Abu Dhabi plans data center electricity tariff, KSA steps up data protection enforcement, Libya to develop $2.7B regional transhimpment port, Vietnam to open first chip fab in 2027, India seeks to link BRICS' digital currencies
Here’s a look at today's biggest tech stories in the MENA+:
- Yas Holding launches space systems company Eshara
- Abu Dhabi to offer dedicated electricity tariff for data centers
- Baidu, AutoGo launch Abu Dhabi's first fully driverless ride-hailing service
- SCA-licensed EmCoin, Crypto.com partner to offer UAE digital asset trading
- UAE govt now holds $740M in Bitcoin
- SDAIA committees impose penalties, step up enforcement of data protection law
- Derayah Financial launches Saudi Arabia's first zero-commission trading model
- India's ITC Infotech launches Riyadh digital, AI engineering hub
- Rinehart's Hancock bids successfully for five exploration licenses with Maaden
- Kingdom sees lowest car prices in Gulf region
- Govt planning new national refinery to support gold hub ambitions
- FRA licenses EGX to operate futures exchange
- Granite gets FRA fintech license, to launch Egypt’s first digital money market account
- TSFE's portfolio grew 90% since 2023
- Grocery e-commerce platform Gourmet plans EGX IPO
- 1M+ online links blocked by PTA to tackle harmful, illegal content
- Pakistan surpasses Vietnam to become third-largest rice exporter
- Govt aims to arrange 800,000 jobs for citizens in GCC this year
- MoITT drafting Telecom Competition Rules
- ZTE, Zong to partner on expansion of 5G devices, BNPL
Other MENA+ Developments
- EtihadWE plans feasibility study for UAE-India undersea power link
- Mubadala, QIA acquire stake in Reliance Consumer Products
- Commercial helicopter operator AeroGulf acquires 20 eVTOLs from Japan's SkyDrive
- Libya partners Qatar, Italian firms to develop $2.7B regional transhipment port
- Lunate becomes first Middle East firm to launch ETF on European Exchange
Southeast Asia Developments
- Grok AI still accessible in Malaysia, Indonesia despite threats of ban
- Changan expands Thai battery EV production capacity
- Vietnam to open first chip fab in 2027 with Viettel 32nm chips
- Indonesia’s Danantara eyes new funding round to raise $1.2B
- Singapore SWF GIC to invest $1.5B in Anthropic
India Developments
- UAE's Lulu scales up India sourcing, plans e-commerce expansion
- RBI proposes linking BRICS' digital currencies
- SEBI plans new trade settlement mechanism to cut costs for offshore funds
- EV maker VinFast to double outlets, expand India offerings
- Blackstone finalises investment in Indian cloud startup Neysa
