Astra Tech Renames PayBy as “Botim Money” in Push to Grow Fintech Reach
Change reflects move to wider financial offerings.
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Astra Tech has revamped its financial arm by rebranding its PayBy platform under a unified identity called Botim Money, aiming to streamline financial services and deepen its footprint in the region. The rebranding is intended to strengthen the linkage between payments and the broader fintech ecosystem emerging around the botim app.
According to the company, the change reflects the platform’s evolution from a payments service to a more holistic financial offering. The new brand will continue operating under dual regulatory licenses — as a Retail Payment Services Provider and as a Stored Value Facility — which PayBy already held. Through the botim money service, users can carry out local and international fund transfers, use prepaid cards, access micro-lending options such as “Send Now, Pay Later,” and invest in assets including National Bonds and gold.
Dr. Tariq Bin Hendi, Board Member of Astra Tech and CEO of botim, emphasized that the rebrand is not merely cosmetic: “We first earned trust through communication. Now we are transforming that into financial value.” The company also announced Botim Money for Business, a new arm designed to offer enterprise solutions such as point-of-sale systems, salary disbursement tools, and compliance support for the UAE’s Wage Protection System.
The botim app itself, initially launched as a voice-over-IP communication tool, now serves over 150 million users globally. Astra Tech is positioning the rebranding as the foundation for deeper integration of artificial intelligence across its financial products. Astra Tech is a consumer technology subsidiary of G42, an Abu Dhabi-based AI group.
As the UAE continues shifting toward a cashless economy, the rebranding signals Astra Tech’s readiness to combine fintech services and digital communication under a unified consumer brand — effectively leveraging scale, trust, and regulatory compliance to expand across the Gulf region.
Astra Tech has revamped its financial arm by rebranding its PayBy platform under a unified identity called Botim Money, aiming to streamline financial services and deepen its footprint in the region. The rebranding is intended to strengthen the linkage between payments and the broader fintech ecosystem emerging around the botim app.
According to the company, the change reflects the platform’s evolution from a payments service to a more holistic financial offering. The new brand will continue operating under dual regulatory licenses — as a Retail Payment Services Provider and as a Stored Value Facility — which PayBy already held. Through the botim money service, users can carry out local and international fund transfers, use prepaid cards, access micro-lending options such as “Send Now, Pay Later,” and invest in assets including National Bonds and gold.
Dr. Tariq Bin Hendi, Board Member of Astra Tech and CEO of botim, emphasized that the rebrand is not merely cosmetic: “We first earned trust through communication. Now we are transforming that into financial value.” The company also announced Botim Money for Business, a new arm designed to offer enterprise solutions such as point-of-sale systems, salary disbursement tools, and compliance support for the UAE’s Wage Protection System.
