As economic uncertainty reshapes how people think about money, earning and financial independence, Emirati fintech edutainment startup SouqView, founded by Mohammed Al Nasri, is introducing a more interactive approach to financial literacy through simulated trading and Arabic-first education.

SouqView won the Fintech Sector Award, 2nd Khalifa Fund Entrepreneurship Competition, organised by the Khalifa Fund for Enterprise Development in collaboration with the Sheikh Khalifa Excellence Award.

Combining real-market prices, structured learning and AI-powered guides, SouqView allows users to explore financial markets, test strategies, and build virtual portfolios before committing real capital. Its philosophy is simple: understand the market before you trade.

With multiple income streams becoming an increasingly important part of conversations around financial security, access to trading platforms alone is no longer enough. Financial literacy, informed decision-making and an understanding of risk are equally essential. SouqView aims to bridge this gap by making market education more accessible, engaging and practical.

Its approach is rooted in the principles of game-based learning, supported by a 2015 study published in Educational Psychologist, Foundations of Game-Based Learning, which highlights how interactive challenges, feedback and experimentation can strengthen learning and engagement.

The idea is also personal to Al Nasri, who witnessed people lose substantial amounts of money in financial markets without fully understanding the risks involved. SouqView was developed to offer a different starting point, making financial education manageable for beginners, even in short daily sessions.

The platform features 288 lessons across 49 learning units, covering everything from the fundamentals of shares to understanding financial markets. Users can practise building virtual portfolios featuring UAE and US-listed companies, with prices displayed in UAE dirhams by default.

With a growing user base and educational institution collaborations underway, SouqView sees an opportunity to bring financial literacy to a digitally engaged younger generation across the GCC and wider MENA region, where gaming and interactive digital experiences are already part of everyday life.

 "Learning to invest should begin with understanding, not with putting your savings at risk," said Mohammed Al Nasri, founder of SouqView. "We built SouqView to give beginners a place to ask questions, experiment, practise and make mistakes without losing real money. Financial markets can seem intimidating, particularly when information isn’t accessible in your own language. We want to change that, starting with Arabic and making learning more engaging."