PayPal announced yesterday plans to invest $100 million in Africa and the Middle East. The company ais to support innovation and entrepreneurs in what it sees as “one of the world’s fastest-growing digital commerce regions”.
The investment will take the form of minority stakes, acquisitions, financing—mainly through PayPal Ventures—as well as the deployment of talent and technology. “By dedicating a $100 million investment to this region over the coming years, we’re 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,” said Alex Chriss, PayPal’s president and chief executive officer.
The announcement follows the launch last April of PayPal’s first regional hub in Dubai, designed to give businesses, from large corporations to small merchants, better access to global trade through seamless payments, stronger security, and improved entry to international markets. PayPal Ventures has already invested in regional fintech firms including Tabby in the United Arab Emirates, Paymob in Egypt, and Stitch in South Africa.
The commitment comes as digital payments surge across both regions. Data cited by the World Economic Forum in March 2025 shows that the instant payments market in the Middle East is expected to rise from $675 million in 2022 to $2.6 billion by 2027. In Africa, digital payments could reach $1.5 trillion by 2030, according to a report commissioned by Mastercard and conducted by Genesis Analytics. The growth is fueled by rapid internet penetration and accelerating digital transformation.
