By moving into the region, Spotify is taking on Deezer, a French company backed by Saudi Prince Alwaleed bin Talal, in the battle for a market of more than 300 million people.

In August, Deezer signed an exclusive agreement with Rotana, a Saudi-based media company owned by Prince Alwaleed, to distribute its content. Alwaleed’s Kingdom Holding Company paid $267 million for a stake in Deezer as part of that deal.

Taking on Deezer and Anghami

Spotify and Deezer will both have to compete with Anghami, a music streaming service based in Beirut, which launched in 2012.

Anghami has been combating pirated music in the region. It features licensed Arabic and international music from labels such as Universal and Sony (SNE). It now has more than 70 million users.

“We welcome competition since this helps [to educate] the market and grow the whole segment for a healthier music ecosystem,” Anghami co-founder Eddy Maroun said in a statement to CNN Business. “Anghami’s head start and localization remain a natural advantage,” he added.

Many people were commenting on Twitter about Spotify’s arrival in the region. It was among the top trending topics in the United Arab Emirates on Thursday.

“I’d say having Spotify here might also bring the best out of Anghami in a way,” tweeted a radio host in Saudi Arabia.

With the addition of the Arab states, Spotify now has a footprint in 78 markets worldwide. That includes South Africa where it launched earlier this year.

The Swedish company was founded in 2008 and was valued at nearly $30 billion when it listed shares on the New York Stock Exchange in April.