The way forward for cash won’t be outlined by the general public or personal sector alone, however by the partnership between the 2. Whereas fintechs excel at creating user-centric designs that decrease obstacles to adoption , they want the trusted and steady basis that public infrastructure like central financial institution digital currencies (CBDCs) gives.
Right here, Faisal Toukan, CEO & Co-Founding father of Ziina, explains why the way forward for cash relies on a partnership between personal innovation and public infrastructure.

Fintechs thrive by placing the consumer first. At Ziina, we now have merged finance with artwork and consumer expertise, incomes international design recognition, together with the Crimson Dot Award, for an interface constructed round velocity and ease. This method turns an earthly activity like splitting a invoice or paying for dinner into an intuitive and seamless course of.
This isn’t nearly aesthetics. A user-friendly interface, fast setup, and full transparency cut back the friction that forestalls many from embracing digital funds. At this time, tens of 1000’s of SMEs and shoppers throughout the UAE depend on Ziina for hassle-free cash motion. As the primary enterprise capital-backed fintech with a Saved Worth Amenities (SVF) licence from the UAE Central Financial institution, we mix this design-led innovation with sturdy regulatory requirements.
The Basis of Belief and Stability
Innovation alone will not be sufficient. For digital finance to achieve its full potential, it wants a safe and environment friendly spine, which is the position of the UAE’s Digital Dirham. The Digital Dirham is a central financial institution digital foreign money (CBDC)—a digital model of the nation’s official cash, issued and assured by the central financial institution. Not like decentralised and risky cryptocurrencies, a CBDC has the identical worth and authorized standing as bodily money.
Globally, central banks are exploring comparable fashions, with China piloting its e-CNY and the European Central Financial institution progressing on a digital euro. In opposition to this backdrop, the UAE stands out for the velocity and readability with which it’s transferring. By embedding safety and compliance straight into the monetary system, the Digital Dirham creates the rails for fintechs to construct upon and scale innovation responsibly.
The place Belief Meets Usability
One with out the opposite falls brief. CBDCs provide stability however don’t remedy for usability or adoption on their very own. Fintechs can construct smooth experiences, however with out trusted infrastructure, they threat fragility. Collectively, they shut the loop: CBDCs ship the inspiration, and fintechs translate that basis into on a regular basis worth for shoppers and companies. In observe, this implies immediate settlement for SMEs, real-time wages for gig employees, or cross-border funds that clear in seconds as a substitute of days.