Pemo UAE fintech approval opens wider SME services
Pemo recently received in-principle approval from the Central Bank of the UAE, a move the UAE-based spend management platform says will support broader financial services for small and medium-sized businesses. The approval comes as the UAE’s fintech sector enters a more regulated phase, with higher expectations around governance and compliance.
What Pemo does for UAE SMEs
Pemo is a UAE-based spend management platform used by more than 7,000 companies. Its offering includes a business account launched with ruya and an MCP release that allows finance teams to query Pemo through tools they already use.
For SMEs, one of the biggest financial challenges remains having a clear view of cash flow, particularly as businesses deal with VAT, corporate tax, reporting requirements and the introduction of e-invoicing. Pemo says its next phase will focus on expanding services to existing customers.
Why the approval matters beyond the UAE
“The in-principle approval matters most for what it lets us build. It puts Pemo on firmer ground to expand the products we offer SMEs, under a framework regulators and customers can trust,” co-founder and CEO Ayham Gorani said.
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Gorani said the approval also signals that fintech in the UAE is maturing beyond the “move fast” era into one built on governance and durability.
Gorani said differences between Gulf markets remain a challenge for regional expansion. A licence or product that works in the UAE can encounter friction in Saudi Arabia or Bahrain.
Pemo’s next move is wider services
“What comes next is depth rather than breadth. Our in-principle approval from the CBUAE lets us widen what we offer the same customers,” co-founder and CEO Ayham Gorani said.
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