Financial Freedom with Cryptocurrencies in the Middle East
How Luby co-created a robust mobile application for Kem, enabling self-custody, inflation protection, and instant global payments — democratizing access to financial services in regions with banking restrictions, such as Kuwait.
Kem is a growing fintech in the Middle East, on a mission to make financial freedom accessible through crypto assets. With a US$3 million investment from Tether, the company aims to ensure that individuals in countries with limited banking infrastructure — like Kuwait, its primary market — can store value in Bitcoin and spend in digital dollars safely, autonomously, and easily.
Financial Inclusion and Digital Autonomy
Kem was created to solve a fundamental issue in emerging markets: limited, expensive, and bureaucratic access to traditional financial services.
In regions where 2 billion people remain unbanked, the challenge is structural and goes beyond technology. It's about ensuring financial autonomy for populations exposed to inflation, political instability, and state control over money.
Kem's goal was to rebalance this scenario by empowering users with self-custody of crypto assets, intuitive usability, and practical functionalities — enabling them to send, receive, convert, and spend value within a single digital environment.
Luby joined as a strategic partner to turn that purpose into reality, transforming Kem's vision into a robust, validated application — live on official app stores and ready to scale globally.
How We Contributed to Kem Kuwait's Evolution
Luby led the technical development and delivery management, ensuring efficiency, visual governance, and architectural solidity:
Cross-platform App in React Native
Launched for iOS and Android with a single codebase and platform-specific refinements.
App Store Publication
Managed directly with Apple through meetings, formal appeals, and follow-ups until final approval.
Hybrid Project Management
Luby's PO integrated backlog, scope, and technical deliveries alongside Kem's developers.
Critical Integrations
PIBs, Interlase card issuance, and financial operations management.
Implemented Features
Obstacles We Navigated Together
With the ambition to reinvent access to money in regions with banking restrictions, Kem faced multiple hurdles to transform its vision into a robust, reliable, and scalable solution.
Transforming a limited MVP into a market-ready product that met security, scalability, and performance standards for a financial operation.
Aligning strategic vision with technical specifications, closing key gaps in flows, business rules, and integrations.
Building an intuitive and trustworthy experience capable of conveying security even to users with little familiarity with crypto.
Achieving pixel-perfect visual excellence to maintain consistency with Kem's design team.
Navigating strict regulatory environments like the App Store, requiring assertive collaboration with platform reviewers to gain approval for a sensitive and innovative product.
The Results of This Strategic Partnership
Kem now operates with a modern, intuitive solution — ready to serve emerging markets with high social impact potential.
Product Successfully Launched
Live on official app stores, despite strict regulatory requirements
Validated Technical Infrastructure
Integrated payment, exchange, and card systems working in sync
Foundation to Scale
Ready to bring financial freedom to those who need it most
Refined User Experience
Strong visual governance and smooth navigation
Multidisciplinary Team
Working with fluidity, trust, and co-responsibility
Pixel-Perfect Design
Consistent execution maintaining Kem's visual identity
Technologies & Expertise
Key Integrations
Skill Set
The quality of the people working there is of the highest level. Luby Software delivered high-quality work on time, meeting the client's expectations. The team was detail-oriented and meticulous in their project management and documentation. Luby Software's outstanding resources and solution-finding approach were hallmarks of their work.
— COO, Kem Kuwait