As the UAE accelerates toward becoming a global fintech hub, business leaders like Hubpay CEO Kevin Kilty are shaping its financial future. Kevin is a seasoned financial services leader with over two decades of experience in investment banking across Europe and the Middle East. He has remained at the forefront of the UAE’s economic transformation, building the financial infrastructure necessary for the next generation of global commerce. Before Hubpay, he worked in investment banking, across corporate finance and leveraged buyouts, with a focus on the financial services industry.
His journey from traditional finance to leading a category-defining fintech gives him a unique perspective on the evolution of money. This deep experience is the foundation of his work, where he is focused on how building regulated, accessible financial infrastructure is the key to unlocking the UAE’s economic potential and empowering a new wave of entrepreneurs.
In an exclusive conversation with International Finance, Hubpay CEO Kevin Kilty shares insights into the company’s vision, the hurdles they’ve overcome, the role of multi-currency IBANs, ambitious expansion plans, the future of B2B fintech in the Middle East, and more.
What inspired you to launch Hubpay, and how has your vision evolved since its inception?
Having spent over 20 years in financial services, I saw a clear and persistent gap in the market. Traditional banking infrastructure simply wasn’t built for the speed and global nature of modern business, especially for SMEs. The initial vision was to solve the cross-border payments problem with better FX rates and faster settlements. That vision has since evolved significantly. We have now expanded to be a one-stop shop for UAE corporates; an end-to-end platform that allows a UAE business to go from incorporation to global operation seamlessly.
Hubpay is recognised as a Future 100 company. What do you believe sets your approach apart from other fintechs in the region?
I believe it comes down to two things: we solve fundamental problems, and we are regulated from the ground up. While many fintechs focus on a single, niche product, we are building the comprehensive infrastructure that businesses actually need, from getting a business account open in a day to managing a multi-currency treasury. Being recognised by the Ministry of Economy as a Future 100 company is a validation of this approach. We’re not just a product; we’re a key enabler of the UAE’s economic ambitions.
Many fintechs repackage global products. Why did you choose to build Hubpay’s solutions from the ground up, and what challenges did that pose?
Repackaging a global product for the UAE simply doesn’t work. The regulatory landscape, the business needs, and the market dynamics here are unique. We chose to build from the ground up because you can’t solve a regional problem with a generic solution. The biggest challenge was, without a doubt, the complexity of building a multi-licensed, regulated entity. It requires a significant investment in compliance and technology, but it’s the only way to build a sustainable, trusted platform.
How does Hubpay’s digital onboarding and multi-currency IBAN solution directly address the SME pain points in the UAE?
For years, the biggest hurdle for a new SME in the UAE wasn’t getting their trade license; it was getting a business account. The process could take weeks, sometimes months, leaving entrepreneurs in limbo. Our digital onboarding solves this by getting them live in as little as one business day. The multi-currency IBANs are the next step; they give SMEs immediate access to global markets, allowing them to receive payments in USD, EUR, GBP, and more without the need for multiple, complex foreign bank accounts.
You launched the UAE’s first fully regulated crypto-to-fiat gateway. What industries are adopting it fastest, and what has surprised you most about the demand?
The adoption has been fastest in high-value sectors where international buyers are common. Real estate is the initial clear leader, followed by luxury goods like supercars, but this has now expanded to various other sectors. What has surprised me most is the breadth of corporates looking to access cryptocurrency for payments. The game changer has been stablecoins; Bitcoin isn’t viable for payments, it is too volatile, creating too much cost and uncertainty in price. However, USDT is ideal; we now have customers from the pharmaceutical to the automotive sector moving to USDT as their preferred payment method. Furthermore, whilst there is a clearer use case for payments in and out of emerging markets, our customers are now looking to make and receive USDT across G20 payment corridors. The key for customers is for a trusted, regulated bridge to the real economy, and that’s exactly what we’ve built.
What role do you see Hubpay playing in the UAE’s ambition to become a global fintech and SME hub?
The UAE’s ambition is to be the best place in the world to start and scale a global business. Our role is to provide the financial infrastructure that makes that ambition a reality. By addressing the key barriers to business account opening, cross-border payments, and digital economy access, we actively empower that vision to become reality. We are helping to create a frictionless environment where the one million SMEs the UAE aims to host by 2030 can thrive.
With over $2.6 billion in cross-border payments processed, how are you helping SMEs manage FX risk and compete in global trade?
Processing over $2.6 billion has given us incredible insight into the challenges SMEs face. The biggest is currency volatility, which can wipe out the profit margin on a deal overnight. We help them manage this risk in two ways: first, by providing multi-currency wallets that allow them to hold foreign currencies and convert them when the rate is favourable, and second, by offering smart hedging tools. This gives them the same level of control over their treasury as a large corporation, allowing them to compete with confidence on a global stage.
How do you see the convergence of crypto and traditional finance reshaping the economy, particularly in high-value sectors like real estate?
The convergence is creating a more efficient and global marketplace. In a sector like real estate, a buyer from anywhere in the world can now securely transfer millions of dollars in value to the UAE in minutes, not days. This removes a massive point of friction from the sales process. It’s not about replacing traditional finance; it’s about building a regulated bridge between the two worlds. This will unlock a new wave of global capital, making the UAE an even more attractive destination for international investment.
Regulation is evolving rapidly around digital assets. How did you navigate building a compliant crypto payment solution in the UAE?
We embraced regulation from the very start. As an ADGM-regulated entity, we designed our product to be fully aligned with the UAE’s progressive regulatory frameworks. On the digital asset side, we only work with VARA-licensed partners, ensuring that Hubpay remains the regulated fiat on/off ramp while never taking custody of crypto itself. This regulation-first approach gives our customers confidence, builds trust with partners, and allows us to innovate without operating in grey areas. The UAE’s forward-looking regulators have created an environment where compliant innovation is possible, allowing us to scale with confidence as the regulatory landscape continues to evolve.
What’s next for Hubpay in terms of expansion beyond the UAE or into new verticals?
While the UAE remains our core focus, the problems we are solving are not unique to this market. Our immediate focus is on deepening our presence here, particularly in key verticals like real estate and expanding our treasury solutions for corporates. However, our platform is built to be scalable, and we see significant opportunities to expand our model into other high-growth markets in the region soon.
How do you see the B2B fintech landscape evolving in the Middle East over the next 3–5 years?
The landscape will mature from single-product solutions to comprehensive platforms. The first wave of B2B fintech was about solving one problem well, like payments or invoicing. The next wave will be about creating a single, integrated financial operating system for businesses. We will also see a greater focus on embedded finance, where financial services are seamlessly integrated into other business software, and a continued push for regulated, compliant innovation.
What advice would you give to entrepreneurs building in highly regulated sectors like fintech or Web3?
Don’t treat regulation as a hurdle; treat it as a competitive advantage. Work with regulators from the very beginning, be transparent, and build your product with compliance at its core. It’s a slower, more expensive way to build, but it’s the only way to create a lasting, trusted company in this space. The “move fast and break things” mantra does not apply when you are dealing with people’s money.