azakaw, the UAE-based compliance operating system built for MENA, has been named an IDC Innovator in the IDC Innovators: Middle East Regulatory Technology Providers, 2026 report by International Data Corporation (IDC), a global technology market intelligence and advisory firm. The report comes at a time when compliance in the region is being reshaped by expanding regulatory frameworks and the growing role of artificial intelligence in financial oversight.
As financial institutions scale across increasingly complex environments, demand is accelerating for systems that can operate in real time and adapt to multiple regulatory requirements. azakaw’s technology is built for this shift, where compliance is multi-jurisdictional and driven by real-time data. Built by compliance professionals, the platform unifies digital onboarding, including KYC and KYB, alongside AML screening, transaction monitoring, and corporate compliance into a single system, enabling institutions to manage regulatory obligations with speed, consistency, and visibility. This approach embeds compliance as a core operating layer within financial institutions.
Jehanzeb Awan, Founder and CEO of azakaw, said:
“Compliance is moving from a function to an always-on system within financial institutions. The gap today is between what regulators expect and what legacy systems can support. Closing that gap requires infrastructure that reflects how regulation actually works in this region. That’s what azakaw delivers.”
Across key markets in the region, including Saudi Arabia and the UAE, the number of regulated entities and the scope of financial supervision are expanding. In the UAE, the Central Bank of UAE (CBUAE) has licensed 112 fintech companies to date, while the Dubai International Financial Centre (DIFC) reported over 7,700 active registered companies in the first half of 2025, and the Abu Dhabi Global Market (ADGM) exceeded 11,000 active licences over the same period, reflecting continued growth in regulated and adjacent financial activity.
In Saudi Arabia, where azakaw supports regulated firms across banking, capital markets and fintech under frameworks governed by the Capital Market Authority (CMA) and the Saudi Central Bank (SAMA), the Financial Sector Development Program (FSDP) reported 261 fintech companies operating in the Kingdom in 2024, with the ecosystem continuing to expand as digital payments adoption accelerates and regulatory frameworks evolve.
The volume of onboarding, monitoring, and reporting obligations is rising in parallel, placing greater demands on compliance infrastructure.
Simultaneously, regulatory oversight is becoming more layered and specialised. In the UAE, financial institutions operate across multiple regulators, including the Central Bank of the UAE (CBUAE), the Dubai Financial Services Authority (DFSA), the Financial Services Regulatory Authority (FSRA), and the Virtual Assets Regulatory Authority (VARA), each with distinct compliance expectations. The introduction of dedicated frameworks for virtual assets has created new categories of licensed entities and new compliance workflows.
This combination of growth and regulatory depth is reshaping how compliance is delivered. AI-enabled infrastructure is replacing legacy systems, enabling real-time screening, transaction monitoring, and risk assessment at scale.
azakaw’s platform operationalises this shift, giving compliance teams control, reducing manual work while improving consistency and visibility. Its focus on MENA regulatory environments enables institutions to align with local requirements and scale efficiently.
The recognition positions azakaw among a select group of technology providers identified by IDC for their innovation in regulatory technology. As demand for compliance automation continues to grow across the UAE and the wider GCC, the need for intelligent, reliable compliance infrastructure is becoming central to maintaining trust and enabling growth.
