Minister of Homeland Security, Labour and Technology Ali Ihusaan has stated that the Maldives is fully prepared to provide the robust cybersecurity framework required to support international fintech platforms such as PayPal.

Speaking on the Trade Desk podcast, the Minister said strengthening the country's cybersecurity capabilities is one of the key pillars of the Government's Maldives 2.0 agenda. He noted that ensuring a secure and resilient cyber environment is a top priority as the Maldives moves to introduce global fintech services.

Minister Ihusaan said work is already underway to establish the necessary legal framework to support these initiatives. He added that the Government has established a Cybersecurity Agency, a Cyber Operations Centre and a Security Operations Centre within the Maldives Police Service, all of which are now fully operational.

The Minister further stated that strict cybersecurity standards have been introduced for network service providers, telecommunications operators and fintech companies. Regular audits are also being carried out to ensure compliance with national cybersecurity requirements, while relevant authorities are prepared to provide technical assistance and cyber support whenever required.

Highlighting the opportunities created by a secure digital ecosystem, the Minister encouraged young people to take advantage of emerging prospects in the digital economy.

The introduction of PayPal services to the Maldives is one of President Dr Mohamed Muizzu's key pledges. The Government views the initiative as an important step towards advancing the country's digital and creative economies by enabling freelancers and small and medium-sized enterprises to receive payments from overseas more easily.