UAE Investment App Baraka Lands $20m Series A Led by Valar Ventures
The commission-free investing platform picks up backing from Peter Thiel-linked Valar Ventures to widen access to global and regional markets across the Gulf and Egypt.
Baraka, a UAE-based investment fintech, has closed a $20 million Series A round led by Valar Ventures, the growth-stage firm co-founded by Peter Thiel, with participation from global investment firm Knollwood. The round marks a significant vote of confidence in the Dubai-headquartered platform from a marquee international backer.
Launched in 2021, Baraka offers commission-free access to more than 6,000 US-listed stocks and exchange-traded funds, targeting a generation of Gulf retail investors who have historically lacked simple, low-cost routes into global capital markets. The company had previously raised a $4 million seed round from investors including Global Founders Capital, FJ Labs, Raptor Group, Tribe Capital, Nuwa Capital and VentureSouq.
Baraka said the majority of the new capital would go toward entering new markets across the Gulf Cooperation Council and Egypt, broadening access to local stock exchanges in addition to its US offering. Remaining funds are earmarked for customer acquisition and product development, including features such as dividend-reinvestment plans and extended-hours trading.
The financing lands as regional regulators push to widen retail participation in capital markets, and as a cohort of Gulf investing apps competes to become the default brokerage for a young, digitally native customer base.