Shaheen’s Roadmap and Empowch’s Mission for Financial Inclusion

November 17, 2024

Why Shaheen? A Platform for a Connected and Regulated Region

Creating Shaheen as a consumer-focused app based in the UAE isn’t just a strategic choice; it’s about building a platform tailored to the unique economic connectivity of the Middle East, Africa, and Asia. These regions are deeply interconnected, with millions of people relying on cross-border transactions every day. With its supportive regulatory framework, the UAE is perfectly positioned to meet the fast-paced demands of the fintech sector across these regions.

Shaheen aims to meet the needs of people who depend on cross-border financial solutions for everyday transactions. These individuals need a fast, reliable, and low-cost way to send money to family and friends, manage business payments across borders, and receive income as freelancers, gig workers, and digital nomads. Shaheen was created to address these needs and more, making financial management accessible and effective for everyone in the region.

Shaheen’s Mission: Financial Inclusion for the Underserved

Shaheen’s core mission is to integrate unbanked populations into the global digital economy, providing the tools and resources needed to manage their financial futures autonomously. By breaking down traditional barriers to financial access, Shaheen unlocks economic potential, fosters community growth, and empowers users across borders. Built on blockchain technology, Shaheen offers secure, affordable, and instant access to financial services—without intermediaries or traditional banking infrastructure, but with equitable access to the digital economy.

Shaheen’s Key Features: An All-in-One Financial Solution

Shaheen brings together essential financial tools in one seamless app, empowering underserved communities with the technology they need to thrive.

Multi-Chain Support: Shaheen will operate across multiple blockchain networks and Fintech rails, enhancing flexibility and accessibility for users across regions.
Self-Custody Wallet with Advanced Recovery Mechanism: At the heart of Shaheen is a self-custody wallet that allows users to be the sole custodians of their assets. Shaheen’s innovative recovery mechanism ensures that users can securely retrieve funds, even if their private keys are lost.
Multi-Currency Wallets: Shaheen supports multiple fiat and digital currencies, including USDC, EURC, AUDD, AECoin, XRP, and XLM, allowing users to hold, send, and receive assets seamlessly across borders.
Interoperable Payment Technology: With interoperable features, Shaheen enables users to connect across bank rails and blockchain networks using only a mobile number. This technology acts as a fintech “router,” bridging traditional banking and blockchain, creating a flexible financial ecosystem for users.
Bitcoin and Additional Blockchain Integration: Shaheen allows users to securely store and spend Bitcoin. With integrations into other blockchains like Ripple, users gain even more flexibility in transacting with a range of tokens.
Instant Peer-to-Peer Transactions: Shaheen provides options for secure, real-time peer-to-peer transfers, payments, and exchanges directly between users—ideal for freelancers, digital nomads, and businesses.
Cross-Border Payments: Designed for high-traffic corridors across the Middle East, Africa, and Asia, Shaheen offers low-cost, rapid cross-border payment solutions for personal and business use without the high fees or need of traditional banks.
Expanded Marketplace: Shaheen’s marketplace will go beyond transactions, providing access to services like airline ticket booking, insurance purchases, and more. We’re already partnering with companies like Boxo to create a complete financial ecosystem in one app.
Transparency and Security: Built on blockchain, Shaheen offers complete transparency, security, and traceability for all transactions, ensuring user trust and reliability.

Together, these features make Shaheen an all-in-one fintech super app, empowering users across the Middle East, Africa, and Asia to manage their financial lives with ease, reliability, and affordability.

Empowch’s Global Empowerment Mission

While Shaheen focuses on individuals in the Middle East, Africa, and Asia, Empowch will work globally to support financial inclusion on a broader scale. Based in Washington, DC, Empowch partners with NGOs, banks, and governments dedicated to creating financial opportunities for underserved communities. Through user-specific blockchain solutions, Empowch helps organizations reduce transaction costs, increase transaction speeds, and ensure robust security.

Empowch’s API Capabilities: Our interoperable API allows organizations to provide low-cost, instant, and secure payment solutions, bringing financial access to the underserved. This technology is essential for organizations needing reliable, affordable global payment solutions.
Empowering Through Inclusion: Empowch works with NGOs, banks, and government entities to reach marginalized populations, offering financial services where traditional banking systems may fall short. Through blockchain technology, Empowch helps organizations offer instant, secure remittance solutions, extending reliable financial access to those who need it most.
Partnerships for a More Equitable Future: Empowch’s mission goes beyond delivering services—it’s about creating a fair, inclusive global economy. We’ll partner with corporate clients, NGOs, and financial institutions to build the infrastructure necessary for equitable financial access.

Your Role in the Journey

We’d love to hear from you! Which features of Shaheen are you most excited about? Are there services you’d like to see us prioritize? Follow along, share your insights, and help us build a future where financial access is a right, not a privilege.

Stay Connected
Join us on this journey and stay tuned for more updates. Together, we’re building a future where digital finance is accessible, inclusive, and built for everyone.

Shaheen’s Roadmap and Empowch’s Mission for Financial Inclusion

Share Blog:

Empowering Peoples' Pockets