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October 28, 2025

Why European fintechs are flocking to the UAE

The UAE has become a popular hotspot for European fintechs — but it’s not without challenges


Tom Matsuda

5 min read

DUBAI, UAE - NOVEMBER 2: Dubai Marina. UAE. November 2, 2013. Dubai was the fastest developing city in the world between 2002 and 2008.

European fintechs are flocking to the United Arab Emirates and wider Gulf region in a bid to capture untapped regional market share. 

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Tom Matsuda

Tom Matsuda is a fintech reporter at Sifted and writes our weekly fintech newsletter. Find him on X and LinkedIn

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