Wio Bank PJSC has entered into a strategic partnership with Geidea to make digital business banking and lending solutions more accessible to small and medium-sized enterprises in the UAE. Announced on June 4, 2026, the collaboration will allow merchants using Geidea’s platform to access Wio Business accounts and financing products through a more streamlined digital journey. The agreement highlights the growing role of embedded finance in helping SMEs manage operations, secure funding, and reduce friction in their financial processes.
Partnership Details
The agreement was signed by Prateek Vahie, Chief Commercial Officer at Wio Bank, and Pankaj Kundra, Chief Executive Officer at Geidea UAE. Through the partnership, Geidea will serve as a distribution and referral channel, connecting eligible merchants in its network with Wio’s business banking and lending products. Wio Bank will remain responsible for all financing assessments, customer onboarding, approvals, underwriting decisions, and disbursements under its own regulatory framework.
The collaboration is designed to simplify how merchants access banking and credit by reducing the need to deal with fragmented processes across multiple providers. Eligible businesses will be able to benefit from faster onboarding, clearer financing terms, and access to capital through a unified experience. For Geidea, the partnership expands its merchant proposition beyond payments acceptance and into broader financial enablement.
Addressing SME Finance Challenges
SMEs remain a critical part of the UAE economy, but many continue to face delays and complexity when seeking access to working capital and banking services. Across the wider Middle East and Africa region, fragmented credit processes and limited access to tailored financing have long been barriers to business expansion. By integrating Wio’s digital banking and lending capabilities into Geidea’s merchant ecosystem, the two companies aim to provide a more direct route to essential financial tools.
Wio Business has focused on serving entrepreneurs and SMEs through digital-first onboarding, operational tools, and data-driven lending solutions. Its platform is designed to support businesses at different stages of growth by simplifying financial management and improving access to funding. The partnership with Geidea gives Wio a new channel to reach a large base of UAE merchants already using digital payments infrastructure.
Executive Perspectives
Prateek Vahie said the partnership reflects the need to make finance more accessible and better connected to the daily tools businesses already use. He noted that while SMEs are central to the UAE’s economic growth, access to funding often remains one of the most difficult parts of their journey. According to Vahie, embedding Wio’s banking and lending services into Geidea’s platform supports a more intuitive and growth-focused banking ecosystem.
Pankaj Kundra said SMEs require financial solutions that can keep pace with the demands of running and scaling a business. He explained that the collaboration strengthens Geidea’s ability to support merchants with services that go beyond payment acceptance. By combining operational and financial capabilities, he said the companies are helping businesses work more efficiently and spend less time navigating disconnected systems.
Company Context
Wio Bank PJSC is headquartered in Abu Dhabi and regulated by the Central Bank of the UAE. The digital banking platform is backed by ADQ, Alpha Dhabi Holding, e&, and First Abu Dhabi Bank, and provides financial services for both individuals and businesses. Its business offering focuses on helping entrepreneurs and SMEs streamline operations, manage finances, and access growth opportunities through a digital platform.
Geidea is a fintech and payments technology company founded in 2008 by Saudi entrepreneur Abdullah AlOthman. The company provides digital banking technology, smart payment terminals, and business management solutions for merchants in retail and digital commerce. Headquartered in Riyadh, Geidea serves more than 650,000 merchants globally and has operations in markets including the UAE and Egypt.
The partnership between Wio Bank and Geidea marks a significant step in the expansion of embedded financial services for UAE merchants. By connecting banking, lending, and payments within a more unified merchant experience, the collaboration addresses a key pain point for SMEs seeking faster and simpler access to finance. As digital platforms continue to reshape business services in the region, partnerships of this kind are likely to play an increasingly important role in supporting SME growth and financial inclusion.