Network International and Magnati have closed their merger, creating a payments player with serious regional reach. The combined company keeps the name Network International LLC and sits under a Brookfield-led consortium. It will keep both brands for now while integrating in phases, and says it will offer payments, data-driven insights, SME lending and advanced fraud prevention across 56 markets.

What’s actually changing

The headline change is scale. A larger platform, more products, and wider coverage across the Middle East and Africa aim to make life simpler for merchants, banks, and public bodies.

Merged entity: Network International LLC, owned by a Brookfield-led consortium
Coverage: 56 markets across MEA
Services: digital payments, AI-powered insights, security, lending, insurance
Rollout: phased integration; both brands co-exist for now

The press note frames the merger as a way to combine technology, talent and distribution, with a promise of faster product delivery and better data use. Crucially for customers, contracts and services continue as normal while the back-end integration happens in stages.

Why UAE businesses should care

For retailers, F&B, and e-commerce in the UAE, fewer moving parts can mean fewer headaches. With a single platform covering acquiring, issuing, analytics, and risk, the new Network should be able to ship features quicker and align roadmaps around local needs.

Single counterparty for acquiring, processing and value-adds
Potentially faster settlement and new risk tools
SME lending add-ons for working capital
Ongoing cooperation with UAE and regional governments

The company says it will continue working with governments to expand digital services and financial inclusion. That usually translates into better acceptance options, from contactless to online cross-border, and more consistent fraud controls across markets where many UAE merchants also sell.

The product stack, in plain English

Payments is still the core, but the bundle is wider. Think of it as rails plus tools to run a business.

Payments: card present and online, issuer and acquirer processing
Insights: data and AI-powered analytics for merchants
Security: advanced fraud prevention and financial security services
Credit and protection: SME lending and insurance options

The combined suite keeps the legacy strengths of both firms. Magnati brings acquiring and processing depth, and Network brings regional issuing, merchant reach and infrastructure. Together, that’s a fuller menu for banks, fintechs and large merchants.

Leadership signals: what the quotes imply

Two quotes set the tone. The board chair calls it a “homegrown fintech champion,” leaning on regional identity and growth. The group CEO talks about “scale, technology, and talent,” which is corporate for “we can build and deploy faster now.”

Growth focus: empowering local merchants across a dynamic fintech region
Execution focus: faster innovation and broader product mix
Footprint: deeper coverage to serve clients and partners across MEA

Taken together, expect aggressive merchant acquisition, more data-led services, and a push to lock in regional partnerships while integration proceeds.

Brand and rollout: what stays the same for now

Don’t expect new logos on your POS next week. The company says both brands will co-exist during a phased integration. That keeps continuity for existing contracts and certification while teams align platforms and ops.

Phased integration across business units
No immediate brand switch for merchants
Service continuity while platforms are unified

This staged approach is normal for payments, where compliance, scheme certifications and bank interfaces need careful migration to avoid downtime.

Quick context on the players

Network International already operates across 50+ countries, serving 250+ financial institutions and 240,000+ merchants with 3,000+ staff. Magnati focuses on direct acquiring, issuer processing and acquiring processing from its Abu Dhabi base. Together, they cover most of what a bank or merchant in MEA needs.

What this means for the MEA payments market

Consolidation tends to bring two things: sharper pricing for large clients and faster feature rollouts, but also tighter competition for smaller PSPs. For the region, having a bigger home-grown platform could accelerate adoption of digital payments in cash-heavy markets, especially when tied to public-sector projects and inclusion goals cited in the release.