In a bold move to deepen its footprint across emerging markets, global digital commerce giant PayPal has officially inaugurated its first-ever regional headquarters for the Middle East and Africa at Dubai Internet City. This strategic expansion underscores PayPal’s commitment to enabling millions of consumers and businesses across the region to access the global digital economy.
The new hub aims to deliver seamless payment solutions, enterprise-grade security, and enhanced access to international payment networks, empowering businesses—from multinational corporations to small and medium enterprises (SMEs)—to trade confidently across borders.
Speaking at the Dubai AI Festival 2025, Suzan Kereere, President of Global Markets at PayPal, said:
“PayPal is uniquely positioned to bridge the gap between consumers and businesses for cross-border commerce, fostering growth in local economies. We proudly serve over 430 million customers worldwide today, and we hope to reach many more from our new regional hub. We want to empower businesses in this region to connect with our global consumers, while enabling consumers here to shop with confidence internationally.”
Kereere also pointed to PayPal’s innovation-led roadmap:
“As artificial intelligence rapidly transforms the way we shop and pay, PayPal is developing its next-generation shopping experiences, including smart wallets and agentic commerce. I cannot wait to take our customers and partners on this journey with us.”
The announcement follows a series of strategic merchant and partner agreements in recent months, highlighting PayPal’s momentum across critical sectors including aviation, tourism, digital goods, and retail.
Otto Williams, Senior Vice President, Regional Head and General Manager of PayPal Middle East and Africa, emphasized the importance of collaboration to scale regional digital growth:
“Through strategic partnerships with banks, fintechs, telecom providers, and other commerce players, we can collectively expand access to the global digital economy. We already serve many of the largest online enterprises in the region. Now, with our new headquarters, we’re especially excited to support small and medium-sized businesses with the tools to attract, convert, and retain customers globally.”
PayPal’s Dubai hub is expected to play a pivotal role in shaping the region’s digital commerce landscape, further cementing the UAE’s position as a global tech and innovation hub.