Arabian Gulf Business Insight | AGBI · 22 Sep, 12:53 · Finance briefing

Indian payments giant PhonePe receives approval for UAE

Indian digital payments leader PhonePe has secured regulatory approval to operate in the United Arab Emirates.

What it means for you ↓ Courses for this story

28%average pay gap between certified and uncertified finance staff

2.4xfaster promotion with a professional credential

83%of finance leaders rank upskilling a top-3 priority

20days to your first credential

The briefing

The story
in brief.

What happened, who it affects, and why it landed on our intelligence desk — in plain English, sixty seconds or less.

Indian digital payments leader PhonePe has secured regulatory approval to operate in the United Arab Emirates. This strategic expansion marks a significant entry into the Middle Eastern fintech market, leveraging the company’s established infrastructure and user base from India. The move underscores growing cross-border collaboration in digital financial services and highlights the UAE’s continued appeal as a hub for innovative technology firms seeking regional growth opportunities and broader market diversification.

Employer demand for AI in Banking skills — indexed growth since 2019
Indicative index of skill mentions in professional job postings for the field this story moves (2019 = 1)

Your move

What this means
for your career.

Every headline redistributes opportunity. Here is who this one rewards — and how to be on the right side of it.

This expansion signals a surge in demand for professionals skilled in cross-border fintech operations and regulatory compliance. You should prioritise expertise in financial technology integration and international payment systems. If you work in finance or tech, study UAE regulatory frameworks and digital wallet architectures. Smart professionals will upskill in risk management and strategic market entry. Focus on understanding cross-border transaction protocols and localisation strategies. Consider roles in compliance, product management, or business development within fintech firms expanding globally. Mastering these areas positions you for high-value opportunities in this rapidly evolving sector.

For this story, the fields that convert it into pay are AI in Banking, Finance and Accounting, Compliance And Governance and Business And Management — exactly the programmes matched below. The chart shows the indicative salary uplift certified professionals report in each of those fields; every one of them is a click away, from £79, finishing in as few as 20 days.

Indicative salary uplift in the fields matched to this story
Indicative ranges from published continuing-education salary studies, by field — each field is a recommended course below

Matched to this story

Enrol in these
to benefit.

These programmes position you for exactly this shift — online, self-paced, and finishing with a verifiable certificate you can share the day you pass.