Deem Finance & airpay Partner on Merchant Financing in UAE

Small and medium-sized enterprises account for more than 94% of all businesses in the United Arab Emirates, yet many continue to face limited access to capital under traditional credit assessment models. Against this backdrop, Deem Finance and airpay Technologies have unveiled a partnership designed to place financing closer to where commercial activity actually happens, integrating credit directly into digital payment flows.

Under the arrangement, airpay will refer eligible SMEs operating within its network to Deem Finance for short- to medium-term funding solutions. Rather than relying on historical balance sheets, the financing model is structured around real-time cash flow and turnover cycles, allowing credit decisions to reflect how businesses operate on a day-to-day basis. The companies describe the approach as “Purpose-Powered Liquidity,” positioning it as a shift toward more flexible, usage-based lending.

airpay’s platform supports more than 160 payment methods globally, giving the partnership reach across a broad base of merchants. By embedding financing at the point of transaction, the collaboration aims to reduce friction for entrepreneurs seeking working capital tied to immediate business needs. Deem Finance said the model is intended to meet business owners within their existing operating environments rather than requiring separate credit application processes.

The partners outlined four core elements of the initiative: contextual credit embedded within the payments platform; agile lending that responds to fluctuating revenues and time-sensitive opportunities; broader inclusion of underserved SME segments; and a shared-performance framework focused on responsible lending and portfolio health.