Exploring the UAE's fintech ecosystem showed me that good analysis isn't copying competitors. You need to understand where users feel friction and leverage that in your product.
The idea of direct and indirect competitors helped me see that competition isn't limited to just apps in the fintech space, because when it comes to digital products, users compare your product with every product they've ever used. Products don't exist in isolation, and they need to be viewed as such.
Always ask: "What are users already frustrated with?"