About Tamara
Tamara is a buy now, pay later (BNPL) and shopping app founded in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, in 2020 by Abdulmohsen Albabtain, Turki Bin Zarah and Abdulmajeed Alsukhan. It operates across the Gulf, including the UAE, where shoppers can use it to split purchases into interest-free instalments.
The basic product lets customers pay for purchases over several instalments rather than all at once. When paying at a partner merchant, online or in store, customers choose Tamara at checkout and spread the cost, usually with no interest if payments are made on time.
For merchants, Tamara is a way to increase conversion and order values. The company pays merchants upfront and takes on the repayment risk, earning fees from merchants for the service.
Tamara has expanded beyond instalments into a broader shopping and payments app, with features such as a card, deals from partner stores and loyalty-style benefits. This reflects a wider trend of BNPL companies becoming consumer finance platforms.
The company has raised significant venture funding and reached a valuation of more than a billion dollars, making it one of the most valuable fintech companies founded in Saudi Arabia.
In the UAE, Tamara competes with Tabby, which was founded in Dubai, and other BNPL providers. The two companies have both grown rapidly across the Gulf, and their rivalry is one of the most closely watched in regional fintech.
Regulators in Saudi Arabia and the UAE have introduced rules for BNPL providers, reflecting the sector's growth and its importance for consumer protection.
The Gulf's young, digitally active population and high e-commerce adoption have created strong demand for flexible payment options.
Tamara is a Saudi company rather than a UAE startup, but it is a significant player in the UAE's payments market. Startups UAE includes it among the regional fintech companies serving UAE shoppers.
The basic product lets customers pay for purchases over several instalments rather than all at once. When paying at a partner merchant, online or in store, customers choose Tamara at checkout and spread the cost, usually with no interest if payments are made on time.
For merchants, Tamara is a way to increase conversion and order values. The company pays merchants upfront and takes on the repayment risk, earning fees from merchants for the service.
Tamara has expanded beyond instalments into a broader shopping and payments app, with features such as a card, deals from partner stores and loyalty-style benefits. This reflects a wider trend of BNPL companies becoming consumer finance platforms.
The company has raised significant venture funding and reached a valuation of more than a billion dollars, making it one of the most valuable fintech companies founded in Saudi Arabia.
In the UAE, Tamara competes with Tabby, which was founded in Dubai, and other BNPL providers. The two companies have both grown rapidly across the Gulf, and their rivalry is one of the most closely watched in regional fintech.
Regulators in Saudi Arabia and the UAE have introduced rules for BNPL providers, reflecting the sector's growth and its importance for consumer protection.
The Gulf's young, digitally active population and high e-commerce adoption have created strong demand for flexible payment options.
Tamara is a Saudi company rather than a UAE startup, but it is a significant player in the UAE's payments market. Startups UAE includes it among the regional fintech companies serving UAE shoppers.