dubai-it Award) was launched. It is an annual award to honor those who achieved according to Dubai's philosophy of work and realized the true meaning of "Dubai-it," which is accomplishing something exceptional with mastery and excellence and in record time. The award targets individuals, projects, institutions, and companies that contributed to turning ideas and ambitions into tangible achievements and results, and to embodying Dubai's philosophy of work through actions and projects with a clear impact.

Dubai-based fintech startup Ziina has secured $22 million in Series A funding led by Altos Ventures, with participation from Fintech Collective, Avenir Growth, Activant Capital, Y Combinator, FJ Labs, MEVP, and Jabbar Internet Group. The round comes as global fintech funding dropped from $144.2 billion in 2021 to $40.7 billion last year. Ziina serves the UAE's 560,000 small and medium-sized enterprises, which comprise 94% of all businesses and contribute 60% of GDP. The company received a Stored Value Facility license from the UAE Central Bank in 2023, allowing it to hold customer funds. The startup will use the funding to develop products including ZiiCard, a digital wallet-linked card with expense tracking and payment splitting features. Ziina plans to expand into Saudi Arabia and Jordan.

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