Emirates NBD, a leading banking group serving the Middle East, North Africa, and Türkiye (MENAT) region, has joined forces with Visa, a global leader in digital payments, to launch Visa+ in the United Arab Emirates.
With this strategic partnership, Emirates NBD becomes the first bank in the UAE to offer the innovative Visa+ (Visa Direct Alias Directory) solution to its customers, according to FF News.
The aim of the collaboration is to offer a more streamlined, secure and efficient money transfer solution for Emirates NBD customers.
Through Visa+, users can transfer funds to Visa cardholders across GCC countries using a simple alias, such as a mobile number or debit card number.
This eliminates the need for traditional account or bank details and directly addresses key consumer pain points such as hidden fees and transfer inefficiencies.
Emirates NBD is a prominent regional bank with a strong focus on digital innovation and customer experience, while Visa operates one of the world’s most advanced digital payments networks, enabling secure and fast money movement across global markets.
Visa+ is designed to redefine digital remittances in the region by offering a more transparent and cost-effective alternative to traditional methods.
Its first phase will support cross-border transfers from Emirates NBD customers in the UAE, as well as from QIB customers in Qatar and Bahrain Islamic Bank and Khaleeji Bank users in Bahrain via BenefitPay. The long-term goal is to build a wide-reaching ecosystem that spans across the GCC, and eventually into Pakistan and European Union countries.
This launch is particularly timely as demand for digital remittances continues to grow among UAE residents.
According to Visa’s 2024 Money Travels: Digital Remittances Adoption study, 56% of surveyed users in the UAE expect to use digital money transfers more often, and 73% intend to send more funds abroad. This upward trend creates a compelling opportunity for solutions like Visa+.
For financial institutions, enabling Visa+ enhances privacy protection and simplifies various types of transactions including peer-to-peer (P2P) payments, loan disbursements, and cross-border remittances. By integrating into Visa’s ecosystem, partner banks can deliver a more seamless and secure money movement experience for both senders and recipients.
Emirates NBD group head of retail products Deepak Chandran said, “As a leading local bank committed to innovation and shaping the future of the UAE’s digital economy, Emirates NBD is proud to strengthen our longstanding partnership with Visa. We are excited to be at the forefront of bringing Visa+ to the UAE, offering our customers a seamless and secure way to send money across the GCC. This launch reaffirms our commitment to delivering cutting-edge solutions that enhance convenience, security, and flexibility for our customers. By continuously evolving our offerings, we reinforce our leadership position in the UAE banking sector and set new benchmarks in digital payments.”
Visa VP and country manager for UAE Salima Gutieva said, “At Visa, we are committed to enhancing the remittance experience for senders in the UAE. The launch of Visa+ with Emirates NBD will transform the way people send money and help reshape the entire remittance landscape in the region. This innovative service benefits not only the senders, but also the families, communities, and economies worldwide that rely on these vital funds.”
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