Cynthia Ignatius

Worldline has partnered with ING and Visa to complete a live pilot for agent-driven payment transactions. The transaction, executed in Germany, was designed to test how AI agents can execute purchases within consumer-defined parameters while remaining compliant with existing European regulatory rules like Strong Customer Authentication. During the pilot, a consumer defined purchase conditions, including the item and timing, and instructed a merchant AI agent to execute the task.

Mashreq has launched an embedded insurance product for SMEs in partnership with Sukoon Insurance. The integration allows businesses to purchase employee and liability coverage directly through the bank’s digital platform, bypassing manual documentation and broker intermediaries. The new offering is available via MashreqBiz, the bank’s online platform.

Telco-backed platforms and emerging super apps are racing to dominate the UAE’s digital wallet market as the majority of consumers shift towards cashless transactions. The UAE is accelerating its shift towards a cashless economy. With a significant majority of consumers now favouring digital wallets for daily transactions, local telcos, legacy banks, and emerging super apps are locked in a battle for everyday transaction volume.