Fintech Expansion: Saudi-UAE BNPL-to-banking player Tabby raised US$233m at a $6.5bn valuation, backed by Blue Pool Capital, and secured Saudi Central Bank consumer/SME finance licences plus a UAE stored-value licence for Tabby Cash. SME Cash Incentives (UAE): Emirates Islamic launched a AED 1.5m ($408k) SME business banking prize campaign, rewarding 21 UAE SMEs with cash prizes for growing account balances. Cross-Border Payments (GCC): Zoth’s zPayments went live on Base, targeting business payouts in local currency across 171 countries, with early corridors including the UAE, Saudi Arabia and Oman. Regional Risk & Trade: An OpEd warns that Red Sea disruptions around Bab el-Mandeb are raising war-risk costs and tightening trade finance, hitting Horn of Africa projects and prices far beyond the strait. Sovereign Credit Signal (UAE): S&P affirmed Ras Al Khaimah’s A/A-1 rating with a stable outlook, citing fiscal discipline and liquidity buffers. Fuel Pressure (Middle East): Syria saw diesel and petrol price hikes spark protests, with the government citing refined fuel supply shocks tied to wider regional conflict. Healthcare Innovation (Israel): NurExone and NanoPass will test integrating NanoPass’s MicronJet delivery platform with NurExone exosome formulations for eye and skin applications. Venture Debt (Egypt): GIZ-backed Scale It Forward added AMAN, Bokra and Erada as venture-debt partners to expand non-dilutive financing for Egyptian scaleups.