The Monday Roundup: what we are watching this week | Sept 7th

By Puja Sharma

The Monday Roundup sets the scene for the week’s biggest news stories, industry deals, and upcoming events. For Prime subscribers only.

A Bigger Bet on MENA Payments

Saudi Arabia-based PayTabs Group has agreed to acquire Amazon Payment Services’ payments operations in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) in a transaction valued at more than $100 million.

Approved by both parties, the deal will see Amazon Payment Services’ MENA operations integrated into PayTabs, expanding the FinTech company’s scale, processing capabilities, and market presence across the region. The acquisition strengthens PayTabs’ position as a leading payments infrastructure provider in MENA, supported by its end-to-end platform that includes payment processing, automated switching, and payout solutions.

Founded in Saudi Arabia, PayTabs has spent years building banking partnerships, securing regulatory licences and investing in AI-driven payment infrastructure to support businesses across regional markets. The company said its investments have enabled it to develop a broad payments ecosystem designed to facilitate digital and cross-border commerce. By bringing Amazon Payment Services’ regional operations under its umbrella,PayTabs is expected to enhance its ability to deliver integrated payment solutions while expanding its reach in a market experiencing rapid growth in digital transactions.

US-based cross-border payments FinTech Félix has raised $200 million through a combination of equity and debt financing to accelerate its expansion into AI-powered financial services and strengthen its presence across Latin America.

The funding includes an $87 million equity round led by Andreessen Horowitz (a16z), with participation from QED Investors, Castle Island Ventures, Switch Ventures, Contour Venture Partners, and Endeavor Catalyst. The company also secured a $113 million credit facility from General Catalyst’s Customer Value Fund. The latest investment follows Félix’s $75 million Series B funding round in 2025 and its $15.5 million Series A raise in 2024.

Founded in 2020 by Manuel Godoy and Bernardo Garcia, Félix launched as a WhatsApp-based remittance platform enabling Latino communities in the US to send money to family members across Latin America. The company says its customer base has grown to more than six million users, while the platform has processed over $8 billion in transactions since inception.

Through WhatsApp, users can initiate transfers using debit cards, credit cards, or cash deposits at participating retail locations. Recipients receive funds directly into their bank accounts without requiring users to leave the messaging platform.

AI-powered due diligence

Nasdaq has completed its acquisition of Dasseti, an AI-powered due diligence and manager monitoring platform serving investment consultants, institutional investors and asset managers.

First announced in July 2026, the acquisition will see Dasseti’s capabilities integrated into Nasdaq eVestment, extending the platform’s coverage across manager research, due diligence and ongoing monitoring activities. Financial terms of the transaction were not disclosed. The move comes as institutional investors increasingly allocate capital across a broader range of managers, strategies and asset classes, particularly in private markets where data standards and reporting practices remain fragmented.

Nasdaq eVestment currently connects approximately 4,800 asset managers with more than 1,200 asset owners and intermediaries. The platform supports over $90 trillion in assets under management across more than 112,000 investment products spanning 109 countries. Its private markets dataset covers over 16,000 managers and 95,000 funds. Dasseti provides AI-driven tools that automate and streamline due diligence questionnaires (DDQs), requests for proposals (RFPs) and continuous manager monitoring processes. Its network encompasses more than 17,000 asset managers and general partners representing approximately $34 trillion in assets under management.

Through the integration, Nasdaq aims to provide institutional investors and consultants with a unified environment for manager discovery, evaluation and oversight. The combined offering is expected to improve response times, enhance data quality and simplify research workflows, while helping asset managers manage RFPs, DDQs and database submissions more efficiently.

International Turnkey Systems (ITS) has renewed two key international certifications covering information security and IT service management, following successful recertification audits.

The renewed ISO/IEC 27001:2022 certification covers ITS Kuwait, ITS GBS, ITS Bahrain, ITS Dubai and ITS Egypt, highlighting the organisation’s continued focus on maintaining robust information security management practices across its certified operations.

The certification demonstrates ITS’s dedication to safeguarding information assets, managing security risks and ensuring compliance with internationally recognised security standards. In addition, ISO/IEC 20000-1:2018 certification has been renewed for ITS Kuwait and ITS GBS, reflecting the company’s commitment to delivering reliable, consistent and high-quality IT services.

The certification highlights ITS’s structured approach to service management, operational efficiency and continuous service improvement. Together, the renewed certifications reinforce the internationally recognised frameworks that support the company’s approach to protecting information, managing technology services and enhancing operational performance. They also strengthen customer and partner confidence in ITS’s ability to deliver secure and dependable technology solutions.

What is the Buzz

A Norwegian private equity investor has agreed to acquire a majority stake in Hungarian FinTech company Dorsum in a transaction valuing the Budapest-based firm at between €38 million and €45 million. Norwegian investment firm Hawk Infinity as the likely buyer, although neither party has officially confirmed the transaction.

The deal was initially agreed in 2025 but was delayed after the Hungarian government expanded its powers to block foreign acquisitions in sectors considered strategically important. Following Hungary’s April 2026 election, negotiations have resumed, with the necessary government approval potentially already secured. Founded in 1996, Dorsum is one of Hungary’s best-known FinTech companies and a leading provider of securities trading and wealth management software across Central and Eastern Europe.

The company develops modular front-, middle- and back-office platforms for investment and wealth management firms operating in heavily regulated European markets. Over recent years, Dorsum has transitioned from a customised software development model to a product-led FinTech strategy, investing significantly in technology innovation and international growth. The company now positions itself as a fintech and wealthtech provider focused on scalable solutions.