Lean Technologies has expanded its Pay by Bank capabilities, marking a significant step in the country’s transition towards regulated Open Finance infrastructure and account-to-account (A2A) payments.
Lean said the expanded Pay by Bank suite now supports deposits, collections, checkout, and subscription payments through a unified infrastructure layer built on regulated rails.
The expansion signals a broader transformation within the payments ecosystem, where regulators and fintech firms are increasingly pushing towards direct bank-to-bank payment models.
“By bringing these capabilities together under Pay by Bank, Lean reinforces account-to-account payments as a visible and scalable payment method within digital commerce,” said Tewfik Cassis, CPO, Lean Technologies. “Over the past 4 years, we have demonstrated that this model works at scale, processing billions in transaction volume across leading enterprises and embedding these payments into everyday digital journeys.”
What You Need to Know
Unlike traditional card-based payments, Pay by Bank systems allow consumers to make transactions directly from their bank accounts, reducing dependence on card networks and lowering transaction costs for businesses.
Lean has been enabling A2A payments in the UAE since 2022 and says it has already processed billions in total payment volume across major enterprises operating in the region.
The company’s client base includes firms such as Careem, DAMAC, OKX, and e&.
According to Lean, businesses using its infrastructure have collectively saved more than $100 million in card processing fees.
From Alternative Payment Method to Core Infrastructure
By consolidating multiple payment functions into a single Pay by Bank suite, Lean is attempting to position account-to-account payments as a mainstream payment option rather than a niche alternative.
The company argues that the introduction of regulated payment initiation under the UAE’s Open Finance framework creates a more stable and scalable foundation for long-term adoption.
The UAE has emerged as one of the Middle East’s most active markets for digital financial infrastructure, supported by strong government backing for fintech innovation and cashless payments.
Open Finance frameworks allow licensed third-party providers to access banking infrastructure securely through application programming interfaces (APIs), enabling services such as payment initiation, financial data sharing, and embedded finance products.
Lean believes this regulatory clarity provides businesses with greater confidence to adopt regulated A2A payment systems across sectors including retail, commerce, and financial services.
Reducing Dependence on Legacy Card Networks
The expansion of Pay by Bank also reflects a wider global movement towards alternative payment rails that reduce reliance on traditional card schemes.
For businesses, direct bank payments can lower transaction costs, improve settlement speed, and simplify recurring payment flows such as subscriptions and bill collections.
For consumers, the model offers additional payment choice while keeping transactions embedded within existing banking relationships.
Lean said the latest expansion strengthens the role of account-to-account payments within the UAE’s evolving digital economy by combining proven commercial use cases with nationally standardised infrastructure.
Competition Intensifies in Financial Infrastructure
The growing adoption of Open Finance across the Middle East is also intensifying competition among fintech infrastructure providers seeking to become foundational layers within the region’s financial ecosystem.
Lean has positioned itself as a core infrastructure player across the MENA region, focusing on financial connectivity, payment initiation, and embedded finance solutions for businesses and developers.
As regulators continue to modernise financial systems and businesses seek lower-cost payment alternatives, the company is betting that Pay by Bank will become an increasingly important component of digital commerce across the region.
UAE Pushes Towards a More Digitised Financial Economy
The expansion comes at a time when the UAE is accelerating efforts to strengthen its position as a global digital finance hub.
By operationalising Open Finance and enabling regulated payment initiation services, the country is creating the infrastructure needed to support a more interconnected and competitive payments ecosystem.
For Lean Technologies, the opportunity lies not only in facilitating payments, but in helping shape the infrastructure layer powering the UAE’s next phase of financial modernisation.
Talking Points
It is significant that Lean Technologies is expanding Pay by Bank capabilities at a time when the UAE is actively operationalising its Open Finance framework, creating stronger foundations for account-to-account payments.
This move positions Lean not just as a fintech company, but as a key infrastructure player helping to shape how digital payments evolve beyond traditional card networks in the region.
At Techparley, we see this as part of a broader global transition where Open Finance is moving from policy discussions into real commercial deployment with measurable economic impact for businesses and consumers.
The ability to support deposits, collections, checkout, and subscription payments within one unified Pay by Bank suite reflects how embedded financial infrastructure is becoming central to modern digital commerce.
However, long-term adoption will depend on consumer trust, merchant acceptance, and how seamlessly account-to-account payments integrate into everyday payment experiences without adding friction.
With continued regulatory support and ecosystem collaboration, Pay by Bank could become a mainstream payment option that reshapes how digital transactions are processed across the region’s economy.
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