Cairo: Djed – Ashraf Gaber
In the global technology ecosystem, true innovation is rarely about inventing something entirely new. More often, it is about recognizing a gap, adapting global ideas to local realities, and executing with relentless precision. This is the story of Valify, the Egyptian company that transformed digital identity verification from a distant concept into a trusted national infrastructure.
The Challenge: Millions Left Outside the System
For decades, Egypt’s banking model demanded physical branch visits and paper documents to open even the simplest account. For millions of citizens, especially those in rural areas or juggling multiple jobs, this was not just inconvenient, it was exclusionary.
By 2025, the Central Bank of Egypt reported that 64% of adults were financially included, meaning around 24 million Egyptians remained outside the formal financial system. Valify’s mission was clear: to break down this barrier and bring secure, digital-first access to finance.
The Breakthrough: Localized Innovation
Valify’s achievement was not about inventing eKYC, it was about making it work in Egypt.
The Competitive Landscape
As Egypt’s fintech ecosystem matured, other players entered:
Yet Valify stood apart, not because it invented the technology, but because it arrived first with a working, localized, and trusted solution.
The Milestone: FRA License (July 2025)
In July 2025, the Financial Regulatory Authority (FRA) granted Valify a license to issue digital contracts and manage electronic registries. This was more than a bureaucratic approval, it was recognition that an Egyptian company had engineered a system meeting both international security standards and local regulatory requirements.
Leadership and Vision
Behind Valify’s rise are Omar Abdel-Wahed and Ibrahim Eid, two technologists who combined technical ingenuity with strategic persistence. Abdel-Wahed emerged as the executive leader and public face of the company, while Eid played a pivotal role in shaping its technical foundation. Together, they proved that Egypt could build its own digital trust infrastructure.
Impact: A New Era of Inclusion
Valify’s work is not measured only in transactions, it is measured in lives changed. Millions of Egyptians now have faster, safer access to financial services. The company’s solutions have become part of Egypt’s digital backbone, supporting banks, insurers, telecoms, and government services.
For those previously excluded, this means more than convenience. It means economic dignity, opportunity, and participation.
What Valify Teaches
Valify’s journey dismantles the myth that innovation equals invention. Sometimes disruption is about execution, localization, and timing. By adapting global technology to Egypt’s unique context, Valify proved that Africa’s fintech revolution will not be imported, it will be built by founders who understand their markets, their regulators, and their people.
Looking Ahead: A Blueprint for Africa
With FRA approval secured, partnerships expanding, and technology rivaling global competitors, Valify is more than a successful startup. It is a blueprint for African fintech maturity, a case study in how disciplined execution can unlock inclusion for millions.
Valify’s story is not just about digital identity. It is about proving that the hard part isn’t invention, it’s execution. And in Egypt, two young technologists showed the world how execution can change a nation.
Zurich: Djed – Ashraf Gaber In 1977, when Saudi Arabia’s dairy industry was still limited and heavily dependent on imports, a bold idea was born, an idea that would transform
