In May, I had the opportunity to moderate a session at Seamless Middle East titled ‘Going everywhere your customers go: embracing digital wallets, BNPL, and POS systems!’
It was an insightful conversation on how payments are evolving and what that means for the future. We explored the rise of super apps, the growing role of digital wallets, how POS systems are adapting, and how BNPL solutions are changing the way people shop and pay.
But beyond the tech, one idea stood out: how do we ensure these advancements include everyone, not just the privileged few?
That’s the question we focus on every day at myZoi.
Turning Ambition into Impact
When I joined myZoi, it wasn’t just about a new role. After more than 20 years in banking, fintech, and consulting, I was looking for something meaningful. I wanted to work on something that could create lasting impact while also building a commercially successful business. myZoi offered that rare mix of purpose and performance.
Our mission is to enable financial inclusion in the UAE through simple, accessible digital financial services. That means supporting salary payments, cross-border transfers, mobile recharges and everyday financial needs while also promoting financial literacy for low-income workers. Our prioperity Money Tips financial education initiative, which brings financial awareness to underbanked communities, is a perfect example of how we combine technology with education. As part of our commitment to financial education and awareness, we deliver interactive and engaging in-person sessions at our users’ accommodations and premises throughout the UAE, ensuring a lasting impact.
We’re licensed and regulated by the Central Bank of the UAE and backed by Standard Chartered through its SC Ventures arm. That gives us both credibility and agility. We’ve built a platform that’s easy to use, available in native languages, and designed specifically for the needs of low-income workers in the UAE and their families.
A Commercial Strategy Built on Empathy
We operate on a B2B2C model, partnering with companies across sectors like logistics, construction, retail, manpower and manufacturing. For employers, myZoi helps digitize payroll and supports their ESG goals. For employees, it creates access to secure, reliable financial tools that improve their daily lives and provides them with a financially secure future.
Our commercial approach is anchored in five focus areas:
- Prioritize our core offering and make sure we do it exceptionally well. That means payroll, international remittances, and financial literacy delivered in a way that’s simple and intuitive.
- Drive efficiency through automation and process improvements, while keeping customer acquisition costs low through corporate partnerships.
- Identify strategic partners that help us scale and integrate seamlessly into new markets and channels.
- Champion financial literacy in the UAE as a core part of our offering, empowering users to make informed decisions and improve their long-term wellbeing.
- Create recurring revenue streams that are relevant to our customer base enabling innovation and creating long-term value.
Everything we do is grounded in user research. We follow a human-centered design approach where ideas are validated directly with the people we serve. This ensures our solutions are both effective and relevant.
Measuring What Matters
We track key metrics to ensure we’re meeting both our social and commercial goals. That includes customer acquisition cost, revenue and profitability, lifetime value, and user engagement.
We also place a strong emphasis on qualitative feedback. We listen to our clients and partners closely. A group treasurer at a large UAE conglomerate recently told us that myZoi stood out because it was the first solution that addressed payroll and financial wellbeing together in a comprehensive manner. A retail partner pointed out how our offering helped them meet their ESG objectives. That kind of feedback tells us we’re building something that truly makes a difference.
What’s Ahead
Looking forward, we’re looking to grow our business in UAE while we are preparing for expansion within the region and beyond. We’re exploring partnerships that allow us to scale quickly through white-label models and localized integrations. As fintech landscape in the UAE evolves, our focus at myZoi remains clear, lead with purpose and ensure financial progress includes and empowers everyone. Technology, for us, is a tool for dignity, access, and opportunity. That belief drives every decision we make.
