Abu Dhabi Islamic Bank (ADIB) has launched a new real-time cross-border money transfer service called Remit! in partnership with Visa.
The service, powered by Visa Direct, enables ADIB customers to send funds to over 11 billion cards, digital wallets, and bank accounts globally.
According to both firms, ADIB is the first bank worldwide to offer such broad reach through a single platform.
Remit! aims to provide individuals with a secure and efficient way to transfer money internationally in real time, supporting a range of purposes such as family assistance and personal needs.
The partnership is part of Visa’s broader strategy to expand real-time money movement across the Middle East, where demand for digital remittance solutions continues to grow.
As the region modernises its payment infrastructure, such collaborations are seen as steps towards 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 at ADIB.
Salima Gutieva, Visa’s Vice President and Country Manager for the UAE, noted:
“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.”
The launch comes at a time of rising demand for faster and more transparent cross-border transfers across the Gulf region.
Visa’s 2025 remittance study found that 95% of surveyed consumers in the UAE send money abroad at least once a year, with 63% preferring digital channels accessed from physical locations.
Safety, privacy, and speed were among the most commonly cited reasons for choosing digital options.
However, challenges persist.
Many consumers still report high transaction fees and the inconvenience of travelling to complete transfers.
More than one-third of UAE respondents highlighted these issues in the study.
Visa Direct is intended to address such concerns.
The network enables real-time, secure money transfers to cards, wallets, and bank accounts.
One of its features, Visa+, allows funds to be sent using only a recipient’s mobile number or email address, avoiding the need for full banking details.
Visa+ is already in use across key Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) markets, including the UAE, Qatar, and Bahrain, supporting various use cases such as peer-to-peer payments, business disbursements, and remittances.
Featured image credit: Edited by Fintech News Middle East, based on image by upklyak via Freepik
