Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed recognises the Dubai fintech company, which now serves 500,000 users and supports more than 290,000 business owners across the UAE.
Dubai-based fintech company Ziina has won the Dubai-it Award for Companies in the Field of Business, following the announcement by H.H. Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Crown Prince of Dubai, Deputy Prime Minister, Minister of Defence and Chairman of The Executive Council of Dubai, on October 31, 2026.
The recognition follows Ziina’s rapid growth from a peer-to-peer money transfer application into an integrated digital payments platform. The company has processed more than $1.5 billion in payments, serves 500,000 users and supports over 290,000 business owners across the UAE.
From a Money Transfer App to a Digital Payments Platform
Ziina was founded in Dubai by siblings Faisal, Sarah and Talal Toukan, who named the company after their mother.
The platform initially focused on simplifying money transfers between individuals before expanding into a broader financial service that enables users to send, receive, store and spend money digitally.
One of its key developments has been making payment acceptance easier for businesses. Through mobile-based solutions, merchants can receive payments directly using their smartphones without requiring separate payment terminals.
These services are particularly relevant to small and medium-sized enterprises, independent entrepreneurs and home-based businesses seeking accessible ways to manage everyday transactions.
Ziina Records 163% Growth in Active Businesses
Ziina’s expansion is reflected in several figures announced alongside its Dubai-it Award recognition:
- More than $1.5 billion in payment volume processed.
- 500,000 users served by the platform.
- Over 290,000 business owners supported across the UAE.
- More than 13 products and features introduced over four years.
- 163% growth in active businesses on the platform within one year.
The payment volume represents the value of transactions processed through Ziina, not the company’s revenue or profit.
The figures highlight how digital financial services are becoming increasingly relevant to the daily operations of smaller businesses, particularly those seeking simpler payment acceptance and greater flexibility.
Sheikh Hamdan Recognises Ziina’s Entrepreneurial Growth
Sheikh Hamdan congratulated the company’s founders, highlighting their ability to build a Dubai-based financial platform that expanded rapidly while delivering practical solutions for businesses.
The recognition reflects the philosophy of Dubai-it, an initiative launched by H.H. Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum to encourage exceptional achievements, effective execution and measurable impact.
Mohammad Abdullah Al Gergawi, Chairman of the Executive Office of Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, also highlighted Ziina as an example of how young Arab entrepreneurs can develop technological capabilities and create economic value through business innovation.
The Dubai-it Award recognises companies, institutions, projects and individuals that transform ambitious ideas into tangible results through excellence and rapid execution.
What Ziina’s Success Means for Dubai’s Fintech Sector
Ziina’s growth reflects the increasing role of financial technology in supporting everyday business activity in the UAE.
For smaller enterprises, accessible payment solutions can simplify customer transactions and reduce reliance on conventional point-of-sale hardware. These services address payment acceptance, complementing other financial needs such as working-capital financing for SMEs.
The company’s expansion also reflects the importance of Dubai’s business and innovation ecosystem, where entrepreneurial activity, technology and access to markets support emerging businesses.
Ziina’s Dubai-it Award demonstrates how a digital service developed by regional founders can expand from a focused consumer application into a platform serving hundreds of thousands of users and business owners.
Sources: