Dubai-based subscription video-on-demand services company STARZPLAY has partnered with Dubai-based payments provider TPAY . As per the official statement, the collaboration aims to enable customers to pay for subscriptions that allow them to access STARZPLAY’s content via their mobile phone numbers.

Strategically speaking, the initial focus of the joint venture is expanding STARZPLAY’s presence in the MENA region. Via its partnership with TPAY, the company will reportedly have the capability to accept subscription payments from nine million viewers via direct carrier billing. According to the press release, the partnership will initially cover Orange Tunisia, then Sudatel Sudan and Chinguitel Mauritania.

There are reportedly plans for this to be expanded across other countries in the region as well. What is more, STARZPLAY further plans to diversify the range of products that it extends to include sports coverage (football, basketball, boxing, and more). When offering comments regarding the latest announcement, a representative from TPAY explained that they expect that partnering with STARZPLAY will enhance their visibility among merchants in the region, particularly those in the streaming industry and other sectors.

They further expressed pride in developing a platform that supports cross-border payments, highlighting their ability to offer payment cycles, compliance, and risk management. Similarly, an official from STARZPLAY emphasised that they believe this partnership will allow them to provide their content to entertainment and sports enthusiasts throughout the MENA region. They mentioned that they expect that collaborating with TPAY will facilitate a smooth and safe payment process for their customers, while also allowing them to further extend their presence in the region.

The wider picture News of this partnership comes as a new market research analysis anticipated that, for the 2023 to 2028 period, the Middle East media and entertainment market size is anticipated to expand from USD 39.05 billion in 2023 to approximately USD 61.23 billion by 2028. This growth trajectory reflects a Compound Annual Growth Rate (CAGR) of 9.41%. The expected growth reflects the current shift that the media and entertainment sector in the Middle East is now undergoing.

The main factor leading the transition has to do with significant cultural changes among the younger population in the region. On top of this, specialists argue that there is an untapped demand for local Arabic content, which is anticipated to act as a catalyst for growth in the media sector. .