KARTY LLC receives the Visa FinTech Innovation Award following its Qatar launch

KARTY LLC wins Visa FinTech Innovation Award after launching Qatar’s first licensed Visa card

KARTY LLC, a Doha-based digital wallet and payments startup licensed by the Qatar Central Bank (QCB) and registered with the Qatar Financial Centre (QFC), has received Visa’s FinTech Innovation Award following the launch of Qatar’s first Visa card issued by a licensed fintech. The recognition coincides with KARTY moving from product development into public service, offering users an app-based account, wallet funding and a Visa card that works wherever Visa is accepted.

“We started KARTY with a simple idea: people should have a clearer view of their money and better tools to manage it. This award recognises the work that has gone into building this application and the success it’s had with our customers. It motivates us for our next steps,” said Mohammed Suleiman, Co-founder of KARTY LLC.

The award underscores and builds on KARTY’s technical and commercial relationship with Visa. Luca Bianconi, Visa’s VP and Country Manager for Qatar, commented: “Qatar's digital economy is accelerating at an extraordinary pace with a growing base of digitally savvy consumers who expect more from payments and financial services. We are proud to recognise KARTY and remain committed to supporting the innovators and institutions that are shaping Qatar's digital future.”

• Product availability and features: The KARTY Visa card is available through the KARTY app on iOS and Android. Users can open an account, load funds into a digital wallet, and use the Visa card for global payments.
• Value-added services: KARTY offers budgeting tools, spending insights, virtual cards, subscription management and a rewards programme that awards KPoints redeemable in-app. The company also highlights competitive exchange rates on international transactions and a Visa premium card proposition with additional benefits.
• Subscription controls: KARTY is the first fintech in Qatar to launch Visa Subscription Management within its app, enabling users to view and stop recurring subscription payments directly from the KARTY interface.
• Security and recognition: The startup has achieved PCI-DSS cyber security certification and is reported as one of the top-rated applications on the iOS App Store in Qatar.

Since receiving its QCB licence and QFC registration, KARTY has concentrated on transitioning from building its product to growing user adoption and expanding the value delivered to customers. The firm’s roadmap prioritises adoption of its core wallet and card services while extending functionality such as subscription control and virtual card issuance.

Executives say the Visa FinTech Innovation Award will help amplify KARTY’s market credibility as it scales. The combination of licensing, regulatory registrations, PCI-DSS certification and a public launch with Visa-backed card infrastructure positions KARTY to compete in Qatar’s nascent licensed fintech market and to pursue increased merchant acceptance and consumer uptake.

Looking ahead, KARTY plans to capitalise on the momentum created by the award to accelerate customer growth, refine its budgeting and rewards features, and roll out further premium card benefits. The company’s public launch and Visa collaboration signal a move from pilot-phase product development to broader commercial operations across retail and digital payments in Qatar.