As a celebration of the MENA region’s fintech ecosystem, the Leaders in Fintech Awards will be staged by Entrepreneur Middle East on September 11, 2025 at Habtoor Palace Dubai.
With the event set to welcome the who’s who of the MENA region’s fintech sector, the Leaders in Fintech Awards will be highlighting the individuals and enterprises that are shaping the future of this dynamic industry.
Held under the banner of Entrepreneur Middle East, the definitive guide to the region’s startup ecosystem, the Leaders in Fintech Awards is going be staged as an invitation-only event that will see the leaders of the industry come together for a gala ceremony.
Nominations are now open for the Leaders in Fintech Awards. Don’t miss out on this chance to be recognized for your or your enterprise’s achievements in the fintech space—send in your nominations today!
This award category is to recognize an outstanding bank with the most innovative fintech solutions. This includes new innovations that no other bank offers in the region, excellent user experience, and usage of technology in the best and most efficient way.
Entries for this category should support their nomination with no more than 1,000 words about the firm and its progress.
This award category is to recognize the best fintech solution in terms of creativity, technology, innovation, user experience, and ease of use.
Entries for this category should support their nomination with no more than 1,000 words about the firm and its progress.
This award category is to recognize the most innovative, user friendly, and the most impactful fintech solution that has been sponsored by a government entity or has been initiated by a department within the government.
Entries for this category should support their nomination with no more than 1,000 words about the firm and its progress.
This award category is to recognize the best and most holistic fintech solution for small and large firms. This firm should have the most comprehensive solution that caters to firms of all sizes that is easily scalable and offers great customer service, best use of technology, and flexibility in terms of customization.
Entries for this category should support their nomination with no more than 1,000 words about the firm and its progress.
This award category is to recognize a platform that provides the highest number of vendors, best user experience, exceptional customer service for its buy-now-pay-later offering
Entries for this category should support their nomination with no more than 1,000 words about the firm and its progress.
This award category is to recognize the best fintech solution for the insurance domain. The criteria could include the most innovative insurance solution, best use of technology, best user experience and best customer service.
Entries for this category should support their nomination with no more than 1,000 words about the firm and its progress.
This award category is to recognize a firm whose e-payment offering has the most outstanding use of technology, best customer service, ease of integration and best back-end solutions.
Entries for this category should support their nomination with no more than 1,000 words about the firm and its progress.
This award category recognizes the best fintech solution catering to personal finances. The criteria could include the most innovative finance solution, best use of technology, best user experience and best customer service.
Entries for this category should support their nomination with no more than 1,000 words about the firm and its progress.
This award category is to recognize the best financial trading platform that has created a trustworthy solution, great user experience, vast trading options, and great customer service.
Entries for this category should support their nomination with no more than 1,000 words about the firm and its progress.
This award category is to recognize a fintech company or platform that has demonstrated outstanding performance, innovation, and effectiveness in providing digital solutions for managing personal or institutional wealth. This award recognizes excellence in areas such as user experience, investment options, financial planning tools, portfolio management capabilities, security features, and overall customer satisfaction. The recipient of this award typically sets industry standards and showcases cutting-edge advancements in wealth management technology.
The "Cybersecurity Excellence Award" recognizes the fintech company that has demonstrated exceptional commitment, innovation, and effectiveness in safeguarding financial data, systems, and customer information from cyber threats and vulnerabilities. This award honors organizations that have implemented robust cybersecurity measures, advanced technologies, and proactive strategies to mitigate risks, protect sensitive data, and ensure the integrity and confidentiality of financial transactions. Recipients of this award typically exhibit industry-leading practices, contribute to raising cybersecurity standards, and play a significant role in promoting trust and confidence in the fintech sector.
This award category is to recognize an outstanding bank with the most innovative fintech solutions. This includes new innovations that no other bank offers in the region, excellent user experience, and usage of technology in the best and most efficient way.
Entries for this category should support their nomination with no more than 1,000 words about the firm and its progress.
This award category is to recognize the outstanding growth that a firm has had in the past 12 months. This could include growth in revenue, size of user base, profits, number of staff, market share and best use of technology.
Entries for this category should support their nomination with no more than 1,000 words about the firm and its progress.
This award category is tocelebratea fintech company that has made significant contributions to social impact, sustainability, or financial inclusion through innovative technological solutions. This category recognizes organizations that harness the power of financial technology to address pressing global challenges, promote economic empowerment, and create positive social change.
The "Fintech Company of the Year" award recognizes the top-performing fintech organization that has demonstrated exceptional overall excellence, innovation, and impact in the financial technology industry over the past year. This prestigious category considers a wide range of criteria, including but not limited to, financial performance, technological innovation, market disruption, customer satisfaction, industry recognition, and contribution to the advancement of the fintech sector.
This award category is to recognize a startup that has had a significant impact on the fintech sector in the region. This impact could include the creation of a new financial solution that has significantly benefited the financial ecosystem of the region, a new technology, a positive social impact through its solutions, as well as significant growth, transparency, and ease of use of the solution.
Entries for this category should support their nomination with no more than 1,000 words about the firm and its progress.
This award category is to recognize the best digital marketplace in terms of creativity, technology, innovation, user experience, and ease of use which is dedicated to SMEs.
Entries for this category should support their nomination with no more than 1,000 words about the firm and its progress.
This award category is to recognize an individual that has created a new fintech solution which has had the greatest positive impact for users as well as the highest potential for growth.
Entries for this category should support their nomination with no more than 1,000 words about the firm and its progress.
This award category is to recognize an investment firm that has had the most positive support for fintech startups in the region. This support could include access to investments and funding, assisting with mentorship, supporting in creating networks of fintech startups, etc.
Entries for this category should support their nomination with no more than 1,000 words about the firm and its progress.
This award category is to recognize the hub that has had a significant positive impact on the financial technology ecosystem of the region. This could include attracting the highest number of fintech firms, best regulations for better transparency and attracting investments, best initiatives, creating a positive environment for fintech firms to rise and to grow.
Entries for this category should support their nomination with no more than 1,000 words
This award category is to recognize an individual –either from the private or public sector– that has led initiatives which has significantly impacted the financial technology ecosystem in the region. This could include creating a new solution, leading an organization that has benefited the players in the financial technology sector, or has created policies and procedures that has boosted the growth of the fintech industry.
Entries for this category should support their nomination with no more than 1,000 words about the firm and its progress.
The "Most Innovative Fintech Solution" award honors the fintech company that has introduced a groundbreaking and pioneering solution to address significant challenges or opportunities in the financial industry. This category recognizes innovation in technology, product design, business model, or service delivery that has the potential to revolutionize the way financial services are provided, accessed, or utilized. The recipient of this award demonstrates creativity, originality, and forward-thinking in their approach, leveraging cutting-edge technologies such as artificial intelligence, blockchain, or big data analytics to create impactful solutions that redefine industry standards and drive meaningful change.
The "Best AI Solution" award recognizes the fintech company that has leveraged artificial intelligence (AI) in the most impactful and effective manner to enhance financial services, streamline operations, and deliver exceptional value to customers. The recipient of this award demonstrates excellence in utilizing AI to improve decision-making processes, personalize customer experiences, optimize risk management, detect fraud, automate tasks, or generate insights that drive business growth and efficiency. Their AI solution stands out for its sophistication, scalability, and tangible benefits, setting a new standard for AI-powered innovation in the fintech industry.
This award category recognizes the best fintech solution catering to food & beverage outlets. The criteria could include the most innovative solution, best use of technology, best user experience and best customer service. Entries for this category should support their nomination with no more than 1,000 words about the firm and its progress.
The "Payment Gateway of the Year" award recognizes the leading fintech company that has excelled in providing secure, reliable, and efficient payment processing solutions for businesses and consumers. This category celebrates the payment gateway that offers seamless integration, robust security features, flexible payment options, and exceptional customer service. The recipient of this award demonstrates excellence in facilitating online transactions, enabling businesses to accept payments from customers through various channels, including e-commerce websites, mobile apps, and point-of-sale systems. Their payment gateway solution stands out for its reliability, scalability, and ease of use, empowering merchants to optimize their payment processes and enhance the overall shopping experience for customers.
The "Mobile App of the Year" award recognizes the fintech company that has developed the most outstanding and innovative mobile application, delivering exceptional value and user experience to consumers in the financial sector. This category celebrates mobile apps that provide intuitive interfaces, seamless navigation, robust features, and superior performance across various devices and platforms. The recipient of this award demonstrates excellence in leveraging mobile technology to empower users with convenient access to financial services, such as banking, investing, budgeting, payments, and more, while prioritizing security and privacy. Their mobile app stands out for its user-friendly design, advanced functionality, reliability, and responsiveness, setting new standards for excellence in mobile fintech solutions.
The "Disruptor of the Year" award acknowledges the fintech company that has significantly challenged traditional norms and reshaped the financial industry landscape through groundbreaking innovation, bold strategies, and transformative solutions. This category celebrates disruptors that have introduced new business models, technologies, or approaches that have the potential to revolutionize the way financial services are delivered, consumed, and experienced. The recipient of this award demonstrates a disruptive mindset, pushing boundaries, and challenging the status quo to drive positive change and create new opportunities in the fintech sector.
