Fintech is pulling in more money than any other sector in the Middle East and North Africa, even as the region faces ongoing political and economic uncertainty. In the first six months of 2026, fintech startups raised $708 million across 51 funding rounds, according to Wamda. No other industry came close.
In August 2026, MENA fintech startups raised $375 million across 27 deals, marking an 11% increase compared to the same month the previous year.
New entrants and regional spread
This year, the top fintech list includes companies from ten different countries. The United Arab Emirates leads with 15 firms, Saudi Arabia follows with 13, and Egypt has 10. Eighteen new names have joined the list, including Network International, Astra Tech, PRYPCO, and Digit9. The field is getting more crowded, and new capital and ideas are flowing in.
To make the list, companies had to show strong numbers in 2025 transaction volumes, app downloads, active users, and growth. The selection also looked at how widely each company operates, their track record in digital payments, their impact on customers and businesses, and their funding or valuation. The ranking left out fintech arms of exchange houses, banks, telecoms, and government-owned firms. Only independent, tech-driven financial companies were considered.
Investment climate and sector outlook
Regional unrest has not slowed fintech’s momentum in MENA. The sector keeps drawing big venture capital, rolling out new products, and expanding into new markets. In early 2026, fintech was the top pick for investors looking for growth in the region. According to an AGBI market update, MNT-Halan plans to list 20% of its Egyptian business on the Egyptian Exchange, offering 320 million shares to institutional buyers and through a public sale.
In September 2026, Tabby secured $233 million in new funding, boosting its valuation to $6.5 billion and underscoring the continued appetite for high-growth fintechs in the region.
Beyond the headline numbers, MNT-Halan has wrapped up three securitisation deals worth over EGP 4 billion (about $76.5 million). That includes a Halan Consumer Finance issuance of EGP 528.5 million and two Tasaheel for Finance issuances of EGP 1.2 billion and EGP 2.28 billion, according to Disrupt Africa. Commercial International Bank Egypt has also pledged up to EGP 2 billion (roughly $37.3 million) to anchor MNT-Halan’s upcoming IPO. This kind of institutional backing points to strong confidence in the sector’s future.
