This archive report was first published on 27 July 2019.
iflix, a leading subscription video streaming service in Southeast Asia, has pulled out of the Middle East market, just days after securing $50 million in funding for expansion in Asia.
According to a statement from the company, iflix and its partner Zain are working together to complete the wind-down of operations in the Middle East, allowing iflix to focus on its core markets in Southeast Asia.
iflix had launched its operations in the Middle East in 2017, but struggled to pay content distributors on time, leading to frustration among local producers and distributors.
The company's exit from the Middle East market comes just months after it sold its pan-African operations to Econet Media's Kwesé in February 2018.
iflix had faced stiff competition from other streaming services, including Starz Play, Netflix, Shahid Plus, Amazon, beIN, Wavo, and Vuclip, and had to let go of its staff and shut its offices due to financial constraints.
With its exit from the Middle East market, iflix is said to be narrowing its focus on its core markets in Southeast Asia, where it has over 17 million active users.
