Ziina

Last updated
Ziina
Company typePrivate
Industry Financial services
FoundedJanuary 2020;5 years ago (2020-01)
FoundersFaisal Toukan, Sarah Toukan, Andrew Gold
Headquarters Dubai, United Arab Emirates
Website www.ziina.com

Ziina is a company based in Dubai, United Arab Emirates that specialises in digital payments. [1] Its digital wallet is currently used in the United Arab Emirates. [2]

Contents

History

The company was established in January 2020 [3] by Faisal Toukan, Sarah Toukan, Andrew Gold. [4] [5] It was originally designed to for peer-to-peer payments. [6] Ziina was backed by Y-Combinator and other companies. [7]

Overview

Similar to Venmo in the United States, [8] Ziina currently allows users in the UAE to make payments using registered phone numbers, [9] with no IBAN or SWIFT code necessary. [10] [11]

Ziina can be used via Android and iOS. [12] Users can also request payments via WhatsApp, Instagram, and other messaging platforms. [13] The Ziina app makes use of a keyboard known as the ZiiBoard. [14]

Although currently available only in the United Arab Emirates as of 2022, Ziina has made plans to expand to other MENA countries such as Jordan. [15]

Ziina also has a payment gateway for online merchants. [6] [16]

See also

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References

  1. "UAE-Based SME Fintech Ziina Secures $22 Million in Series A Funding". CairoScene. 2024-07-17. Retrieved 2024-09-04.
  2. Dot, Red (2024-08-22). "Red Dot Design Award: Ziina". Red Dot Design Award. Retrieved 2024-09-04.
  3. Sharma, Alkesh (2022-10-17). "Generation start-up: how UAE's Ziina is working to boost financial literacy in Middle East". The National. Retrieved 2024-09-04.
  4. Kene-Okafor, Tage (2021-06-07). "YC-backed Ziina raises $7.5M seed led by Avenir Growth Capital and Class 5 Global". TechCrunch. Retrieved 2024-09-04.
  5. Paracha, Zubair Naeem (2021-01-19). "Dubai fintech Ziina gets Y Combinator's backing for its social P2P payment app, raises seed round". MENAbytes. Retrieved 2024-09-04.
  6. 1 2 Kene-Okafor, Tage (2024-09-03). "Ziina banks $22M as growth explodes for the UAE-based fintech for small businesses". TechCrunch. Retrieved 2024-09-04.
  7. East, Fintechnews Middle (2021-06-08). "Dubai's P2P Payments Firm Ziina Raises US$7.5 Million Ahead of Saudi Expansion Plans". Fintechnews Middle East. Retrieved 2024-09-04.
  8. Fernandez, Keith J (2021-07-04). "UAE gets a peer-to-peer payments app that lets you split bills with friends". The National. Retrieved 2024-09-04.
  9. Gibbon, Gavin (2020-05-19). "Payment by text: UAE fintech app Ziina simplifies money transfers". Arabian Business. Retrieved 2024-09-04.
  10. East, Forbes Middle (2021-06-08). "UAE-Based Fintech Startup Ziina Raises $7.5M In Seed Round—Here's Where It Plans To Use The Funds". Forbes ME. Retrieved 2024-09-04.
  11. "Ziina heralds new age of online payments with digital wallet for UAE". Khaleej Times. 2022-02-08. Retrieved 2024-09-04.
  12. "Home-grown app Ziina recognised by international Red Dot Design Award, ushering in new era of design excellence in technology". ZAWYA. 2022-03-21. Retrieved 2024-09-04.
  13. "Ziina: A digital wallet for the Middle East & North Africa". Y Combinator. 2022-10-27. Retrieved 2024-09-04.
  14. "Dubai fintech Ziina tests 'payments keyboard' for businesses to get paid over messaging apps". Markets – Gulf News. 2022-08-10. Retrieved 2024-09-04.
  15. Bhat, Divsha (2022-09-07). "UAE-based fintech Ziina eyes Jordan in regional push". Gulf Business. Retrieved 2024-09-04.
  16. "Dubai fintech Ziina raises $22 million Series A to grow its payments platform for businesses". MENAbytes. 2024-09-03. Retrieved 2024-09-04.