Top 5 Payments Startup Investors in Kuwait in May 2026

Portfolio highlights

• Abwaab — Abwaab is an online learning platform that allows secondary-school students to learn at their own pace, test themselves and get ahead with our expert tutors anytime and anywhere. By offering short, engaging video lessons, visualized learning journeys, continuous assessment and performance analytics, we are changing the way students learn outsidethe classroom.
• Nas.com — Nas.io helps anyone go from idea to revenue in 1 minute with AI. Create digital products, build engaged communities, and automate marketing—all in one intuitive platform. Nas.io puts community first. Challenges, events, social feed, and memberships drive revenue growth for your business. Join 200k+ entrepreneurs and build your dream digitalbusiness with AI in 1 minute, no technical skills required.
• NorthLadder — Most of us know what it feels like to sell a pre-owned device - be it a smartphone, a laptop or a tablet. The fact is that the pre-owned market is intransparent and finding a fair price for your asset is daunting. Even if you do get a fair price, the inconvenience of meeting the buyer, negotiating the price, shipping the asset, and waiting forpayment could be an exhausting process. And then there is the worry of figuring out what happens to the data on your device.This is why NorthLadder came to be. We are the region’s only auction-driven selling platform for pre-owned electronics devices- a thoughtfully created service where people can sell their devices to a network of global buyers and get cash instantly in a safe, dignified, and hassle-free manner.But that’s not all. We have many convenient drop-off locations across the region for getting instant cash against your devices. Don’t want to drop off your device? No worries, we will come to your doorstep to pick it up and hand the cash over to you. And if you want your data to be erased, we can advise you on ways to do it or use internationally approved software to erase it for a small fee.We have served thousands of customers and their overwhelmingly positive feedback tells us we are on the right track. Our efforts actively contribute to the formation of a circular economy, which is the need of the day. You can help too, by introducing your electronic gadget to the secondary market - increase its lifespan and reduce its carbon footprint. This is what keeps us motivated: to help the planet as we continue our mission to serve millions of people across the globe.We are passionate, we are focussed, we are NorthLadder.

Portfolio highlights

• Ryder — 60s Setup, Secure Signing, EAL6+ Secure Element, TapSafe Recovery, IP68 Rating, Encrypted NFC.
• SOKNA — SOKNA is Egypt’s first end-to-end funeral service providing your loved ones with care and respect at the completion of their life’s journey.
• DLC.link — We are building a bridge that will let Clarity contracts settle on Bitcoin, unlocking a trillion dollars of Bitcoin to be used for DeFi (Decentralized Finance).

Portfolio highlights

• SQRIL — SQRIL provides a crossborder scan-to-pay QR payment API switch that enables banks, ewallets and fintech apps to accept and initiate QR code payments across multiple countries. It connects financial applications to local QR payment schemes in emerging markets across Asia, with expansion planned into Africa and Latin America. The platform supportsscanning and paying local merchant QR codes and sending bank transfers or ewallet payouts where QR coverage exists. It focuses on interoperability between domestic payment rails and web3 payment sources, using stablecoins as part of settlement where applicable. SQRIL also handles licensing and regulatory arrangements directly or via local partners.
• Utexo — Utexo develops payment infrastructure that enables stablecoin transactions to settle directly on the Bitcoin network. The platform provides an API and related tools that allow payment operators, exchanges, wallets, and financial platforms to process USDT transfers through Bitcoin-based rails. Its system integrates technologies such as the LightningNetwork and the RGB protocol to support instant settlement, encrypted transaction execution, and predictable transaction costs. Utexo also offers cloud infrastructure and developer tools that manage routing, liquidity, and node operations required for stablecoin payments on Bitcoin. These services allow organizations to integrate Bitcoin-based stablecoin settlement into existing applications without operating or maintaining underlying blockchain infrastructure.
• Generative Bionics — Generative Bionics develops humanoid robots that integrate robotics, advanced artificial intelligence, and design for safe, reliable operation in real-world industrial environments.​

Portfolio highlights

• Kem Technologies — Kem Technologies a flexible P2P quick payment system. And bridges financial gap by ensuring user security.

Portfolio highlights

• Kem — Kem was started with the idea of achieving a simple goal, to make it easy to send money to your friends. Millions of people in the Gulf were facing this issue, and we built Kem for the purpose of removing the pain from peer-to-peer payments.Today, Kem is the fastest growing payments app in Kuwait & the GCC. Pay anyone instantly, receiveeverywhere, spend anywhere. Join the thousands already using the Kem app.The Kem App is a financial services platform, not a bank. Banking services are provided by Kem’s bank partner(s). Kem Company for Electronic Payment & Settlement Systems W.L.L is a service of Kem Technologies Holding Ltd.