Dubai, UAE - The MENA Fintech Association (MFTA), the leading not-for-profit fintech ecosystem driving innovation, collaboration, and policy dialogue across the Middle East and Africa, today announced a strategic partnership with STORM Partners, an internationally recognised venture-building and advisory firm renowned for supporting the world's most ambitious technology companies and digital asset ecosystems.
The alliance represents a significant milestone in strengthening international collaboration across financial technology, digital assets, payments, embedded finance, blockchain innovation, regulatory engagement, and emerging financial infrastructure. By combining the MENA Fintech Association's extensive institutional network with STORM Partners' global expertise in venture growth, ecosystem development, and innovation strategy, the partnership establishes a powerful platform for accelerating cross-border innovation and industry transformation.
As financial services continue to evolve beyond geographical boundaries, the collaboration is designed to foster meaningful engagement between founders, financial institutions, regulators, investors, policymakers, and technology leaders. Together, both organisations will champion initiatives that facilitate international knowledge exchange, strategic dialogue, and ecosystem development while enabling greater collaboration between mature and emerging fintech markets.
The partnership will encompass a broad range of strategic initiatives, including executive roundtables, industry working groups, research publications, policy discussions, ecosystem intelligence, educational programmes, innovation showcases, investment connectivity, and collaborative engagements designed to strengthen the global fintech landscape.
Through this collaboration, both organisations aim to cultivate stronger international relationships, encourage responsible innovation, and support the continued evolution of financial services through shared expertise and collective leadership.
Nameer Khan, Chairman of the MENA Fintech Association stated
"The future of financial innovation will be defined not by isolated ecosystems, but by the strength of global collaboration. This partnership represents our shared commitment to building meaningful bridges between markets, institutions, innovators, and policymakers. Together with STORM Partners, we are creating new opportunities for knowledge exchange, strategic cooperation, and sustainable innovation that transcend borders and accelerate the advancement of the global fintech ecosystem."
"At STORM Partners, we believe the most transformative innovations emerge when visionary ecosystems work together. Partnering with the MENA Fintech Association enables us to deepen international collaboration, connect pioneering entrepreneurs with global opportunities, and contribute to shaping the future of financial technology through collective expertise and long-term strategic engagement."
"MENA isn't just adopting Web3. We're building the infrastructure for it. Bahrain licensed regulated stablecoin issuers. The UAE is scaling institutional tokenization. Qatar established legal recognition for smart contracts. Saudi Arabia is advancing alongside us. We have regulatory clarity, institutional capital, and real use cases. What we needed was execution partners who could translate that strength into global-scale operations. Storm Partners brings exactly that capability."
said Tariq Mattar, Co-Chair of MFTA Bahrain and Director at Bahrain Fintech Bay
Sheraz Ahmed, Managing Partner at STORM Partners said,
“This strategic alliance reinforces both organisations' commitment to advancing a more connected, resilient, and innovation-driven financial ecosystem, one where collaboration replaces fragmentation, knowledge transcends borders, and partnerships create lasting economic impact.”
As fintech enters its next era of growth, the MENA Fintech Association and STORM Partners will jointly serve as catalysts for international cooperation, empowering stakeholders across the public and private sectors to navigate emerging opportunities while contributing to the development of a more inclusive, secure, and forward-looking global financial landscape.
