Equivator has invested $8 million in UAE-headquartered Related, a long-standing loyalty and engagement technology provider with over 30 million users across the GCC and Levant.
The deal marks a major fintech play for the Saudi alternative investment firm, which says the capital will support Related’s expansion in the Kingdom and accelerate the launch of new AI and blockchain-powered customer engagement tools. The partnership also aligns with Saudi Arabia’s Vision 2030, which includes digital transformation and fintech infrastructure as national priorities.
Founded in 2014, Related powers loyalty programs for clients in telecom, finance, retail, and entertainment, with a decade of operational experience in the B2B space. As part of the transaction, Related has acquired Uplines — a B2C loyalty player previously backed by Equivator — and plans to integrate and relaunch it with next-gen features including gamification, payments, and blockchain-enabled rewards.
“This partnership is more than a transaction, it’s a transformation, a joint mission to reshaping the future of fintech-powered loyalty solutions in line with the Kingdom’s innovation agenda,” said Rabih Farhat, CEO of Related.
“This is more than an investment. It’s a strategic deal to build a regional champion in loyalty and digital payments,” said Enes Şehzade, CEO at Equivator. “Together, we aim to power a new era of data-driven customer engagement and reward invention.”
Equivator says it will also support Related’s planned expansion into European markets and help establish the “Related Loyalty & Fintech Authority,” a regional forum aimed at policy, innovation, and knowledge exchange in the loyalty-tech space
