LONDON: Spotify said on Monday it would increase monthly price of its premium individual subscription in select markets from September, including the Middle East, as the Swedish streaming giant looks to improve margins.
The company’s shares jumped nearly 8 percent. They have gained about 40 percent so far this year.
As well as the Middle East, the subscription price will rise to 11.99 euros ($13.86) per month from 10.99 euros in markets including South Asia, Africa, Europe, Latin America and the Asia-Pacific region.
Spotify said subscribers will receive an email explaining the price rise over the next month.
Price increases in the past, combined with cost-cutting efforts in recent years, have helped it to achieve its first annual profit for 2024.
The company saw an increase in monthly active users and premium subscribers during the second quarter, while higher taxes related to employee salaries led it to post a loss during the period and weighed on its third-quarter profit forecast.
Spotify has been expanding its library of video content to attract subscribers, including through its partner program, which is designed to help podcast creators by offering them monetization options.
A growing number of creators are joining the Spotify Partner Program, resulting in a significant increase in video content on the platform, CEO Daniel Ek had earlier told Reuters.
The streaming company is also benefiting from Apple’s approval of its US app update to show subscription prices and external payment links, after a judge barred the iPhone maker from charging commission on off-app purchases.
Ek said this change has led to “a very positive uptick” in the US If similar rules are adopted in Europe and the UK, it would benefit both Spotify and other app developers.
Spotify to raise premium subscription price in MENA, other select markets from September
https://arab.news/9cuba
Spotify to raise premium subscription price in MENA, other select markets from September
- Subscription price will rise to 11.99 euros per month
TikTok names 2025 MENA Awards nominees ahead of Dubai ceremony
- Awards celebrate 66 creators across 11 categories, spanning food, sport, education, entertainment, fashion, and beauty
- Ceremony will take place during the 1 Billion Followers Summit on Jan. 8
LONDON: TikTok has announced the nominees for its 2025 MENA Awards, an annual showcase of the creators, trends and cultural moments that shaped the region’s online conversation over the past year.
For the first time, the awards will be held in Dubai during the 1 Billion Followers Summit in January, which is one of the world’s largest gatherings of digital creators.
“We’re proud to celebrate the return of the TikTok Awards in MENA, a moment dedicated to spotlighting the remarkable creativity emerging from our region and the creators who continue to inspire creativity and bring joy to millions every day,” Kinda Ibrahim, regional general manager of operations, TikTok Middle East, Africa, South and Central Asia, said.
This year’s TikTok Awards MENA will highlight 66 creators across 11 categories, spanning food, sport, education, entertainment, fashion, and beauty, alongside four cross-cutting prizes: Creator of the Year, Visionary Content Award, Breakthrough Artist of the Year and Changemaker of the Year.
TikTok said the shortlisted accounts reflect how MENA creators drove global conversations in 2025, from viral sounds and challenges to issue-based campaigns and long-form storytelling that traveled beyond the region’s borders.
The platform said the awards are an opportunity to recognize creators whose work has helped define the platform’s mix of humor, lifestyle, music, and social commentary in Arabic and other languages.
The ceremony will also include performances by regional artists whose tracks have underpinned major TikTok trends this year, with the full lineup due to be confirmed later in December.
A full list of nominees is available on TikTok MENA channel. Public voting for the awards is now open and runs until Dec. 23, with winners set to be announced at the summit on Jan. 8.
