Paribu is making Turkey’s biggest fintech deal by acquiring CoinMENA, the largest local crypto exchange in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region, in a transaction for up to $240 million.
Türkiye’s largest fintech acquisition to date
The transaction represents Turkey’s largest fintech acquisition to date and the country’s first cross-border crypto deal. The deal comes at a time when global crypto M&A activity is accelerating; 95 crypto M&A transactions were announced in Q3 2025 alone, according to the Architect Partners Q3 2025 Crypto M&A and Financing Report. Amid this global trend, Paribu brings the momentum of crypto industry consolidation to the MENA region.
Paribu to become one of the strongest licensed players in the region
Founded in 2020 by Talal Tabbaa and Dina Sam’an, CoinMENA operates in Bahrain under its licensed entity CoinMENA B.S.C, and in Dubai through CoinMENA FZE with a Virtual Asset Service Provider (VASP) license issued by the Dubai Virtual Assets Regulatory Authority (VARA).
The acquisition of CoinMENA positions Paribu as one of the strongest licensed players in the region. Paribu currently has operating permit applications in Türkiye for both a crypto asset trading platform and a custody service, and also holds authorization from the Capital Markets Board (CMB) to establish a broadly authorized brokerage firm.
Yasin Oral: “A turning point for finance ecosystem in the MENA region”
Yasin Oral, Founder and CEO of Paribu highlighted that this agreement marks a turning point not only for Paribu but also for the entire digital asset and finance ecosystem in Türkiye and the MENA region, and added:
“With this acquisition, we have expanded our licensed operations to a broader region, becoming a licensed player in one of the world’s most crypto-adopted markets, and we’re proud to lead Türkiye’s largest fintech acquisition and first international crypto deal. CoinMENA, the leading crypto exchange in the MENA region, is the perfect fit for us in our regional expansion. With this step, we’re entering a new chapter in Paribu’s growth journey, expanding our presence into the MENA region and carrying the global wave of crypto industry consolidation to new markets.”
Frequently asked questions
What is CoinMENA?
Founded in 2020, CoinMENA offers more than 1.5 million users from over 45 countries the ability to trade over 50 crypto assets in eight local currencies, in addition to the US dollar. CoinMENA has raised nearly 20 million dollars in investments to date from backers including BECO, Arab Bank Switzerland, Circle, and Bunat Ventures. With its licensed presence in two countries, it is positioned as one of the strongest local players in the MENA region.
Why the MENA region?
Paribu aims to extend its strength in both traditional capital markets and next-generation finance in Türkiye across the broader region. As one of the nearest and highest-potential markets, the MENA region aligns perfectly with Paribu’s wider international growth strategy. With this acquisition, Paribu obtains licenses in one of the markets with the highest crypto adoption and becomes able to operate actively there, gaining direct access to the region’s dynamic ecosystem.
Why CoinMENA?
Since 2020, CoinMENA has become a well-established platform in the region, operating with licenses in two countries and standing out as one of the strongest local players. It holds licenses in both Bahrain and Dubai. CoinMENA also differentiates itself with its large user base, capacity to serve both retail and institutional clients, and its support for trading with local currencies.
What will this agreement change for Paribu users?
The agreement does not introduce any changes to the operations of Paribu or CoinMENA. Therefore, there will be no impact on Paribu users’ crypto transactions, deposit, or withdrawal processes. Instead, the acquisition strengthens Paribu’s pursuit of regional leadership in crypto asset markets.
