Amazon acquired online payment gateway Payfort in 2017 as part of its acquisition of regional e-commerce firm Souq.com. EPA
Amazon acquired online payment gateway Payfort in 2017 as part of its acquisition of regional e-commerce firm Souq.com. EPA
Amazon acquired online payment gateway Payfort in 2017 as part of its acquisition of regional e-commerce firm Souq.com. EPA
Amazon acquired online payment gateway Payfort in 2017 as part of its acquisition of regional e-commerce firm Souq.com. EPA

Money

Amazon launches payment processing service in Mena

E-commerce giant rebrands Payfort, an online payment gateway it acquired in 2017

Deepthi Nair
Deepthi Nair

December 14, 2020

  • English
  • Arabic

Global e-commerce giant Amazon has rebranded its payment services company Payfort as Amazon Payment Services in the Middle East and North Africa. The payment processing service will offer businesses “simple, affordable and secure online payment experiences”, the Seattle-based company said in a statement on Monday.

Payfort was founded in 2013 and bought by Amazon in 2017 as part of its $580 million acquisition of regional e-commerce company Souq.com.

“Today’s launch marks another key milestone in Amazon’s promise to build the future of digital payments in the region, empowering businesses to provide user-friendly payment experience for their end-users,” Omar Soudodi, managing director of Amazon Payment Services, said.

“We listened to businesses across a broad range of industries to continue improving our offering. Amazon Payment Services is a natural next step in our journey.”

The digital payments business is booming, with the Covid-19 pandemic encouraging more businesses to deploy new technologies. Globally, digital payments are set to grow to $8.26 trillion in 2024 from $4.4tn this year, according to Statista.

The UAE is among the countries leading this adoption. Two-thirds of people expect the country to become fully cashless by 2030, according to a recent poll by Standard Chartered. A report by US-based TechSci Research also found the UAE mobile wallet market is expected to grow at a compound annual rate of 24 per cent to $2.3 billion by 2022.

Amazon Payment Services processes transactions for businesses of all sizes across a range of industries, from aviation to real estate. It has partnerships with a number of local lenders including First Abu Dhabi Bank, Mashreq and RAKBank in the UAE, as well as Al Rajhi Bank, National Commercial Bank and Riyad Bank in Saudi Arabia.

The company said it is also introducing an improved range of services allowing for better authentication of transactions and to make the payment process smoother on checkout.

Ten tax points to be aware of in 2026

1. Domestic VAT refund amendments: request your refund within five years

If a business does not apply for the refund on time, they lose their credit.

2. E-invoicing in the UAE

Businesses should continue preparing for the implementation of e-invoicing in the UAE, with 2026 a preparation and transition period ahead of phased mandatory adoption. 

3. More tax audits

Tax authorities are increasingly using data already available across multiple filings to identify audit risks. 

4. More beneficial VAT and excise tax penalty regime

Tax disputes are expected to become more frequent and more structured, with clearer administrative objection and appeal processes. The UAE has adopted a new penalty regime for VAT and excise disputes, which now mirrors the penalty regime for corporate tax.

5. Greater emphasis on statutory audit

There is a greater need for the accuracy of financial statements. The International Financial Reporting Standards standards need to be strictly adhered to and, as a result, the quality of the audits will need to increase.

6. Further transfer pricing enforcement

Transfer pricing enforcement, which refers to the practice of establishing prices for internal transactions between related entities, is expected to broaden in scope. The UAE will shortly open the possibility to negotiate advance pricing agreements, or essentially rulings for transfer pricing purposes. 

7. Limited time periods for audits

Recent amendments also introduce a default five-year limitation period for tax audits and assessments, subject to specific statutory exceptions. While the standard audit and assessment period is five years, this may be extended to up to 15 years in cases involving fraud or tax evasion. 

8. Pillar 2 implementation 

Many multinational groups will begin to feel the practical effect of the Domestic Minimum Top-Up Tax (DMTT), the UAE's implementation of the OECD’s global minimum tax under Pillar 2. While the rules apply for financial years starting on or after January 1, 2025, it is 2026 that marks the transition to an operational phase.

9. Reduced compliance obligations for imported goods and services

Businesses that apply the reverse-charge mechanism for VAT purposes in the UAE may benefit from reduced compliance obligations. 

10. Substance and CbC reporting focus

Tax authorities are expected to continue strengthening the enforcement of economic substance and Country-by-Country (CbC) reporting frameworks. In the UAE, these regimes are increasingly being used as risk-assessment tools, providing tax authorities with a comprehensive view of multinational groups’ global footprints and enabling them to assess whether profits are aligned with real economic activity. 

Contributed by Thomas Vanhee and Hend Rashwan, Aurifer

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Badrijani nigvzit

A delicious vegetarian snack or starter. It consists of thinly sliced, fried then cooled aubergine smothered with a thick and creamy walnut sauce and folded or rolled. Take note, even though it seems like you should be able to pick these morsels up with your hands, they’re not as durable as they look. A knife and fork is the way to go.

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The flights: You can fly from the UAE to Iceland with one stop in Europe with a variety of airlines. Return flights with Emirates from Dubai to Stockholm, then Icelandair to Reykjavik, cost from Dh4,153 return. The whole trip takes 11 hours. British Airways flies from Abu Dhabi and Dubai to Reykjavik, via London, with return flights taking 12 hours and costing from Dh2,490 return, including taxes. 
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Indoor cricket World Cup:
Insportz, Dubai, September 16-23

UAE fixtures:
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Saturday, September 16 – 1.45pm, v New Zealand
Sunday, September 17 – 10.30am, v Australia; 3.45pm, v South Africa
Monday, September 18 – 2pm, v England; 7.15pm, v India
Tuesday, September 19 – 12.15pm, v Singapore; 5.30pm, v Sri Lanka
Thursday, September 21 – 2pm v Malaysia
Friday, September 22 – 3.30pm, semi-final
Saturday, September 23 – 3pm, grand final

Women
Saturday, September 16 – 5.15pm, v Australia
Sunday, September 17 – 2pm, v South Africa; 7.15pm, v New Zealand
Monday, September 18 – 5.30pm, v England
Tuesday, September 19 – 10.30am, v New Zealand; 3.45pm, v South Africa
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