AGP Executive Report

SME Payments Upgrade (Gulf): Visa says it’s turning smartphones into payment tools for small merchants via Visa Accept and Visa Direct, aiming to help microsellers and growing online SMEs in markets like Qatar’s contactless-heavy retail scene. Digital KYC Push (Kuwait): AZ eWallet in Kuwait is using Shufti’s liveness checks to speed up onboarding while meeting AML/KYC expectations. Cyber Risk for Small Firms (Middle East + global): Bitdefender warns of ransomware phishing that impersonates Interpol and tricks small businesses into downloading malware via password-protected archives. SME Finance Boost (Cambodia): ADB launched a $20m energy-efficiency revolving fund to help women-led SMEs cut energy costs and invest in efficient tech. SME Banking Awards (Egypt/Saudi/Ghana): Banque du Caire won “Fastest Growing SME Bank Egypt 2026,” Arab National Bank took “Best SME Bank Saudi Arabia 2026,” and Absa Bank Ghana collected multiple SME-focused awards. Startup/Entrepreneurship (Bahrain/Israel): StartUp Bahrain pitch winners included “Robot Ahmed” and “Evoha,” while Tel Aviv’s Shuk Olim showcased dozens of immigrant entrepreneurs selling from their newly opened small businesses. Energy for Microbusinesses (Nigeria): Nigeria completed 23 solar mini-grid projects powering about 50,000 people, with support for businesses, schools, and agri-processing centers.

Embedded SME Insurance: Mashreq and Sukoon Insurance have launched instant, embedded SME insurance inside MashreqBiz in the UAE, letting businesses buy Workmen’s Compensation and Third-Party Liability coverage digitally with pre-filled data and paperless checkout. Digital Payments Push: Visa says it’s expanding tools for small merchants across CEMEA, including Visa Accept (smartphone card acceptance for micro-sellers) and Visa Direct (embedded payouts to staff/contractors). SME Export Gap in Thailand: Thailand’s commerce and banking committee says export growth isn’t reaching many SMEs; capacity use is low and revenues for hundreds of SMEs are still declining, so it plans better classification and targeted support via SME federations. Banking Reform Momentum (Pakistan): Pakistan’s finance ministry highlights early reform wins in its first 100 days and flags SME finance and digital payments as key themes for upcoming banking discussions. SME Finance Demand (UK): FBX Capital Group reports strong growth as UK SMEs increasingly turn to faster alternative lending amid tighter bank criteria. Tourism & Micro-Enterprise (Oman): Dhofar’s tourism push continues, with more hotel capacity and renewed focus on local operators.

SME Support Push (Thailand): Thailand’s commerce and banking committee says export growth isn’t lifting many SMEs into stronger production or jobs, with capacity use at 59.6% and survey data showing revenue declines at about 330 SME firms; it plans targeted support by classifying SMEs outside the formal system (retail, tourism, energy) with the Federation of Thai SMEs. SME Finance (Saudi Arabia): Tabby won Saudi Central Bank approvals for SME lending and higher-value financing, adding to its consumer and SME finance licences. Banking Consolidation (Türkiye): Turkey’s state participation banks are set to merge (Ziraat Katilim, Vakif Katilim, Halk Katilim) to create a larger interest-free player, aiming for stronger scale and creditworthiness. Payments for SMEs (Hungary/EU): Pay10 secured an Electronic Money Institution licence in Hungary, preparing an SME-first launch via Pay10 Biz with low-cost acceptance and instant settlements. Microloans (Iraqi Kurdistan): Kurdistan’s labour ministry plans 100 new small-business projects under soft loans, with loan sizes from 10m to 150m dinars. Trade Bank Governance (Iraq/Gulf): Region Trade Bank added senior international figures focused on financial integrity and sanctions compliance as Iraq expands banking ambitions with Gulf partners. Risk Alert (Cybersecurity): Fake Interpol-style emails are targeting small businesses with ransomware via password-protected “evidence” files.

SME Finance & Integrity: Region Trade Bank (RTB) in Qatar named a new board packed with former U.S. Treasury, FATF, Fed and OFAC officials, signaling tighter financial integrity and sanctions-ready governance as Iraq’s financial links deepen. Energy Costs for Businesses: India cut commercial LPG cylinder prices by Rs 183.50 from July 1, easing fuel pressure for hotels, restaurants and caterers, while household LPG rates stayed unchanged—an important near-term relief for small operators. Digital Payments for SMBs: Visa rolled out smartphone-based payment capabilities (Visa Accept/Direct) so small merchants can take card payments without extra hardware, aiming to speed up cash flow in emerging markets across the Middle East and Africa. SME Growth Playbook: Zimbabwe’s SME ministry urged entrepreneurs to adopt AI, e-commerce and product certification to reach international markets and boost competitiveness. Cyber & Identity Risk: A survey found only 48% of organizations trust remote identity checks enough to confirm a real person is behind online onboarding—raising compliance pressure for SMBs moving more services online. Business Confidence Watch: Japan’s manufacturers reported improved confidence in June, but warned the Middle East conflict’s energy shock could still weigh on plans.

SME & Fintech in the Gulf: Visa says it’s turning smartphones into a full payments hub for microsellers and merchants in emerging markets, adding new Visa Accept and Visa Direct capabilities to reduce payment friction. Digital Banking & SME Support (Kuwait): National Bank of Kuwait (NBK) picked up five MEED MENA Banking Excellence Awards, including “Best SME Bank” and “Best Loan Offering,” highlighting its push on retail, credit cards and SME lending. Cybersecurity for Small Firms: GlobalData warns cyberattacks are rising for SMEs, but cyber insurance coverage is still low—only 16.8% have standalone policies. AI Startups in the UAE: Young Emiratis are building AI businesses with Hub71 support, including an AI tool to cut doctor admin work and a platform helping companies improve visibility in AI search. Governance & Trade Finance (Iraq/Türkiye): Region Trade Bank strengthens its board with senior figures from global financial integrity and sanctions oversight, as Iraq modernises its financial sector. Tourism Shock Management (Cyprus): Cyprus’ tourism ministry says losses from Middle East tensions are stabilising, with May arrivals down less than earlier months. Payments & Risk in the Region: Iraq’s MSME liquidity support continues via India-style credit guarantees coverage is mentioned, while Cyprus and regional banks focus on resilience.

SME Finance Boost (UAE/Saudi): Tabby secured SAMA consumer and SME finance licences, enabling longer payment plans for bigger purchases (over SAR 2,000 up to SAR 50,000) and working-capital funding for merchant partners—already integrated by major retailers. SME Payments Expansion (UAE): American Express Middle East and Network International expanded acceptance for UAE SMEs, adding access to 85,000+ new in-store and online locations. Startup Capital (GCC): A Stride Ventures report says GCC venture funding rose 14% in 2025 to about $3.3bn, with early-stage firms increasingly using private debt as VC matures. Community Solar (Oman): Imtidad community solar lets households and businesses buy shares in grid-connected stations for bill credits, creating tender opportunities for local renewable SMEs. Entrepreneurship Training (UAE): ADGM Academy and partners graduated 50 Emirati job seekers from a 3D printing Future Entrepreneurs Programme, showcasing market-ready prototypes. Anti-Money Laundering (Regional business risk): New compliance checks for property transactions are set to tighten scrutiny, raising costs slightly for legitimate buyers while targeting suspicious deals.

SME Finance (Saudi Arabia): Tabby secured consumer and SME finance licences from the Saudi Central Bank (SAMA), enabling longer Shariah-compliant payment plans for shoppers and working-capital funding for retailers on its platform. SME Digital Banking (Egypt): Banque Misr and Vodafone Business expanded digital banking solutions for SMEs, pushing more services through business-friendly channels. SME Capital Markets (Kuwait): Boursa Kuwait opened the door for SME listings with new ECM rules, aiming to widen funding options for smaller firms. SME Growth & Trade (UAE/ADGM): Al Tamimi & Company advised Binance on a regulated tokenized securities deal in Abu Dhabi Global Market, signaling more capital-market pathways for regional businesses. SME Compliance (Australia): New anti-money laundering rules from July 1 will require extra buyer checks in property transactions, likely adding small compliance costs for agents and conveyancers. Business Risk (Iraq): Iraq’s corruption crackdown, including high-profile arrests tied to oil sector investigations, is framed as a start but not a full fix for business uncertainty.

Digital Banking for SMEs: Qatar Islamic Bank (QIB) rolled out an enhanced Corporate App with a new interface in Arabic and English, speeding up account management, transfers, payments, approvals and service requests for corporate and SME users. Women & SME Policy Transfer: South Korea’s KOICA-backed program is training Egyptian officials on gender mainstreaming and women’s entrepreneurship policy, with participants expected to draft adaptable proposals for Egypt. SME Growth via Payments & Trust: A Mastercard SME Confidence Index says South African SMEs are digitally mature, with 80% accepting online payments and strong demand for simpler, safer payment options. Tourism Pipeline with Local Business Impact: Oman’s Dhofar is expanding tourism capacity, with 36 projects in the pipeline and 8,400+ hotel rooms, while Al Mouj Muscat says it supports 167 SMEs and contributed RO 878m to Oman’s GDP over 20 years. Cross-border Retail Access for Beauty Brands: Korea’s SMEs and Startups ministry is helping independent cosmetics labels enter Saudi retail networks, tackling regulatory and distribution hurdles. Energy Shock Watch for Consumers: Nigeria’s FCCPC warned petrol and diesel prices haven’t fallen enough despite easing Gulf tensions, flagging unfair pricing by marketers and refiners. AI & Localization for Creators: Vmake Labs launched an AI video translator workflow for multilingual dubbing, lip sync and enhancement—aimed at scaling content for regional markets. Pre-IPO Trading for AI Hype: STARTRADER launched pre-IPO CFD products tied to OpenAI and Anthropic, offering 5x leverage and 24/7 access.

Tourism & SMEs (Oman): Dhofar is expanding beyond Khareef with 36 tourism projects in the pipeline (23 already under construction) and 123 licensed hotels now offering 8,400+ rooms, aiming to smooth demand across more months. Integrated development impact (Oman): Al Mouj Muscat marked 20 years with an independent study saying it added OMR 878m to Oman’s GDP, generated RO 1bn+ in revenue, attracted RO 880m in FDI, and supports 167 SMEs. SME finance & markets (Kuwait): Boursa Kuwait says its Emerging Companies Market is ready to launch, with listing applications opening after technical tests—designed to give smaller, high-growth firms a capital-raising platform. SME backbone (Türkiye): World Bank/IFC officials mark UN MSME Day by stressing SMEs’ role in Türkiye (about 70% of employment) and pointing to financing and job support delivered during shocks. Informal credit (Iraq): Shorja and Jamila markets in Baghdad are highlighted for a parallel “popular credit” system that lends quickly without contracts or consumer protections—often at undisclosed, compounding rates. Agriculture under pressure (West Bank): Al Jazeera reports West Bank farmers losing orchards after bulldozing tied to settlement expansion, wiping out modest but vital income streams. Payments innovation (UAE/Central Asia): SQRIL says its stablecoin-to-QR payments are expanding into Central Asia, pitching lower merchant costs versus card networks and faster adoption by crypto apps and neobanks.

Capital Markets for SMEs: Boursa Kuwait is moving ahead with its Emerging Companies Market (ECM), ready to accept listing applications after technical tests, aiming to give smaller, high-growth firms a dedicated route to raise capital. SME Push in Turkey: World Bank and IFC officials say Turkish SMEs underpin jobs and production, with policy support framed as both an economic and social priority. Oman Tourism Spillover: Al Mouj Muscat marks 20 years, reporting OMR 878m contribution to Oman’s GDP and support for 167 SMEs, as the tourism-real estate engine keeps generating local activity. Women-led Enterprise in Syria: Jinwar, a women-only village in Hasakah, is rebuilding livelihoods through farming, livestock and cooperative businesses, with residents managing daily life and local governance collectively. Bangladesh Food Security Funding: The World Bank approved $1.1bn emergency financing to protect food supplies and vulnerable households and businesses amid higher fertilizer, fuel and food prices linked to Middle East conflict. SME Financing in Egypt: MSMEDA says it has injected EGP 79.6bn in financing since 1991, backing millions of projects and jobs across Egypt’s governorates. Saudi SME Leadership: Saudi women’s SME ownership and participation are rising fast under Vision 2030, with reforms and programs like Monsha’at cited as key drivers.

SME Finance Push (Egypt): MSMEDA says it has injected EGP 79.6bn in financing since 1991, backing 4+ million projects and creating 6.8m jobs, with a big acceleration since 2014. SME Growth via Tech (UAE): Oxyfinz launched an SME-focused initiative for boutique wealth managers, aiming to narrow the tech gap in portfolio tools and data infrastructure across the Emirates. Tourism-to-Income Test (Oman): A Dhofar tourism piece asks the key question for small firms: how much money stays locally during Khareef; official SME-linked work rose to RO 6.5m by Q3 2024, but the “missing number” is still the full local spend. Women-Led Enterprise (Saudi Arabia): Saudi women now own nearly 45% of SMEs, with experts pointing to reforms and Vision 2030 programs like Monsha’at. Food Security Shock (Bangladesh/World Bank): The World Bank approved $1.1bn emergency financing, including $300m for fertiliser imports and $713m for cash transfers and support for vulnerable households and small businesses amid Middle East-linked price pressures. Women’s Cooperative Village (Syria): Hasakah’s Jinwar highlights a women-only village model built around farming, workshops, and shared governance to rebuild livelihoods after conflict. Local Business & Pride (MENA-linked culture): Cannes Lions 2026 saw 20 Lions for MENA agencies, led by FP7 McCANN MENAT, signaling continued creative momentum that can feed regional SME marketing budgets.

SME Finance & Growth: Turkey saw 119,178 business closures from Jan 2022 to Mar 2026 amid inflation and high borrowing costs, with officials noting more than one closure for every five openings. Gulf Business & Trade: Oman’s grape festival returns, spotlighting farmers and small businesses with direct consumer access, local products and training on modern cultivation. UAE Entrepreneurship: Abu Dhabi’s 3D Printing Future Entrepreneurs Programme graduated its first cohort of 50 Emirati job seekers in Al Ain, aiming to turn prototypes into market-ready ideas. Egypt Auto Launch: SOUEAST launched its first plug-in hybrid SUVs in Egypt—S06 DM and S08 DM—targeting both city efficiency and long-distance reliability. Regional Shock on Small Firms: A World Bank package approved $1.1bn emergency financing for Bangladesh to protect food supplies and vulnerable households and businesses hit by fertiliser, fuel and food price spikes linked to Middle East conflict. MENA Creative Economy: Cannes Lions 2026 saw 20 Lions for MENA agencies, with FP7 McCANN MENAT leading the region’s haul.

SME Finance & Growth: Turkey’s trade ministry says 119,178 businesses closed between Jan 2022 and Mar 2026, as inflation and high borrowing costs squeezed firms and made refinancing harder. SME Skills & Jobs: Abu Dhabi’s ADGM Academy and partners wrapped the first Future Entrepreneurs 3D Printing Programme in Al Ain, graduating 50 Emirati job seekers with market-ready prototypes. Gulf Consumer Reach: Cosmos Health expanded in Qatar via a distribution deal with IMC, with an initial order of 31,000 units for its Sky Premium Life nutraceuticals through Kulud Pharmacies’ 130+ branches. Cross-border Agri Trade: Maalexi closed an oversubscribed round led by Saudi insurer Tawuniya and UAE VC Global Ventures to build a regulated agricultural assets token exchange for more transparent cross-border trading. Energy Costs for Businesses: Qatar-linked Gulf energy pressures also echoed in wider coverage, while Turkey’s closures and cost pressures underline how financing and operating costs are still the big SME stress points.

SME Finance & Digital Payments: Egypt’s e-wallet network gets a boost as Erada Finance partners with Axis Pay to enable loan disbursements via the platform, aiming to widen access for smaller borrowers. SME Lending & Marketplaces: In Brazil, QI Tech and Ant International’s Bettr expand credit for e-commerce sellers and shoppers, including working-capital loans and BNPL at checkout—an approach that mirrors how Middle East fintechs are trying to embed financing into online retail. Energy Shock Spillovers: Iran’s Petroleum Minister Mohsen Paknejad outlines energy-sector priorities at BRICS in India, while India reports LPG supply curbs removed and non-domestic packed LPG restored after Hormuz-linked disruptions eased—good news for restaurants, hotels and manufacturers. Business Support Strategy: Sri Lanka’s Ceylon Chamber of Commerce rolls out a three-year plan to accelerate investment, boost exports and strengthen SME support, building on 2026 Budget recommendations. Crypto Compliance & Risk: CoinEx responds to a Wall Street Journal report on Iran-related transactions, stressing compliance upgrades and denying any sanctioned-entity relationships. Tech for Mobility in the UAE: CaoCao signs with Abu Dhabi’s K2 to advance robotaxi testing and deployment this year, potentially opening new tech and services opportunities for local SMEs.

UAE Business Resilience: Dubai convened an emergency business summit after Iran strikes, asking executives how to bring tourists and investors back and how to support struggling firms—an early signal of how SMEs may be prioritized as authorities try to stop capital flight. Energy Relief for SMEs: India removed emergency restrictions on non-domestic packed LPG supplies after the West Asia crisis eased, aiming to restore commercial availability for restaurants, hotels and small businesses that run on LPG. SME Finance & Growth: Egypt’s MSMEDA and the Egyptian Exchange signed a cooperation protocol to expand SMEs’ access to financing tools, while Jaiz Bank plans collateral-free loans for SMEs. Cyber Compliance Costs: U.S. defense bills advanced with CMMC relief that includes a grant program to help small businesses and nontraditional defense contractors cover the cost of reaching CMMC Level 2. Aviation Connectivity: Air Arabia Abu Dhabi added Aleppo service and boosted Damascus flights, a move that could reopen travel and business links for regional SMEs. Local Business Spotlight: Sharjah launched a 50% discount on food and pharma industrial licences, cutting upfront costs for operators.

SME Finance Boost (Egypt): Erada Finance teamed up with Axis Pay to let customers receive loan disbursements through Egypt’s e-wallet network, aiming to speed payouts and widen access for unbanked entrepreneurs (subject to FRA approval). MSME Access to Capital (Egypt): MSMEDA signed a cooperation protocol with the Egyptian Exchange to expand MSMEs’ reach to financing tools and markets, with training, export-readiness support, and links to state-backed digital trade platforms. SME Lending Without Collateral (Nigeria): Jaiz Bank said it’s awaiting Central Bank approval to launch cash-flow-based SME lending products, using guarantees instead of traditional collateral to expand financial inclusion. Business Resilience After Conflict (Dubai/UAE): Dubai officials gathered business leaders after Iran-related shocks to shape support for tourism and retail, including a pledged 2.5bn dirhams liquidity package. Startup Capacity Building (Algeria): Flat6Labs and IFC launched StartAlgeria to strengthen incubators and help early-stage ESOs improve selection, investment readiness, and global expansion. Women’s Business Support (UAE): RAKBANK rolled out “She Means Business,” offering community and tech-focused training for businesswomen ahead of International SME Day. Payments Upgrade (Global, UAE-linked): Deutsche Bank went live with a Swift consumer payments initiative to make international transfers faster, clearer on fees, and easier to track.