Given the strength of both streaming services and mobile device usage in the region, it may come as little surprise that a deal in MENA has been announced that means customers will be able to make their payments to one of the region's top three subscription video-on-demand (SVOD) services using their mobile phone numbers.
To enable this, the service, called STARZPLAY, has announced a strategic partnership with TPAY, a payments provider in the Middle East, Turkey and Africa.
With this partnership, say the companies, customers will be able to make their subscription payments using their mobile phone numbers, to access STARZPLAY’s premium sports and entertainment content.
With an initial focus on expanding its presence in the MENA region, TPAY will enable STARZPLAY to accept subscription payments from nine million viewers via direct carrier billing (DCB). The partnership will commence with Orange Tunisia, followed by Sudatel Sudan and Chinguitel Mauritania, with plans to expand across more countries in the region.
Işık Uman, TPAY Group CEO, points out that the partners have built a platform that can eliminate all the complexity of cross-border settlement. He adds: “We also provide faster payment cycles, compliance, and risk management, allowing our partners to remain focused on growing their business in the region."
The partners in the deal point out that the Middle East media and entertainment industry is expected to grow at a CAGR of 9.4% between 2023 and 2028. The market size is predicted to grow from US$39.05 billion in 2023 to US$61.2 billion by 2028.