What Botim does

Botim is a UAE-headquartered super-app that combines free HD voice/video calling and encrypted messaging with an embedded fintech suite, operating under the Astra Tech group via its Algento DMCC entity in Dubai and PayBy Technology Projects LLC (also referenced as Botim Money Technology LLC) in Abu Dhabi, the latter holding the Central Bank of UAE license that authorizes wallet, stored-value, and payment services. The communication layer — including a standalone Botim Meet conferencing product and a QR-code-accessible MiniProgram sub-app platform — anchors a reported 150–180 million-user base, primarily UAE residents and the country's large expatriate workforce (Indians, Pakistanis, Bangladeshis, Filipinos), which the company uses as the distribution channel for its Botim Money financial services: an instantly activated no-salary-requirement wallet, prepaid Mastercard cards, international transfers to 150–170+ countries via Mastercard and TerraPay rails, local AED transfers, fractional gold and silver investing through OGold, bill payment, and a credit suite (Send Now Pay Later up to AED 5,000, Easy Cash up to AED 300, and the CashNow consumer-lending product backed by a $500M Citi-led securitization).

The business layer, branded Botim Money for Business, distributes a PCI-DSS and CFCA-encrypted payment gateway, smart POS, digital corporate wallet, payroll solutions, and a self-serve merchant dashboard via b.botim.money. Botim also embeds government-adjacent services — UAE visit visas, Emirates ID renewal, ILOE insurance, National Bonds, and National Lottery — plus a VIP subscription for an ad-free experience, generating revenue through a mix of remittance take-rates, SME transaction fees, subscription, precious-metals spreads, and consumer-lending interest. Distribution is app-first across iOS, Google Play, and Huawei AppGallery, supplemented by partnerships with Mastercard (card issuance and cross-border), TerraPay (Africa corridors), OGold (precious metals), Jingle Pay (Pakistan corridor), CoinMENA (digital-asset funding), Commercial Bank of Ethiopia, and OpenWay's Way4 platform, with underlying payments infrastructure supplied by PayBy Technology Projects LLC under UAE central-bank oversight.

Name

Botim

Legal name

Algento DMCC

Website

https://botim.me

Company type

Private

Founded year

2018

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Botim is a UAE-based super app that combines HD voice/video communication with an embedded Central Bank-licensed fintech suite — wallet, international remittances to 150+ countries, prepaid cards, precious-metals investing, lending, and SME payments — serving 150M+ users, primarily UAE expatriates and underserved residents.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Digital Payments / Super App

NAICS

Consumer Lending (522291), Nondepository Credit Intermediation (5222), Credit Card Issuing (522210)

SIC

Personal Credit Institutions (6141), Asset-Backed Securities (6189)

akta.pro primary industry

Multi-Currency Accounts, Wallets & IBAN Services (FSAMAIAG)

akta.pro secondary industries

Mobile Wallets (NFC Tap-to-Pay / HCE) (FSAMAEAB), BNPL Consumer Apps & Wallets (Discovery, Management) (FSAGAIAG)

Keywords

• Super app services
• Digital payments
• Money remittance
• Mobile wallet
• VoIP communication

Headquarters

HQ city

Dubai

HQ country

United Arab Emirates

HQ region

Middle East

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Software

Cost components

Technology or R&D, Personnel, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure, Operations

Revenue model

1. Premium Subscriptions (VIP): Auto-renewing one-month and one-year in-app subscriptions providing ad-free premium experience. Revenue from recurring subscription fees.
2. International Remittance Fees: Fees charged on cross-border money transfers to 150+ countries. Varies by destination country and transfer method. Claims 30% cheaper than competitors.
3. Business Payment Solutions: Payment gateway, POS, and payroll solutions for businesses with transaction fees, potentially API/usage-based pricing for enterprise clients
4. Financial Services Products: Send Now Pay Later, Easy Cash lending, and precious metals investment products generating revenue through interest, spreads, and transaction fees

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels6 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Botim is a UAE-based super app that combines free HD voice and video calls with encrypted messaging and a Central Bank of the UAE-licensed suite of financial services under the Botim Money brand. Consumer offerings include a no-salary digital wallet, prepaid Mastercard cards, international money transfers to 150+ countries, gold and digital silver investing, Send Now Pay Later, and Easy Cash consumer loans. Business offerings under Botim Money for Business include a PCI-DSS payment gateway, smart POS, digital corporate wallet, and payroll solutions.

Product overview

Botim is a UAE-based super app developed by Astra Tech, offering a core platform combining free HD video/voice calls, encrypted messaging with an AI assistant, and a comprehensive suite of financial services. The financial layer is branded as Botim Money (formerly PayBy, rebranded October 2025) and Botim Money for Business, covering consumer services (international money transfers to 150+ countries, wallet, prepaid cards, local transfers, gold and digital silver investing, bills & recharge, Send Now Pay Later, Easy Cash loans) and business services (payment gateway, Point of Sale, digital corporate wallet, payroll solutions, merchant dashboard). Non-financial services include UAE visit visas, Emirates ID renewal, ILOE insurance, National Bonds, National Lottery, and CashNow consumer lending. Botim MiniProgram provides a sub-application platform for third-party services, and Botim Meet offers a dedicated video meeting product. The platform serves over 180 million users globally and is licensed by the Central Bank of the UAE.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• botim money for Business: Enterprise solutions including payment gateway, point of sale, digital corporate wallet, and payroll solutions
• CashNow
• Send Now Pay Later (SNPL)
• Easy Cash
• Gold Investment
• Digital Silver

Products and services

• Botim Super App Core mobile platform combining free HD voice/video calls, encrypted messaging with an embedded AI assistant, and a suite of embedded financial and government services — available as a single Android, iOS, and Huawei AppGallery app for UAE consumers.
• Botim Money (Consumer Wallet & Transfers) Digital wallet, prepaid Mastercard cards, local AED transfers, international money transfers to 150+ countries, gold and silver investing, bills & recharge, Send Now Pay Later, and Easy Cash — Central Bank of the UAE-licensed consumer financial services accessed inside the Botim app, with no minimum salary requirement for wallet activation.
• International Money Transfer Cross-border remittance service for UAE users to send money to 150+ countries via bank transfer, cash pickup, digital wallet, or UPI, with delivery via Mastercard, TerraPay, and Jingle Pay rails at rates claimed to be 30% cheaper than competitors.
• Gold Investing In-app gold investment from AED 40 with ~3% p.a. guaranteed monthly returns credited in gold and potential returns up to 16% p.a., with the ability to sell anytime, delivered in partnership with OGold.
• Digital Silver Investing Fractional digital silver investing inside the Botim Money 'Invest' feature, enabling eligible UAE users to buy, sell, and manage silver holdings from AED 10, built with OGold.
• Send Now Pay Later (SNPL) Consumer credit facility enabling users to send up to AED 5,000 instantly and repay in flexible installments up to 6 months, with no hidden fees.
• Easy Cash Short-term borrowing product offering loans up to AED 300 with easy monthly installments and no hidden fees, delivered within Botim Money.
• CashNow Consumer Lending Quick-approval consumer lending platform offering cash advances up to AED 300 (with 5-minute application and 2-hour disbursement), targeting underserved segments including gig workers and SMEs through the Botim app.
• Botim Money for Business (Payment Gateway) PCI-DSS compliant online payment gateway with CFCA end-to-end encryption, enabling merchants to accept payments via app, website, or shareable Paylinks (email/SMS/WhatsApp), with APIs and CMS integrations, recurring payments, and tracking.
• Botim Smart POS Smart Point-of-Sale terminal and software for in-store and online merchants supporting tap, swipe, scan, QR code payments, refunds, ECR integration, multi-store management, and fast settlement.
• Payroll Solutions Business payroll management solution enabling UAE employers to disburse salaries instantly to employees without requiring individual bank accounts, with physical salary cards for online and in-store spending and zero registration fees.
• Botim Meet Standalone HD video meeting platform accessible at webmeet.botim.me, providing group video conferencing outside the main Botim app.
• VIP Membership Premium in-app subscription offering an advertisement-free Botim experience, available as auto-renewing one-month and one-year plans.

Quantifiable outcome

• 128,000 in-app gold trades totaling AED 100 million+ since August 2025 launch
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers4 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

Yes

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration6 records

AI capability5 records

Feature9 records

Partnerships

Nine partnerships are on record, tiered core, flagship and minor.

• MastercardcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 5 May 2026Mastercard and Botim Money renewed and expanded partnership to advance card issuance and expand digital payment solutions across UAE. Building on over two years of existing card issuance, the collaboration enables Botim Money to offer cards without minimum salary requirements, broadening financial inclusion. Partnership supports Dubai's target of achieving 90% cashless transactions by 2026 and positions Botim as infrastructure for UAE's digital-first economy.
• Commercial Bank of EthiopiaflagshipTechnology or Integration · 1 April 2026Botim's remittance tie-up with Commercial Bank of Ethiopia as part of Ethiopia's fintech ecosystem developments driven by economic reforms and Digital Ethiopia 2030 strategy. Ethiopia hosts around 49 fintech startups with digital economy contributing 3.9% of GDP.
• OGoldcoreTechnology or Integration · 22 February 2026Partnership with OGold to launch digital silver investing within Botim Money's Invest feature. Following success of gold investment (128,000 trades, AED 100 million+ since August 2025), silver expansion enables eligible users to buy, sell, and manage fractional silver holdings from AED 10. Democratizes precious metals investing through regulated, in-app experience.
• TerraPaycoreTechnology or Integration · 3 February 2026Botim Money partnered with TerraPay to expand cross-border remittances from UAE to African markets, initially covering Uganda, Kenya, Ghana, and Egypt. Integration combines Botim Money's UAE user base with TerraPay's global payment rails and real-time recipient validation, aiming to reduce failed or delayed transactions. Taps into Africa's remittance inflows estimated at $96.4 billion in 2024.
• MastercardcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 16 January 2026Partnership with Mastercard to expand cross-border remittance services, allowing UAE users to transfer money to over 150 countries. Integration enables fast, secure, and near real-time international payments within the Botim app, strengthening fintech and digital economy initiatives.
• Jingle PayflagshipTechnology or Integration · 11 December 2025Botim partnered with Jingle Pay to enable 1.7 million Pakistani residents in UAE to access low-cost remittance services directly through the Botim app. Service launched by end of December 2025. Integrates Jingle Pay's remittance infrastructure offering competitive PKR exchange rates and multiple payout options including bank deposits, mobile wallets, and cash pickups across Pakistan.
• CoinMENAcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 13 November 2025CoinMENA and Botim partnered to enable compliant funding methods for digital assets in MENA region. Collaboration facilitates transactions and accelerates digital asset adoption across the region, emphasizing regulatory compliance and accessibility. Introduces Botim Pay as trusted method for digital asset transactions.
• PayBy Technology Projects LLCcoreTechnology or IntegrationPayBy Technology Projects LLC (registration number 3018388) provides the digital wallet and all associated payment services for Botim. Registered office at Tamouh Tower 3, Al Reem Island, Abu Dhabi, UAE. Users agree to PayBy Terms of Use when signing up for Botim wallet.
• Monetary MetalsminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerMonetary Metals partnered with Dubai-based Botim, a super app with over 180 million users, as part of distribution strategy to enhance benefits for gold owners and gold-related businesses through partnerships.

Scale indicators8 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Careem (now Uber-owned): UAE-headquartered super app combining ride-hailing, food delivery, and a Careem Pay wallet/payments offering. Direct competitor to Botim in the MENA super-app + embedded wallet space, with overlapping UAE customer base and similar cross-sell strategy.
• stc Pay (stc Bank): Saudi Arabia's flagship telco-affiliated digital wallet and super-app; offers wallet, remittance, payments, and merchant services leveraging STC's telecom distribution. Closest regional analogue to Botim's telco-rooted super-app model.
• Payit (Network International): UAE-licensed digital wallet by Network International enabling P2P, bill payments, and merchant acquiring. Competes directly with Botim Money for UAE consumer wallet share under the same CBUAE regulatory framework.

Emerging players

• Tabby: MENA-headquartered consumer BNPL provider; directly comparable to Botim's Send Now Pay Later (AED 5,000) product. Operates in UAE/Saudi with similar 'no hidden fees' positioning and app-first onboarding.
• Tamara: Saudi-based BNPL and shopping super-app expanding aggressively into UAE. Closely comparable to Botim's SNPL + CashNow credit products and shares the broader GCC super-app trajectory.
• Mamo Pay: UAE-licensed digital payments platform for consumers and SMEs, offering bill payments, card issuance, and merchant tools. Direct overlap with Botim Money's wallet and business payment suite in the UAE market.

Broad incumbents

• Mashreq NeoPay / Mashreq Mobile: Incumbent UAE bank's digital wallet and full mobile banking platform with deep merchant acquiring, salary cards, and remittance. Competes with Botim Money for UAE wallet share but with broader banking infrastructure and balance sheet.
• M-Pesa (Vodacom/Safaricom): Global mobile-money leader operating across Africa with hundreds of millions of users on a wallet + remittance + merchant model. Comparable in product architecture (super-app before the term existed) and in corridors overlapping Botim's Africa remittance push.
• OPay: Nigeria-led mobile money and super-app combining payments, ride-hailing, food delivery, and lending across Africa. Adjacent competitor to Botim in cross-border corridors and a model for super-app monetization in emerging markets.
• noon: MENA-headquartered digital commerce ecosystem (marketplace, payments, logistics) with growing fintech ambitions. Overlaps Botim in the 'everyday app' GCC super-app category and competes for consumer attention and merchant relationships.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/botimvideocall
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/botimapp

Compliance2 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Subsidiaries1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Botim