The big picture
Gulf fintech, China's cross-border CBDC ambitions, and Pakistan remittance flows dominate Aug 14.
Why it matters
China's mBridge expansion targets UAE and Saudi corridors, directly affecting how expats and businesses may settle cross-border payments. Meanwhile, a $45m fintech push into Gulf markets and fresh Pakistan remittance data hit expat wallets from two sides.
The details
TechTimes
PBOC targets Gulf: China's mBridge CBDC Names UAE and Saudi Arabia as Priority Expansion Corridors. China's five-year plan commits to scaling mBridge — its multi-central-bank digital currency platform — with the UAE and Saudi Arabia listed as priority corridors, raising settlement and sanctions-compliance questions for Gulf-based businesses.
Read at TechTimes ->
Zawya
SAMA co-hosts summit: SAMA and CMA to Co-Host Money20/20 Middle East in Riyadh, 14–16 September 2026. Saudi Arabia's central bank, capital markets regulator, and insurance authority will jointly host the region's flagship fintech conference in Riyadh next month, signalling continued regulatory engagement with the sector.
Read at Zawya ->
FinTech Futures
Yuno targets Gulf: Payments Fintech Yuno Raises $45m Series B, Eyes Aggressive Gulf Market Entry. Colombia-founded payment orchestration firm Yuno secured $45m in Series B funding, directing capital toward Gulf expansion and an agentic AI strategy as it pushes toward profitability.
Read at FinTech Futures ->
What to watch
Money20/20 Middle East opens in Riyadh on 14 September 2026 — watch for SAMA and CMA policy announcements made from the conference stage.
The Gulf Money digest surfaces reported news from third-party publications. We do not republish the stories themselves - every headline above links to the original source so you can read the publisher's own coverage.