Emirates NBD, DFDF partner to accelerate FinTech and AI adoption

By Milan Rojan

Emirates NBD has partnered with Dubai Future District Fund (DFDF) to accelerate the adoption of FinTech and artificial intelligence (AI) solutions across financial services.

Marwan Hadi, Group Head of Retail Banking and Wealth Management, Emirates NBD, said: “By partnering with DFDF, we anticipate delivering more personalised and intelligent banking experiences, faster deployment of digital banking capabilities, improved fraud detection and financial security, enhanced SME and business banking solutions and seamless onboarding services.”

The Dubai-based banking group has said the partnership will enable both organisations to source, identify, pilot and adopt technology-driven solutions aimed at improving customer experience, operational efficiency and financial services.

DFDF has been established as Dubai’s AED1bn evergreen venture capital fund of funds and has been anchored by the Dubai International Financial Centre and Dubai Future Foundation. The fund has focused on supporting startups developing technologies across financial services and the wider future economy.

Through the partnership, Emirates NBD has gained access to a pipeline of enterprise-grade FinTech and AI solutions and has been set to explore strategic partnerships with companies within DFDF’s portfolio. The collaboration has also been expected to support structured pilots and potential commercial deployments aligned with the bank’s business priorities.

Emirates NBD has identified several areas of focus, including AI-powered banking, embedded finance, digital assets, SME solutions, WealthTech, compliance technology and next-generation banking infrastructure.

The bank has also linked the partnership to its National Digital Talent Incubator (NDTI), which has been launched to support Emirati entrepreneurs developing technology-driven ventures in financial services, AI and digital commerce.

The collaboration has further strengthened Dubai’s focus on developing an innovation-led digital finance ecosystem, with financial institutions and startups continuing to test AI and emerging technologies across banking.