Abu Dhabi, UAE — Skyro UAE has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with areeba, a global leader in payment infrastructure, to jointly advance digital payments and embedded financial services across the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC).
The MoU was signed during Abu Dhabi Finance Week 2025 by Arsen Liametov, Co-Founder and Co-CEO of Skyro, and Shady Tawk, Regional Manager Qatar, Bahrain and KSA at areeba, in the presence of senior executives from both organizations.
Under this partnership, Skyro and Areeba will explore opportunities to collaborate—subject to the necessary regulatory and internal approvals—with a focus on:
- enabling digital and card-based payment solutions for Skyro customers,
- embedding lending, saving, and investing products into everyday payment journeys, and
- supporting merchants and financial institutions with modern, cashless payment acceptance across the region.
By combining Skyro’s consumer-focused digital finance capabilities with areeba’s issuer processing, merchant acquiring, and advanced payment infrastructure, the two companies aim to support the GCC’s wider economic transformation agenda and accelerate the shift toward cashless, inclusive financial ecosystems.
“Partnering with a regional payments leader like areeba allows Skyro to integrate seamless, modern payment rails directly into our lending, saving, and investing experiences,” said Roberto Mancone, CEO of Skyro GCC. “Our shared objective is to make it easier for individuals and businesses across the GCC to move away from cash, access responsible credit, and transact securely through fully digital channels. By embedding financial products into day-to-day payments, we can expand financial inclusion and create more transparent, user-friendly experiences for our customers.”
Commenting on the partnership, Shady Tawk, Regional Manager Qatar, Bahrain and KSA at areeba in the GCC, said:
“areeba’s mission has always been to simplify daily financial dealings and foster cashless digital inclusion. Through our collaboration with Skyro, we see a strong opportunity to extend our issuer and acquirer capabilities into new digital journeys, where payments, credit, and investment can coexist in one experience. With our cloud-native platform, areeba X, and regional presence, we are well-positioned to support Skyro in scaling innovative payment solutions that serve both consumers and merchants in a secure and efficient way.”
The partnership framework will allow the two companies to evaluate joint solutions such as co-branded or program-managed cards, virtual and digital-first payment instruments, and omnichannel acceptance for merchants who serve Skyro’s customer base. Both parties will work closely with regulators and local partners to ensure that any future offerings operate within a robust, compliant, and secure environment.
About Skyro
Skyro is a digital financial technology group under Breeze Ventures, headquartered in Bahrain. The company is focused on making financial services more accessible and inclusive across emerging markets in lending, saving, and investing. Skyro currently operates in the Philippines and is expanding its presence in the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) region to deliver simple, transparent, and technology-driven financial solutions that empower individuals and businesses.
About areeba
areeba is a global leader in payment infrastructure, empowering banks, non-banks, and fintechs with innovative, scalable, and secure payment solutions. Our comprehensive platform simplifies how individuals and businesses make and accept payments, offering seamless services across the entire payment value chain.
With a fully integrated ecosystem, we ensure flexibility and agility in a rapidly changing market, delivering accessible and efficient payment options to individuals, SMEs, and enterprises alike. Trusted by industry leaders, areeba’s technology adapts to any geography, keeping businesses at the forefront of the digital payments landscape.
