Abu Dhabi Islamic Bank PJSC (ADIB), a leading Islamic financial institution, has partnered with Visa, a global leader in digital payments, to launch Remit!, a new real-time cross-border money transfer service. Powered by Visa Direct, the service enables ADIB customers to send money to more than 11 billion cards, digital wallets, and accounts worldwide, making ADIB the first bank globally to offer such reach.
The new service is designed to offer real-time, secure, and convenient cross-border money transfers, allowing individuals to send funds seamlessly for family support, personal needs, or other purposes.
The partnership also reflects a broader push by Visa to expand real-time money movement across the Middle East. As consumers increasingly seek digital solutions for sending funds abroad, such collaborations help modernize the region’s payments infrastructure and support greater financial inclusion.
“This partnership marks a major milestone for our customers and reaffirms our commitment to digital innovation and customer-centric financial services. We are excited to be the first bank globally to launch such a service, offering our customers a seamless and secure way to send money across the globe”, said Amit Malhotra, Global Head of Consumer Banking, ADIB.
“The Middle East is home to one of the world’s most active remittance corridors. In the UAE alone, consumers send money abroad an average of 1.4 times per month. This is a clear sign of the demand for fast, secure and reliable transfers. Through our partnership with ADIB, we’re extending the reach of Visa Direct to make real-time money movement a reality for more people and businesses across the region,” said Salima Gutieva, Visa’s VP and Country Manager for UAE.
The launch comes amid rising demand for faster and more transparent cross-border transfers in the Gulf. According to Visa’s 2025 remittance study, 95% of surveyed consumers in the UAE send money abroad at least once per year. Among those, 63% prefer to transfer funds digitally from physical locations, and nearly half cite safety, privacy and speed as key reasons for choosing digital methods.
Nevertheless, key pain points remain. High fees and the need to travel to a physical location to complete a transfer are among the most frequently reported frustrations. Over a third of UAE consumers surveyed say they have encountered such issues when sending money.
Visa Direct is designed to address these concerns. As Visa’s global money movement network, it enables real-time, secure transfers to cards, wallets and accounts globally. One such solution, Visa+, allows businesses and financial institutions to send funds using a recipient’s mobile number or email, rather than full account details. Already active across key GCC corridors, including the UAE, Qatar, and Bahrain, Visa+ helps streamline a range of use cases, from peer-to-peer payments to business disbursements and cross-border remittances.
