The winners of the MEA Finance Leaders in Payments Awards 2025, held at the Ritz Carlton Hotel JBR in Dubai, on the 11th September were presented with their awards in a celebratory recognition of their important achievements at a time of great change and rapid development in the world of payments.
These much-coveted awards recognise the key individuals, businesses and the innovations that are keeping our region at the leading edge of development in the globally important payments sector as it speeds toward greater significance to everyone.
Organised by MEA Finance Magazine, the Leaders in Payments awards, remain the benchmark for recognition of payments leadership and excellence across the region, spotlighting innovation and stand-out performance in institutions in the banking, fintech and payments technology space.
The highest yet number of entries, reflecting the burgeoning magnitude of payments as a key function of society, underwent evaluation by a panel of judges comprised of industry experts before matching awards to their rightful winners. The panel selected thirty-one category winners following evaluation of their impact on the regional payments’ scene
Here follows the full list of the MEA Finance Banking Leaders in Payments Awards 2024 winners:
- Best Payments Inclusivity Initiative – Banque Misr – Egypt
- Best Real-Time Payments Provider – Infosys Finacle
- Best Real-time Payments Implementation – Qatar National Bank & Infosys Finacle
- Best Payment Technology Implementation – UAE – Network International
- Best Payment Technology Implementation – KSA – Standard Chartered
- Best User Experience in Payments – First Abu Dhabi Bank – FABeAccess
- Best Cross-Border Payments Technology Provider – Blue Remit Limited
- Landmark Innovation in Cross-Border Payments Award – Mashreq
- Best Payment Gateway – Checkout.com
- Best Open Banking Payments Project – First Abu Dhabi Bank – Cash Management API Solutions
- Best Digital Payment Transformation Initiative – Paymentology
- Best Instant Payments Technology Implementation – Mashreq & GBM
- Best Instant Payments Technology Solution – Infosys Finacle
- Best User Experience in Payments – Cloud Solutions – DiXiO
- Outstanding Contribution to SME Tax Compliance – Taxready.ae, A Virtuzone Company
- Best Customer Experience in Payment Authentication – Giesecke+Devrient (G+D)
- Best Remittance and Foreign Exchange Services Provider – Al Ansari Exchange LLC
- Overall Best Payments Platform in the Middle East – Network International
- Payments Innovation of the Year – Standard Chartered
- Best Innovation in Payments Technology – NEOPAY
- Best AI Application in Payments – First Abu Dhabi Bank
- Best Payments Cyber Security Implementation – myZoi
- Best Payments Inclusivity Provider – HPS – PowerCARD platform
- Best Mobile Payment App – e& money
- Best Payment Gateway Implementation – Skiply by RAKBANK
- Best Payments as a Service Award – HSBC Bank Middle East
- Payments Technology Executive of the Year in Banking – Santosh Vaidya, Senior Vice President – Head of Payments and Digital Services, Mashreq
- Payments Executive of the Year – Dr. Abdulla AlTaee, Chief Operating Officer, United Arab Bank
- Payments CEO of the Year – Vibhor Mundhada, Chief Executive Officer, NEOPAY
- Payments Technology Executive of the Year in Financial Services – Melike Kara Tanrikulu, Chief Executive Officer, e& money
- Digital Payments Leader of the Year – Abdallah Muhana Jamil Muhana, Senior Vice President – Head of Skiply & Head of Education Payments Solution, RAKBANK
