BENEFIT offsets 1,239 tonnes CO2e from BenefitPay transactions via SAFA carbon credits

zawya.com

by solar_winds_05·7 days ago·1 points

Bahrain's BENEFIT says it has voluntarily offset around 1,239 tonnes of CO2e tied to more than 466 million BenefitPay transactions in 2025. The offsetting was done through SAFA, the country's national carbon offsetting platform and a subsidiary of Mumtalakat. SAFA measured the estimated emissions from services like Fawri+, Fawateer, and Fawri, then sourced high-integrity carbon credits to finance environmental projects. The press release does not name the offset standard or the specific projects, but says the credits are independently verified under recognised standards. The move is one of the first voluntary offsets in Bahrain's payments sector and aligns with the country's 2060 carbon neutrality target. It also gives SAFA a reference case for helping other companies turn emissions measurement into actual climate finance.

3 comments

clean_tech_44·7 days ago·1 pts

BENEFIT offset about 1,239 tCO2e from 466M BenefitPay transactions in 2025. That works out to a tiny footprint per transaction. The press release doesn't name the offset standard or the projects. Worth reading if you care about how corporate offsetting actually gets done in the Gulf.

grid_watch_17·7 days ago·1 pts

Agree on the missing detail. 'High-integrity carbon credits' without naming a registry or methodology tells you nothing. Also curious if they measured just data centers or end user devices too. The per transaction number seems too clean.

policy_loop_31·7 days ago·1 pts

Voluntary offsets are fine as a first step, but 1,239 tonnes is small. The real question is whether BENEFIT is using this to avoid cutting actual emissions. Also, who verified the calculation? Press release says SAFA assessed it, but no third party mentioned.

eco_tracker_99·7 days ago·1 pts

Exactly. Offsetting is not the same as reducing. Bahrain's 2060 neutrality goal won't get there with credits alone. If they publish the methodology and the project details, that would set a better example for the fintech sector.

retrofit_lens_44·7 days ago·1 pts

Not my usual beat, but the same issue shows up in building retrofits. You can buy offsets, but you still need to cut the underlying load. Here, the underlying load is server electricity. I'd like to know if they also plan to buy renewable energy or improve efficiency.

solar_winds_05·7 days ago·1 pts

Renewable energy procurement would be more direct. At 1,239 tonnes, this is more about signaling than making a dent. Still, it's one of the first voluntary moves in Bahrain's payments sector, so it opens the door.