Alaan
Alaan is a Dubai-based fintech providing AI-powered corporate cards, spend management software, and cross-border payments to over 3,000 finance teams across the UAE and Saudi Arabia, with deep ERP integrations and Shariah-compliant banking.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2021
- HeadquartersDubai, United Arab Emirates
- Headcount251–500
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingSoftware
What Alaan does
Alaan (legal entity AlaanPay Technology FZCO) is a Dubai-headquartered financial technology company founded in 2021 by former McKinsey consultants Parthi Duraisamy (CEO) and Karun Kurien (Head of Products and Technology). Operating across the UAE and Saudi Arabia, Alaan provides corporate cards, AI-powered spend management software, and an AI-native business bank account to more than 3,000 finance teams and businesses. Its primary customer segment is SMEs and mid-market companies, with named enterprise customers including G42, Careem, Tabby, Lulu Group, Al Barari, HelloChef, Washmen, Filli Cafe, and Invygo. As of mid-2026 the company employs more than 200 people representing 25+ nationalities.
The platform combines SuperCard® corporate card issuance (physical and virtual) on Visa's payment network, accounts payable automation, AI-driven invoice extraction, cross-border supplier payments via SuperPay®, and an AI-Native Business Bank Account built on Ruya Community Islamic Bank's Banking-as-a-Service infrastructure. SuperCard is issued by NymCard Payments Services LLC under Visa license in the UAE (CBUAE license No. 08.01.02.001.2022.02), while the Saudi product runs via the neoleap partnership aligned with Vision 2030. Alaan Intelligence — the company's AI module — automates receipt matching, reconciliation, VAT extraction, and natural-language expense queries, and the platform integrates natively with Xero, QuickBooks, NetSuite, Microsoft Dynamics 365, Odoo, SAP, and Zoho Books. Multi-currency support covers AED, SAR, and USD.
Revenue is generated primarily through transaction-based economics: card interchange and foreign transaction fees (up to 3.68% outside the UAE), ATM withdrawal fees, planned commercial pricing on SuperPay cross-border transfers, and cashback rebates (e.g., 1% uncapped on Saudi transactions, funded through interchange sharing with merchants and Visa). The platform is offered free for corporate card users, with monetization anchored on volume rather than per-seat subscriptions. Distribution blends enterprise field sales for logos such as G42 and Careem, self-serve digital onboarding for SMEs, accountant and partner referrals, and the Visa, neoleap, and Ruya channel partnerships. Alaan achieved profitability in March 2025 with $10M ARR on $5M operating spend before raising a $48M Series A from Peak XV Partners and 885 Capital in August 2025.
Alaan firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Alaan
- Legal name
- AlaanPay Technology FZCO
- Website
- https://alaan.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2021
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 251–500 employees
- Short description
- Alaan is a Dubai-based fintech providing AI-powered corporate cards, spend management software, and cross-border payments to over 3,000 finance teams across the UAE and Saudi Arabia, with deep ERP integrations and Shariah-compliant banking.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Alaan industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Corporate Spend Management Software
- NAICS
- Credit Card Issuing (522210), Activities Related to Credit Intermediation (5223), Financial Transactions Processing, Reserve, and Clearinghouse Activities (52232)
- SIC
- Miscellaneous Business Credit Institution (6159), Finance Services (6199), Short-Term Business Credit Institutions (6153)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Card Issuing & Program Management Platforms (BPAMAFAH)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Embedded Card Issuing & Card-as-a-Service (FSAGALAC), Multi-Currency Accounts, Wallets & IBAN Services (FSAMAIAG), A2A Payment Initiation Service Providers (PISPs) (FSAMAFAB), Travel Payments & Virtual Cards for Corporate Travel (THALAMAJ)
Keywords
Where Alaan is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Dubai
- HQ country
- United Arab Emirates
- HQ region
- Middle East
Offices4 records
Markets served
Alaan business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Software
- Cost components
- Personnel, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Operations, Infrastructure
Revenue model
- Corporate Card Interchange & Transaction Fees: Revenue generated from card transaction fees, including foreign transaction fees (up to 3.68% outside UAE) and ATM withdrawal fees (AED 10 in UAE, AED 25 outside UAE). Physical card issuance and annual fees are currently free, indicating interchange-driven model.
- Cross-border Payment Transfer Fees (SuperPay): Revenue from international supplier payments via SuperPay, with transparent pricing and better FX rates. During beta, zero transfer fees were offered, with commercial pricing planned post-launch.
- SaaS Platform Subscription (Spend Management): Subscription-based access to the spend management platform covering corporate cards, approval workflows, accounting automation, and reporting dashboards. Multiple tier offering implied by role-based and industry-specific product segmentation.
- Cashback Rebates & Merchant Discounts: UAE businesses earn 1% uncapped cashback on eligible transactions using Alaan Visa corporate cards in Saudi Arabia. Cashback is funded by interchange revenue shared with merchants and card networks.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Transaction based/ take rate | Pay-as-you-go | SuperCard — Corporate prepaid card for UAE-registered SMEs |
| Transaction based/ take rate | Pay-as-you-go | Saudi Arabia corporate card with cashback — 1% uncapped cashback on eligible transactions |
| Transaction based/ take rate | Pay-as-you-go | SuperPay — Cross-border supplier payments |
Go-to-market motion3 records
Distribution channels5 records
Marketing channels9 records
Alaan product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Alaan provides AI-powered corporate cards (SuperCard®), cross-border supplier payments (SuperPay®), and an AI-native business bank account for businesses in the UAE and Saudi Arabia. The platform automates expense management, receipt and invoice processing, VAT extraction, approval workflows, and accounting integration across major ERPs including Xero, QuickBooks, NetSuite, Dynamics 365, Odoo, SAP, and Zoho Books. Cards are issued by NymCard under Visa license, and the AI-native business account is powered by Ruya's Banking-as-a-Service infrastructure.
Product overview
Alaan is a UAE-based spend management fintech offering a unified platform for corporate spend management, combining corporate card issuing (SuperCard®), global supplier payments (SuperPay®), and an AI-native business bank account (powered by Ruya). The platform is built around an AI-driven spend management core that provides smart corporate cards, expense controls, approval workflows, invoice automation, and accounting automation — all connected to major ERP systems (Xero, QuickBooks, NetSuite, Dynamics 365, Zoho Books, Odoo, SAP). Key AI-powered modules include Alaan Intelligence for receipt/invoice extraction and reconciliation, and the AI-native business account that integrates cards, payments, approvals, and accounting into a single workflow. The company also operates community (CFO Community, The Job Vault) and SME support (Alaan Sawa) initiatives as part of its broader ecosystem.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- SuperCard®: Corporate cards with smart controls and built-in spend limits for UAE businesses.
- SuperPay®
- AI-Native Business Account
- Alaan Intelligence
- Alaan Sawa
Products and services
- SuperCard® Physical and virtual corporate prepaid cards for UAE-registered SMEs, issued by NymCard under Visa license. Supports smart spend controls, custom limits per role, real-time expense tracking, multi-currency transactions in AED, SAR, and USD, and offers up to 2% cashback on international spend with AI-assisted receipt processing.
- SuperPay® Global supplier payment product enabling UAE businesses to make international cross-border payments to suppliers in 40+ countries with zero transfer fees during beta, competitive FX rates, and AI-powered invoice automation integrated with accounts payable workflows.
- AI-Native Business Account AI-native business bank account powered by Ruya's Islamic Banking-as-a-Service infrastructure, combining corporate cards, domestic and cross-border payments, invoice automation, approval workflows, and accounting sync into a single AI-driven platform. Includes Shariah-compliant banking and fee-free local and international transfers.
- Spend Management Platform AI-powered spend management platform enabling finance teams to manage corporate cards, expense approvals, vendor payments, spend controls, real-time visibility, and accounting automation across multiple entities. Includes customizable spend limits, approval workflows, multi-currency support in AED, SAR, and USD, and ERP integrations with Xero, QuickBooks, NetSuite, Dynamics 365, Odoo, SAP, and Zoho Books.
Quantifiable outcome
- Saved businesses over 1.5 million hours of manual work through AI-powered automation
- +8 more outcomes
Companies that use Alaan
Customer profileNamed customers12 records
Segments1 record
Ideal customer profiles2 records
Alaan technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed Yes
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Integration8 records
AI capability8 records
Feature8 records
Alaan partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Nine partnerships are on record, tiered flagship, minor and core.
- Ruya (Ruya Community Islamic Bank)flagshipRuya's Banking-as-a-Service (BaaS) infrastructure powers Alaan's AI-native business bank account, combining corporate cards, domestic and cross-border payments, invoice automation, and accounting in a single Shariah-compliant platform. Ruya is a digital Islamic bank authorized and regulated by the Central Bank of the UAE.
- Entrepreneurial Nation ProgramminorPartnership with the UAE's Entrepreneurial Nation Program supporting small businesses. Alaan was featured in this ecosystem program for its SME-focused initiatives including the Alaan Sawa program.
- VisaflagshipLandmark 5-year strategic partnership to digitize expense management for businesses in UAE and KSA. Alliance leverages Visa's global payment network and Alaan's AI-powered system to enhance financial control, security, and international payment capabilities. The Alaan® card is issued pursuant to license from Visa, and the partnership supports the cashless agenda of both nations.
- OpenAIcoreAlaan became the first Middle Eastern company to integrate OpenAI's AI technology into its platform, enabling real-time natural language query responses, expense categorization, and analysis for corporate expense management users.
- neoleapcoreStrategic partnership to develop AI-integrated corporate cards and expense management solutions in Saudi Arabia, aligned with Vision 2030. neoleap has engaged over 1,000 organizations with plans for expansion. The partnership launched one of the region's first cashback corporate card programs in KSA with 1% uncapped cashback on eligible transactions.
- XerocoreAccounting software integration enabling instant sync of expense data to Xero. Partnership provides seamless ERP connectivity for Alaan's customer base.
- QuickBookscoreIntegration partnership enabling QuickBooks users to manage spend with Alaan's corporate cards and expense management tools.
- NetSuitecoreLightning-fast expense exports to NetSuite for enterprise customers requiring ERP integration with their accounting systems.
- NymCard Payments Services LLCcoreNymCard is the issuing bank for Alaan's SuperCard, a prepaid card for UAE-registered SMEs. NymCard is authorized by the Central Bank of the UAE (CBUAE) under license No. 08.01.02.001.2022.02 for retail payment services and card schemes.
Scale indicators14 records
Recent moves7 records
Expansion highlights6 records
Alaan competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Brex: US-based corporate card and spend management platform combining cards, bill pay, and expense management with deep ERP integrations. Most direct functional analogue to Alaan's SuperCard + Alaan Intelligence stack, but operating at much larger scale in the US and globally.
- Ramp: AI-first corporate card and spend management platform that pioneered free card issuance with interchange-funded cashback. Closest peer to Alaan's AI-native positioning, with comparable product surface (cards, bill pay, AP automation) and ERP integrations.
- Spendesk: European spend management platform combining prepaid cards, invoice processing, and accounting automation. Comparable mid-market positioning and EMEA geographic focus, though lacking AI-native positioning and Shariah-compliant offerings.
- Pleo: European SMB-focused corporate card and expense management company with Mastercard rails and ERP integrations. Directly comparable on SMB target segment, free-tier card model, and Europe-first geographic focus.
- Moss: Berlin-based corporate card and spend management platform for SMEs. Closely comparable product set (cards, expense management, accounting integration) and SMB target market in a non-English-speaking geography.
- Airbase: US corporate spend management platform offering virtual cards, bill pay, and expense management with strong accounting automation. Comparable on mid-market AP automation, though focused on US enterprise.
Emerging players
- Jeeves: Cross-border corporate card and spend management platform with strong presence in Latin America and emerging-market SMB segment. Comparable on multi-currency corporate cards and emerging-market SME focus, with growing geographic overlap in emerging markets.
Regional players
- Tabby: MENA-leading BNPL and consumer fintech; angel-invested in Alaan's Series A. While not a direct spend management peer, Tabby is a flagship MENA fintech customer of Alaan and represents the regional fintech category Alaan serves.
- Wio Bank: UAE-based digital bank (backed by Abu Dhabi DCO, Alpha Dhabi, etisalat) offering SME banking, accounts, and cards. Closest UAE digital banking competitor and a potential BaaS/embedded finance partner or rival for Alaan's AI-native business account.
Broad incumbents
- Mashreq Neo: Digital banking arm of Mashreq Bank (one of the largest UAE banks) targeting SMEs and consumers with accounts, cards, and lending. Represents the incumbent-bank threat, with substantially larger balance sheet and distribution, but a less agile product surface.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat6 records
Key risks7 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Alaan social profiles
Digital presenceAlaan compliance and trust
Trust signalCompliance4 records
Alaan financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Alaan leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles2 records
Alaan funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds4 records
Investors9 records
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Alaan M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Alaan
What does Alaan do?
Alaan provides AI-powered corporate cards (SuperCard®), cross-border supplier payments (SuperPay®), and an AI-native business bank account for businesses in the UAE and Saudi Arabia. The platform automates expense management, receipt and invoice processing, VAT extraction, approval workflows, and accounting integration across major ERPs including Xero, QuickBooks, NetSuite, Dynamics 365, Odoo, SAP, and Zoho Books. Cards are issued by NymCard under Visa license, and the AI-native business account is powered by Ruya's Banking-as-a-Service infrastructure.
Is Alaan a public or private company?
Alaan is a private company. It is classified as venture growth investor backed and is currently operating.
When was Alaan founded?
Alaan was founded in 2021. It employs 251 to 500 people.
Where is Alaan based?
Alaan is headquartered in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, in the Middle East region.
How does Alaan make money?
Four revenue lines are on record. Corporate Card Interchange & Transaction Fees are the primary driver. The others are cross-border Payment Transfer Fees (SuperPay), saaS Platform Subscription (Spend Management) and cashback Rebates & Merchant Discounts.
Who are Alaan's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Brex, Ramp, Spendesk, Pleo, Moss and Airbase. Jeeves is listed as an emerging player. Regional players are Tabby and Wio Bank. Mashreq Neo is listed as a broad incumbent.
Does Alaan have an API?
No public API is recorded for Alaan.
What industry is Alaan in?
Alaan's product category is Corporate Spend Management Software. Its primary akta.pro industry code is BPAMAFAH, Card Issuing & Program Management Platforms, with a secondary code of FSAGALAC, Embedded Card Issuing & Card-as-a-Service. Its NAICS code is 522210 and its SIC code is 6159.