PayPal commits $100 million in MEA; plans to hire more staff across region

Dubai: American payment giant, PayPal, will invest $100 million across the Middle East and Africa to accelerate digital commerce growth in what the company calls one of the world’s fastest-growing digital markets.

PayPal announced the multi-year commitment from Dubai yesterday.

"The Middle East and Africa are home to some of the most dynamic and rapidly evolving businesses in the world," said Alex Chriss, President and CEO of PayPal.

“By dedicating a $100 million investment to this region over the coming years, we are investing in the technologies, partnerships, and solutions that will help entrepreneurs scale faster, expand their reach beyond borders, and unlock new opportunities for growth in the digital economy,” explained Chriss.

The company plans to use the funding to support local entrepreneurs scaling their businesses, provide technology infrastructure for digital payments, and hire additional staff across the region.

The investment represents PayPal's largest single regional commitment outside its core US and European markets.

The investment builds on PayPal’s regional hub launch in Dubai in April, designed to provide businesses with global commerce capabilities and access to international markets. The Dubai facility serves as the company’s gateway for delivering payment solutions across the region.

PayPal will deploy the funds through minority investments, acquisitions, and its PayPal Ventures arm, which has already backed regional startups including buy-now-pay-later platform Tabby, Egyptian payment processor Paymob, and South African fintech Stitch.

"This commitment underscores our dedication to expanding PayPal’s presence in the Middle East and Africa, and our focus is to build stronger connections between local businesses and the global marketplace,” said Otto Williams, Senior Vice President and Regional Head of PayPal Middle East and Africa.

PayPal operates in approximately 200 markets globally and has been expanding its footprint in emerging markets where traditional banking infrastructure remains limited.

PayPal has been steadily increasing its Middle East presence through strategic investments. The company’s venture arm previously backed Dubai-based Tabby, a buy-now-pay-later platform that allows customers to split purchases into interest-free installments across major retailers in the UAE and Saudi Arabia.

Other regional investments include Egyptian payment processor Paymob, which serves merchants across Egypt and the broader Middle East, and South African fintech Stitch, which provides payment infrastructure for businesses across Africa.

Williams added that the focus remains on "ensuring millions of consumers and businesses can access more of the digital services they need to thrive" in the evolving regional economy.