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Open Finance infrastructure provider Lean Technologies has received regulatory approval to operate its full suite of services in the United Arab Emirates, positioning the company as one of the country’s leading platforms for secure financial data and payment connectivity. The approval marks a significant advancement in the UAE’s Open Finance strategy, which aims to create a more accessible, interoperable, and inclusive financial system.
The move strengthens Lean’s role as a regulated player in the country’s digital finance ecosystem and enables it to scale its offering of account-to-account payments, financial data services, and embedded finance tools across the UAE and the broader MENA region.
Expanding Infrastructure for a Digital Economy
Lean’s approval comes at a time when demand for faster, more transparent financial services is increasing across retail and business sectors. With over $2 billion in transaction volume processed and more than 1 million connected accounts, Lean’s infrastructure has been integrated into a growing number of real-world use cases across lending, payments, and personal finance.
The company’s platform supports regulated access to customer financial data and payment flows, allowing institutions to build tools that offer faster loan approvals, streamlined checkouts, and personalized budgeting experiences. These features are designed to operate within the UAE’s broader digital economy goals, including the UAE Centennial 2071 and the National Digital Economy Strategy, both of which prioritize financial inclusion and innovation through regulatory modernization.
Strategic Position in MENA
Lean has played a foundational role in the UAE’s Open Finance rollout over the past four years, working closely with regulators, banks, and fintech firms to develop secure, interoperable infrastructure for regulated financial data exchange. Its approval follows an earlier milestone in 2022, when Lean became the first third-party provider to receive a Financial Services Permission (FSP) from the Abu Dhabi Global Market (ADGM). That same year, the company was admitted into the Saudi Central Bank’s (SAMA) regulatory sandbox, reinforcing its presence as a cross-border infrastructure partner.
With the MENA Open Finance market projected to grow from $1.65 billion in 2022 to $11.74 billion by 2027, according to the Arab Monetary Fund, platforms like Lean are expected to play a critical role in enabling secure, efficient financial experiences for individuals and businesses alike. The region’s growth is being driven by a combination of consumer demand, regulatory alignment, and the expansion of fintech services.
Platform Features and Institutional Adoption
Lean’s infrastructure supports use cases that go beyond traditional financial services. Its API-first platform enables banks, fintechs, and non-financial institutions to integrate account connectivity, transaction data access, and payment initiation services into their own applications and platforms.
The platform is built to enterprise-grade security and reliability standards, including ISO 27001 and SOC 2 certifications. Lean reports consistently high API uptime and low latency, making it suitable for integrations with high-volume platforms and regulated institutions.
Institutions across real estate, retail, and credit have adopted Lean’s services to improve payment collection and underwriting workflows. By embedding Lean’s tools, these institutions report faster loan approvals, improved credit risk modeling, and stronger user engagement around digital finance services.
Investment and Expansion Plans
Lean is backed by more than $100 million in venture funding from global and regional investors, including General Catalyst and Bain Capital Ventures. With its new regulatory status, the company plans to expand its infrastructure coverage across the UAE and the wider Middle East and North Africa region.
