Dubai-based fintech Alaan is moving beyond spend management with the launch of what it describes as the UAE’s first AI-native business bank account. Developed in partnership with digital Islamic bank ruya, the platform combines banking, payments, invoice automation and accounting workflows in a single environment, reflecting the growing shift toward embedded finance and AI-driven operations.
Embedded Banking Comes to Business Finance
Powered by ruya’s Banking-as-a-Service infrastructure, the new offering provides UAE businesses with Shariah-compliant digital banking capabilities integrated directly into Alaan‘s platform.
Companies can manage local and international supplier payments from one dashboard, with cross-border transfers available to more than 40 countries. Businesses can also receive customer payments into the same account used for outbound transactions.
AI Targets Manual Finance Tasks
At the centre of the platform is Alaan Intelligence, which automatically captures invoice information including vendors, VAT details and due dates, while identifying duplicate invoices before payments are processed.
Approval workflows are built into the system and transactions synchronise directly with major accounting platforms including Xero, QuickBooks, Zoho and Odoo, helping finance teams eliminate manual data entry and accelerate processing.
Demand Grows for AI-Driven Financial Operations
The launch comes as the UAE continues to see rapid business formation. More than 250,000 companies were established in 2025, taking the number of businesses across the Middle East to over 1.4 million. As enterprises seek greater efficiency, AI-enabled finance platforms are increasingly emerging as alternatives to traditional banking models.
Strengthening Embedded Finance in the Region
Founded in 2022, Alaan recently secured $48 million in Series A funding led by Peak XV Partners. The company now supports more than 3,000 businesses, including G42, Careem, Tabby, McDonald’s and Al Barari.
For ruya, the partnership represents another step in expanding embedded banking capabilities, allowing businesses to access financial services directly within the software platforms they already use.
What this means for the industry
- AI is moving deeper into business banking workflows, extending beyond analytics and chatbots.
- Embedded finance is creating closer partnerships between banks and software platforms.
- Banking-as-a-Service models are accelerating digital banking innovation across the Gulf.
- Businesses are increasingly looking for unified financial operating systems rather than standalone banking products.
