etisalat money, the fintech arm of etisalat, has announced a strategic partnership with Visa to expand international money transfer options for consumers and businesses in the UAE through Visa Direct, Visa’s global money movement platform,
The collaboration is designed to support a broader range of cross-border payment use cases, including person-to-person remittances and small business international payments, through Visa Direct’s global money movement network. It will in also aim to introduce new cross-border payment capabilities within the etisalat money app, giving customers a secure and convenient way of sending money abroad.
The partnership was formalised during a signing ceremony at Visa’s Central and Eastern Europe, Middle East and Africa (CEMEA) headquarters in Dubai Internet City. It brings together etisalat money’s digital financial services proposition and Visa Direct’s global money movement capabilities, creating new opportunities for customers and businesses to send funds across borders through bank accounts, digital wallets and eligible cards.
Melike Kara Tanrikulu, Chief Executive Officer of etisalat money, said: “International money transfers are a critical part of how people and businesses stay connected across borders. As customer expectations evolve, the opportunity lies in offering greater choice and flexibility in how money moves. Our partnership with Visa Direct is a strategic step in broadening our international payment capabilities and strengthening our position in the digital financial services market. It also reinforces our focus on delivering practical financial solutions that meet the needs of our customers and support our long-term growth.”
Fadi Moukaddem, Senior Vice President and Group Country Manager for the UAE, Kuwait and Qatar at Visa: “In money movement, trust is one of the most important currencies of success, and at Visa, we have spent decades building trusted and secure ways to connect people, businesses and economies. By combining Visa Direct’s global network and capabilities with etisalat money’s digital financial services proposition, we have an opportunity to provide consumers and businesses with greater choice in how money is sent and received internationally.”
Through the partnership, etisalat money plans to introduce four additional international transfer capabilities. Visa Direct to Card will enable customers to send funds directly to eligible recipients’ cards using their card numbers. Visa+, an innovative service that aims to help individuals move money quickly and securely between different person-to-person (P2P) digital payment apps, will simplify eligible transfers by allowing customers to use a recipient’s phone number instead of traditional banking credentials.
The synergy will also support personal-to-business transfers, allowing eligible customers to send money internationally from their personal etisalat money accounts to business accounts. In addition, SWIFT transfers will further expand the range of international payment options available through the app.These capabilities will complement etisalat money’s existing international money transfer services, which currently reach more than 150 countries. Customers can already send money through multiple payout methods, including bank accounts, digital wallets and cash pickup. The app also provides live exchange rates, estimated transfer times and transaction tracking, helping customers manage their transfers with greater visibility.
With both entities coming together, it will initially support transfers to key remittance corridors including India, Egypt, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Philippines, United Kingdom and China, while also enabling access to digital-wallet destinations across multiple markets. By connecting accounts, digital wallets and eligible cards through Visa Direct, the partnership is intended to support etisalat money’s broader cross-border growth ambitions.
By bringing additional payment methods into a single digital platform, etisalat money aims to address the diverse needs of the UAE’s internationally connected population. The expanded offering will allow customers to select transfer methods based on their preferences and recipients’ requirements, while reducing the need to use multiple services for different payment needs.
The partnership reflects a shared commitment by etisalat money and Visa to support the continued evolution of digital money movement experiences in the UAE and beyond. Together, the companies aim to make international payments more connected, digital and accessible for consumers and businesses alike.
