UAE-Based Fuze Bags US$12.2 Million In Series A Round

UAE-based fintech Fuze has pocketed US$12.2 million in a Series A funding round spearheaded by Galaxy, a US-based digital assets and data center infrastructure provider, and e& capital, the venture capital arm of the UAE-based technology and investment conglomerate e&, with participation from the Abu Dhabi-based Further Ventures, a venture builder backed by the sovereign wealth fund ADQ. 

Founded by Mo Ali Yusuf, Arpit Mehta, and Srijan Shetty in the UAE in 2023, Fuze offers digital assets-as-a-service infrastructure that enables financial institutions and businesses across the MENA and Turkey to provide regulated digital assets to their clients. The company also operates an over-the-counter (OTC) trading desk and recently expanded into stablecoin infrastructure. 

The new capital will support Fuze’s product development, regulatory compliance, and expansion plans both regionally and internationally. But for Yusuf, co-founder and CEO of Fuze, this investment isn’t just about the money. “Firstly, it’s important to note that this funding round was not only about capital, but also about strategic partnership," Yusuf explained. "The likes of Galaxy and e& capital deliver immediate, impactful advantages through their extensive network, from institutions to merchants and their customers." 

Since launching, Fuze has already processed over $2 billion in digital asset volume—and Yusuf sees that as a sign that the region is no longer testing the waters when it comes to digital assets. “It signals a paradigm shift," he said. "In the MENA region, financial institutions and enterprises are no longer debating if they should engage with digital assets, but how fast they can do it, securely and at scale. We're seeing a clear transition from experimentation to full-scale operational deployment." 

As businesses demand more sophisticated services—ranging from real-time settlements to treasury management—Yusuf believes that Fuze’s enterprise-grade infrastructure is meeting an urgent need in the market. “Client expectations have matured," he pointed out. "It's no longer just about custody or simple buy/sell, it’s about robust treasury management, real-time settlements, and decentralized finance (DeFi) access. At Fuze, we meet this moment by abstracting the complexity of blockchain through a seamless, enterprise-grade layer. That enables institutions to unlock the benefits of stablecoins and digital assets without compromising trust, control, or security.” 

As Fuze expands, it is focusing on working closely with emerging markets to align with their developing regulatory frameworks for digital assets. “Regulation and compliance have been baked into our offering since inception, as we believe financial ecosystems are built on strong regulatory foundations," Yusuf said. "We have built robust relationships with regulators and authorities in our core markets across the MENA and Turkey, and we are exploring how we can take a similarly collaborative approach in other emerging markets, as their digital assets frameworks evolve." 

While evolving regulatory landscapes will largely determine where Fuze heads next as it continues to scale, Yusuf pointed out that, as part of its growth trajectory, Fuze recently launched FuzePay, marking the company's first foray into streamlining digital payments for businesses and institutions. “We are broadening the scope of our product offering, and we have just launched FuzePay to simplify digital payments," he shared. "This is an exciting opportunity and the result of many months of hard work from our team–it brings us another step closer to our mission of enhancing the financial landscape and building infrastructure that will power the future of finance."

In a fintech space crowded with payment startups, Yusuf sees Fuze’s regulatory experience and infrastructure-first mindset as critical differentiators. “Our senior leadership team has many years of experience operating financial technology businesses–for example, I previously held roles at Visa and Checkout.com," Yusuf said. "This level of experience provides us with important advantages, not least how to build and grow a company that operates in highly regulated environments. Fuze also has a rare advantage in providing financial infrastructure that operates at the intersection of digital assets and traditional financial systems. Ultimately, we are modernizing financial services.” 

With its newly acquired retail payment services and card schemes (RPSCS) license from the Central Bank of the UAE (CBUAE), Fuze can now offer more seamless financial integration, including real-time settlements and AI-driven compliance and fraud detection. “This complements our market-leading digital assets-as-a-service platform, stablecoin infrastructure, and OTC," Yusuf said. "Over the coming years, digital assets will not stand alone as a financial outlier, but will be fully integrated into how the future of finance operates. We aim to support businesses, institutions, and fintechs in overcoming regulatory complexities and taking advantage of the rapidly evolving technologies that can enhance everyday finance." 

Looking at the road ahead in 2025, Yusuf believes stablecoins will play an increasingly central role in transforming regional finance. “In support of national agendas to empower a digital economy, stablecoins provide faster, cheaper and transparent transactions–all of which are priorities for a more financially inclusive ecosystem,” he said. 

But the opportunity goes beyond payments. Fuze is betting big on the tokenization of real-world assets, as well, especially in sectors like real estate. “We believe there is a great opportunity to provide the necessary infrastructure for real-world asset tokenization, which has many practical applications for major industries, such as enhancing the speed and cost-effectiveness of real estate transactions,” Yusuf said. “The year ahead is an exciting one for Fuze, and with our Series A funding and the support of global and regional partners, we are already sprinting ahead."

Pictured in the lead image are Fuze co-founders Mo Ali Yusuf, Arpit Mehta, and Srijan Shetty. Image courtesy Fuze.