Gaming giant Electronic Arts taken private in $55B Saudi-backed buyout The transaction represents a significant deal involving entities close to the Saudi Arabian and US governments. Saudi Arabia
Analysis Gulf investors emerge as key players in US social media giants TikTok, Snap, X With UAE tech investor MGX set to take a stake in TikTok's US operations, investors from the Middle East could cement their role in America's social media landscape. By Samuel Wendel In Washington, DC, reporting on regional business and tech
PayPal bets $100M as Middle East’s Gulf fintech giants amplify competition The move from the US payments giant comes amid a flurry of activity that has further cemented the Gulf’s fintech sector on the map for global investors — including Saudi Arabia's Tamara, which recently secured a $2.4 billion financing deal. United Arab Emirates
Google Pay, China’s Alipay+ launch in Saudi Arabia amid cashless push Both payment platforms will use mada, the kingdom’s national payment system. By Jack Dutton In Bristol, reporting on regional business, climate change, AI, tech
Israel's Elbit clinches $53M deal to sell mortar systems to Europe Between 2019 and 2023, Israeli weapons constituted 2.4% of the global market, massively reshaped by Russia's invasion of Ukraine and increased imports by European countries. Israel
Chinese investors skeptical as Gulf pushes for deeper economic ties with Beijing Gulf states are building economic ties with Beijing in non-energy fields, but Chinese investors remain skeptical of ambitious economic diversification plans in the Gulf. By Sebastian Castelier In Dubai, reporting on regional business
Interview Saudi Arabia's giga-projects to offer 'testing ground' for British technology Saudi startups and fintech firms are looking to tap into the United Kingdom's $1 trillion tech market. Matt Jones Saudi British Joint Business Council Project Officer
What Binance's new Dubai license means for UAE cryptocurrency sector Binance, one of the largest crypto exchanges in the world, has experienced some legal setbacks recently and is the latest firm to receive Dubai’s coveted VASP license. United Arab Emirates
Google fires 28 staffers after protesting Israel cloud contract More than two dozen staff members have been fired after being arrested for protesting Google’s involvement in Project Nimbus, a $1.2 billion Israeli government cloud contract that also includes e-commerce giant Amazon. Israel
Microsoft pumps $1.5B into UAE's G42 amid US-China tech power struggle Washington reportedly threatened to punish G42 if it did not reduce its ties with Beijing and strengthen its US commitments. United Arab Emirates
IDF scrambles GPS systems in central Israel against potential Iranian reprisal The Israeli military is apparently behind disturbances to location-based applications in central Israel in an effort to thwart potential airstrikes from Iran and its proxy forces. Israel
With $40B fund, Saudi Arabia looks to become world leader in AI The fund would make the Gulf state the world’s largest investor in AI and help the kingdom realize its Vision 2030 agenda to diversify the economy away from oil. Saudi Arabia
Israeli cryptocurrency exchange to launch shekel-backed stablecoin Stablecoins, which are digital currencies that are pegged to stable assets such as fiat currencies, have a degree of appeal in the Middle East. Israel
What to know about MGX, UAE’s latest AI investment firm The launch of the AI-focused firm follows the UAE’s largest company appointing an AI bot to its board, as Abu Dhabi seeks to become a world player in artificial intelligence. United Arab Emirates
AI and cloud investments dominate Saudi Arabia's LEAP tech summit Amazon Web Services and DataVolt were among the companies that made significant cloud investments in the kingdom, which is looking to become a global technology hub. Saudi Arabia
Iran showcases Shahed drones, missiles at Qatar's defense exhibition This year’s Doha International Maritime Defence Exhibition and Conference features Iranian drones, Russian warships and delegations from across Asia and Africa. Legacy: Gulf
