BridgeWise has announced its official entry into the Middle East with the acquisition of an operational license from the Dubai International Financial Centre (DIFC).
In addition to the DIFC license, BridgeWise has secured a strategic investment from Emirates NBD, one of the region’s leading financial institutions. The bank’s participation in BridgeWise’s Series A funding round, alongside investors such as the Swiss and Brazilian stock exchanges, underscores strong regional confidence in the company’s mission to transform digital investing with explainable AI.
As part of the regional expansion, BridgeWise has appointed Ayush Khatri as Regional Head for the Middle East, North Africa, and Turkey (MENAT). Based in Dubai, Khatri brings deep experience in financial services, strategy, and market development and will be responsible for leading the company’s operations, partnerships, and growth across the region.
Founded in 2019, BridgeWise uses proprietary generative AI and machine learning to deliver explainable, regulatory-compliant investment insights for 90% of listed global equities and ETFs. The platform, available in multiple languages, including Arabic and Turkish, serves over 50 institutional partners worldwide, including stock exchanges, banks, brokerage firms, and wealth managers.
DIFC license and the strategic backing of Emirates NBD
Ayush Khatri, the newly appointed Regional Head for MENAT, commented, “As the UAE cements its position as a global fintech hub, BridgeWise is proud to empower regional investors with smarter, more transparent investment insights. With our DIFC license and the strategic backing of Emirates NBD, we are committed to working with financial institutions across the region to deliver next-generation, AI-driven investment solutions.”
Neeraj Makin, Group Head of Strategy, Analytics, and Venture Capital at Emirates NBD, said, “Emirates NBD is pleased to support BridgeWise’s entry into the region. Our investment reflects our commitment to leveraging the power of AI for sharper insights and faster research that enable better decision-making.”
Tariq Chaudhary, Group Head of Wealth Management at Emirates NBD, added, “This partnership reinforces our dedication to empowering clients with smarter tools and more informed financial guidance. BridgeWise’s AI platform brings a powerful new dimension to investor intelligence, and we see strong alignment with the future of digital finance and wealth management in the UAE.”
The DIFC license allows BridgeWise to serve banks, wealth managers, institutional investors, and trading platforms across the region within a world-class regulatory framework that aligns with the UAE’s ambition to become a global fintech powerhouse.
BridgeWise’s flagship tools include:
Bridget – an AI-powered conversational assistant for capital markets.
Equitywise – a global stock intelligence engine offering personalized, multilingual insights.
Fundwise – a fund analysis tool with deep visibility into over 12,000 ETFs and mutual funds.
Following its expansion in Asia, Europe, Latin America, and North America, the UAE launch further advances BridgeWise’s mission to anchor in high-growth, innovation-driven capital markets.