Egypt’s FRA Ignites Non-Banking Sector with Six New Licenses

Editorial Team

Last updated 18-12-2025

3 min

Egypt’s Financial Regulatory Authority approved six companies to expand across various financial sectors.

Awaed Investment Fund and Thndr received nods for real estate investment, broadening market access.

BFI Cash and Okaz Asset Management can now offer factoring and fund management services respectively.

EFG was cleared for real estate finance, adding competition in an already dynamic area.

These moves showcase regulatory initiatives fostering growth and adaptation in Egypt’s non-banking sector.

Egypt’s Financial Regulatory Authority has cleared six companies to push ahead with new activities across real estate investment funds, factoring, fund management and real estate finance — a mix that, frankly, shows how fast Egypt’s non‑banking financial sector keeps reinventing itself. I’ve seen similar waves before while covering startup stories for Arageek, and every time it feels like the sector is determined to prove it won’t sit on its hands.

Among the standout approvals, the authority gave the green light for the Awaed Investment Fund, tied to the Real Estate Investment Company, to operate in real estate investment. Thndr also secured approval to run real estate investment funds, which I reckon will give its already growing user base another angle into the market. On the flip side, Nawy Shares was granted the same activity, building on its push to make property investment more accessible — something that often feels like a bit of a faff for many everyday investors.

The FRA also licensed BFI Cash to move ahead with factoring services, while Okaz Asset Management got the nod to handle investment fund management. Meanwhile, EFG was cleared to carry out real estate finance activities, adding yet another heavyweight to that space. Believe it or not, all these approvals came through the FRA’s Committee for the Establishment and Licensing of Companies, which works under a 2023 decision setting out its role in overseeing non‑banking financial institutions.

This committee handles everything from licensing and adding new activities to company portfolios, to approving branch openings, relocations and even closures. It also deals with liquidation requests and the registration or removal of institutional agents — the sort of regulatory housekeeping that rarely gets headlines but keeps the whole system ticking along, spot on. I remember chatting with a young founder once who told me navigating these procedures felt “like trying to solve a puzzle blindfolded”… well… I mean, he wasn’t wrong.

With the FRA continuing to tighten and streamline oversight, these latest approvals feel like part of a broader momentum. It’s definately another reminder of how regulatory shifts, even if slow and steady, can open doors for companies hoping to scale — a theme we see time and again across the MENA startup scene.

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