Dubai South, property developer and free zone, has completed a blockchain integration with Dubai Customs, making it the first free zone in Dubai to achieve this milestone. As part of Dubai’s ecommerce strategy, Dubai South will utilize blockchain integration to enhance its ecommerce operations reducing timeand costs by autor generating declarations and streamlining the tracking and processing of orders. The automated processes further bolster efficiency, while the new gate pass stamping method for entry and exit enhances information accessibility. RHS Logistics, a UAE-based local entity with robust commercial and business expertise offering a full range of logistics and supply-chain solutions, and FirstCry, UAE’s leading online store for children's products, became the first companies in the Logistics District to onboard and initiate blockchain in their processes. Subsequently, other companies in the Dubai South free zone are in the process of adapting blockchain technology...

  UAE-based social networking and content monetization platform Lyvely,   that provides an integrated multimedia e-commerce and payments solution, has successfully raised an undisclosed amount from UAE based Cypher Capital, an early strategy venture firm. Lyvely soft launched early this month (August) and is already experiencing rapid growth and user adoption.   Led by experienced cofounders, Farah Zafar and Dave Catudal, Lyvely aims to compete with Big Tech global giants and revolutionize the current social networking and social e-commerce landscape.   “We are the world’s first social networking profile that pays,” says Zafar, who is Lyvely’s Co-Founder and CEO. Every time you post content on Big Tech platforms, they make money. When was the last time you got a cheque or received a payment from Instagram? It just doesn’t work that way in Big Tech because it’s a biased and broken system. Lyvely’s doing it differently. We’re the Platform for the People. Our commit...

  UAE based HAYVN Pay, a regulated financial network for cryptocurrencies, has partnered with WooCommerce, the leading open source, ecommerce platform to offer a plug-in, allowing WooCommerce merchants to create an additional revenue stream by accepting cryptocurrency payments from customers globally.  HAYVN Pay is a simple to install, trusted plugin which allows businesses to accept cryptocurrency payments, and then get paid in traditional currency. Verified for compliance and trusted by leading institutions globally, it represents an expansion of HAYVN’s offering as a regulated cryptocurrency focused financial institution. Christopher Flinos, HAYVN’s Chief Executive Officer, stated. “Our goal is to ensure that within two years, 75% of the world’s e-commerce and point-of-sale transactions have a cryptocurrency payment option available for the customer. Partnering with WooCommerce, who capture 93% of the WordPress e-commerce market, is another important milestone in delive...

  UAE metaverse project Eikonikos is launching an NFT collection with Lebanese fashion designer Aiisha Ramadan. Aiisha Ramadan started her couture clothing line from the UAE in 2007, her base for more than 30 years. The new collaboration will set a milestone in the evolution of the digital fashion industry. Eikonikos built on the Cardano blockchain platform seeks to transform the landscape of ecommerce, dating, gaming and learning.  The company raised $2 million USD in March 2022. At that time Mohamed Vasif, founder and CEO of Eikonikos stated, “We are very determined to create a platform that directly competes and rivals metaverse giants like Decentraland and Sandbox.”   Vineeth, CMO and co-founder of Eikonikos added, “We will be able to interact with other Metaverse economies in the future. Building a dedicated and crypto-native audience that likes our dope Non-Fungible Token (NFT) designs, intense gameplay.” On August 5, 2022, Eikonikos launched a premium genesis ...

  In Checkout.com’s third annual report on digital transformation in MENA for 2022, it found that e-commerce in the UAE had settled into a stable high growth era. The report states that consumers in the UAE are turning to their digital devices and spending more time and money online. Even payment methods are evolving in the UAE with more turning to crypto and digital wallets. The report confirms that 42 percent of 18-40 year olds in the UAE have held digital assets such as crypto, stablecoins and NFTs, and 59 percent of 18-40 year olds would like to be able to pay for goods and services in crypto or stablecoins in the next 12 months.  The digital transformation in MENA 2022 report draws insights from a regional survey which polled more than 15,500 consumers in August 2022 in the UAE, KSA, Egypt, Qatar, Kuwait, Bahrain and Pakistan. 96 percent of UAE consumers now shop ecommerce, an increase from 89% from last year. This comes as a testament to the continued consumer demand o...