UAE based Zand Bank, regulated digital bank is collaborating with Alibaba Cloud, digital technology and intelligence backbone of Alibaba Group and Ant Digital Technologies in the Middle East region to focus on Generative AI use cases, blockchain, and Fintech solutions including Real World Assets, E-Wallet, mPaas and other services. 

Michael Chan, CEO at Zand commented, ”We are thrilled to collaborate with Alibaba Cloud and Ant Digital Technologies to accelerate the applications of Generative AI, Blockchain and Payment Technology. This partnership represents a step forward in our journey to use generative AI to build Zand Bank’s AI Agent platform to boost the productivity of customer support, compliance and coding. This collaboration supports our AI powered banking businesses and UAE’s Digital Economy Strategy to double the sector’s contribution to the nation’s GDP over the next decade.”

Eric Wan, General Manager of the Middle East, Turkey and Africa, Alibaba Cloud Intelligence said, “As digital technologies are reshaping how we live and work in the era of AI, we are thrilled to join hands with Zand Bank in accelerating the adoption of advanced digital technologies such as Generative AI, Blockchain, and cutting-edge payment solutions in the Middle East. As a leading cloud service provider, Alibaba Cloud is committed to supporting local businesses in the region on their digital transformation journey through our robust infrastructure and innovative solutions. Together with Zand Bank, we look forward to shaping a more digitally-enabled future in the Middle East.”

Lily Peng, General Manager of International Business at Ant Digital Technologies, stated, “As our technology, products and business are going global, we are thrilled to collaborate with Zand Bank, a prominent banking group with extensive influence in the Middle East region. We will provide one-stop digital banking solutions, technology products such as mPaaS, ZOLOZ, and SOFA in close collaboration with Alibaba Cloud. Together with Zand Bank, we aim to explore the vast potential of the Middle East in the digital economy. “

Recently, IDA, a Hong Kong-based stablecoin issuer, partnered with UAE Zand Bank, to offer cost-effective and efficient cross-border transactions across the Belt and Road regions and BRICS Plus. As per the press release both entities aim to provide businesses with streamlined 24/7 digital payments.

UAE and USA based C1 Secondary’s Fund managed by C1 Investment Advisors LLC, a team of international entrepreneurs and investors, have announced a $500 million investment fund targeting secondary’s in blockchain, crypto, Web3, and Fintech entities.

Secondary funds, commonly referred to as secondaries or continuation transactions, purchase existing interests or assets from primary private equity fund investors. For example, a primary private equity fund may purchase a stake in a private company, and then sell that interest to a secondary buyer.

The C1 Secondary’s Fund is a regulated private investment fund formed for the purpose of investing in secondary’s asset acquisition – the purchase of shares in existing private growth companies. 

 The C1 Fund portfolio focuses on digital assets, blockchain technology and applications, cryptocurrency services (not direct investment in cryptocurrencies), Web3 financial applications, and advanced FinTech.  Sample target company applications include digital assets and cryptocurrency exchanges, payment systems and/or related financial services companies, including wallets, custodian-services, lending, and decentralized finance.

The Fund will invest across multiple geographies but with a focus on secondary’s investments in international markets, especially those with strong and/or growing regulatory regimes.

The C1 Secondary’s Fund is led by Dr. Najamul Kidwai, Co-Founder and Managing Partner, Michael Lempres, Co-Founder and Managing Partner, Michael (Xu) Zhao, Co-Founder and Managing Partner, David Hytha, Co-Founder and Partner, and Cheriyl Lakshmy, Co-Founder, Director of Research and Operations.

The C1 team recently founded and led the successful initial public offering of Crypto 1 Acquisition Corp $230M raise.

C1 Secondary’s Fund Co-Founder and Managing Partner Dr. Najam Kidwai stated, “Despite the so-called Crypto reset, investment in Digital Assets and Crypto-related services continues to grow rapidly.  At its core this is the next digitization of finance”.

The C1 Secondary’s Fund will focus on companies operating under significant regulatory frameworks. Co-Founder and Managing Partner, Michael Zhao stated “the regulated route is the only route for any crypto company’s growth if it wants to be a serious player for the long run. Long gone are the days when digital asset players enjoyed an early-mover advantage and benefited from a fast-growing bull market. Recent crypto market turbulence is just another example that shows why the market needs proper risk control and compliance; we are focused on these companies.”

WadzPay will list its token on a Middle East crypto asset Exchange soon, according to its Group CEO. In a tweet WadzPay CEO Anish Jain states “We will also expand presence to regional exchanges in UAE, India, Africa and South America.”

The WadzPay ecosystem provides infrastructure for emerging CBDC and Stable coin technologies allowing governments and institutions to sandbox or commercialize programs both at a domestic or international level.

WadzPay is building an interoperable and agnostic blockchain-based payments ecosystem. The company was founded in 2018 in Singapore and is currently operating in South East Asia, South Asia, Middle East and Africa. As per their website the company saw the potential for CBDC and Digital Assets leading the next revolution in the payments industry: by enabling faster payments, improvements in security, cost efficiency with optionality.

They claim to be working with large international payment companies, banks and other large global companies to enable digital asset-based transaction processing and settlement. WadzPay is currently present in Dubai UAE.

WadzPay recently took part in Commercial Bank of Dubai’s Innovation Challenge at DIFC FinTech Hive. Where they presented their digital wallet solution and were shortlisted in the Top 10 Companies, from a field of 100. In the final round WadzPay together with Commercial Bank of Dubai’s team will Pitch their solution to  their Executive Council.