CASHU, one of the leading players in the online payment industry in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA), has announced that it has successfully migrated its regulated business to Singapore and is now regulated under The Monetary Authority of Singapore (MAS). The move, which follows a recent management buyout and review of its financial operations, has been made in response to the changing due diligence requirements of CASHU customers, a global shift toward greater online payment regulation and user demand for a safer online e-commerce environment. The MAS regulatory framework also provides CASHU with the flexibility to work with local regulators across different territories. "With more than 70 percent of MENA's population ‘unbanked', prepaid services are vital for e-commerce and our ambition is to see the region's prepaid business fully regulated which will increase the size of this market tremendously," said CASHU CEO Thaer Suleiman. "Our move to put our central wallet under MAS significantly strengthens our compliance foundation, ideally positioning CASHU to respond to changes in regulations and global standards. We are currently working with several central banks in the MENA region towards more effective industry regulation." CASHU has introduced a variety of operational improvements to its payment platform in accordance with MAS's requirements for Stored Value Facility (SVF). These changes fall in line with global demands to enhance due diligence on wallet account holders and business partners to ensure compliance with new regulations and combat cybercrime. The KYC process, an abbreviation for ‘Know Your Customer', is not new in the financial services industry, but the measures are not commonplace for e-payment platforms in MENA. "CASHU is the first, and most popular payment option for MENA users and the CASHU team is committed to preserve the platform's convenience and ease-of-use," Suleiman added. "Despite increased regulations and security measures, users will continue to experience a seamless and convenient payment process." Established in 2002, CASHU was jointly acquired by the company's senior management and Dubai-based investment firm Genero Capital LLC in December 2015. — SG
