UAE-Iran Sanctions: The UAE central bank barred Bank Melli from processing Iran-linked transactions, citing AML and terrorism-financing breaches, tightening financial access as US secondary sanctions loom. UK Rates Watch: Bank of England deputy governor Clare Lombardelli warned rates may need to rise if energy costs stay elevated, with markets pricing further hikes. Payment Infrastructure: BRED Bank Fiji migrated Visa and private-label cards to BPC’s cloud SmartVista issuing platform, adding modern card and fraud controls. Embedded Finance for SMEs: DECTA and SAPI launched DECTA Capital, offering payment-linked working capital to UK SMEs with underwriting and offers typically within 24 hours. AI in Finance Governance: Esker’s Global Finance AI Trust Index finds finance leaders want more proof and control before granting AI greater decision-making authority. Crypto Meets Traditional Markets: Payward and Ledger plan to let investors hold tokenized stocks offline via secure hardware devices. Islamic Finance Funding Gap (Malaysia): Bank Negara Malaysia said financing for priority sectors remains modest, with banks citing information gaps and structuring complexity. Corporate Recaps & Capital Discipline: Algorhythm terminated a $1.4m financing to avoid dilution; Celularity closed $10m+ in convertible note funding as it restructures debt to accelerate growth. Regional Investment Forums: Sharjah Investment Forum 2026 will draw 10,000+ participants across 60+ countries; Azerbaijan’s second international investment forum is set for Baku.