PayPal is leveling up in the Middle East and Africa! The global digital commerce giant just launched its first-ever regional hub in Dubai Internet City, and it’s a major move aimed at serving over 80 countries across MEA.
This brand-new base marks a bold expansion for the company and a big step forward in making cross-border commerce smoother, smarter, and more secure for both businesses and consumers in the region.
Why Dubai? Why is Paypal entering Middle East-Africa now?
With Dubai’s fast-growing fintech ecosystem and strategic location, it’s no surprise PayPal chose this city as the heart of its MEA operations. The new hub reflects PayPal’s commitment to:
- âś… Empower small and medium businesses (SMBs) to reach global customers
- âś… Offer frictionless and secure payment systems
- âś… Support cross-border e-commerce growth in emerging markets
- âś… Build partnerships across banking, telecom, and fintech sectors
Leadership Speaks
At the Dubai AI Festival 2025, Suzan Kereere, President of Global Markets at PayPal, shared the company’s vision:
“We proudly serve 430M+ customers globally, and with this hub, we aim to connect even more consumers and businesses in MEA to the global digital economy.”
She also highlighted how AI is shaping the future of payments, with PayPal working on:
- Smart wallets
- Agentic commerce experiences
- More intuitive shopping and payment journeys
Powering Global Reach from the MEA
The Dubai hub will act as a launchpad for PayPal to deepen its partnerships and grow its regional footprint. According to Otto Williams, Senior VP and GM of PayPal MEA:
“We already serve some of the region’s biggest online enterprises in sectors like aviation, retail, and tourism. Now, we want to bring those same tools and insights to SMBs, helping them attract, convert, and retain global customers.”
Through partnerships with:
- âś… Banks
- âś… Fintech innovators
- âś… Telcos
- âś… Regional commerce platforms
PayPal is positioning itself as a key connector between local businesses and the global marketplace.
Why should PayPal be in the Middle East-Africa region?
With over 25 years of experience, PayPal has been a pioneer in digital payments—serving customers in nearly 200 markets worldwide. Whether it’s sending money, running an online store, or shopping internationally, PayPal continues to make transactions:
- Simple
- Secure
- Seamless
What’s Next?
With this new hub, PayPal is doubling down on its mission to:
- âś… Enable MEA businesses to scale globally
- âś… Offer cutting-edge commerce solutions
- âś… Expand its 430M-strong customer base
From Dubai to the world, PayPal is ready to drive the next wave of digital transformation in the region.
