UAE Moving to Digital Channels for Remittances, Visa Report Finds

• Nearly 2 in 3 people in UAE now prefer sending remittances through digital apps
• Respondents cite safety, privacy, speed (46%) and ease of use (50%) as the main reasons for using digital apps
• 95% send remittances at least once a year

Dubai, United Arab Emirates, September 10, 2025 – Visa, a global leader in digital payments, today announced the UAE findings of its Money Travels: 2025 Digital Remittances Adoption Report. The findings show that digital apps are becoming an increasingly important method for people in the UAE to send money abroad.

The research reveals that nearly 2 in 3 of people surveyed in the UAE now prefer to send money abroad through digital applications rather than physical locations. Top reasons for choosing digital apps include ease of use (50%) as well as safety, privacy and quick transactions (46%).

Remittances continue to play a crucial role in how people in the UAE support their families and communities abroad. Visa’s research reveals 49% send money to cover humanitarian or family needs, 48% provide regular support for loved ones, and 42% step in to help with unexpected expenses.

An overwhelming 95% send money at least once a year.  This trend reflects the UAE’s ranking as the third largest sender of remittances globally. According to Statista, transaction values projected to grow at an annual rate of 16.91% to reach $6.59 billion by 2030. Despite the growing adoption of digital methods, pain points remain. High fees were cited as a top pain point for sending (32%) and receiving (27%) remittances by respondents in UAE.

“For people in the UAE, digital payments are increasingly central to how they provide support to their families and communities around the world,” said Salima Gutieva, Visa’s Vice President and Country Manager for the UAE. “As one of the world’s largest remittance hubs, the UAE plays a critical role in enabling these flows, and Visa is bringing new ways – in partnership with our clients – to meet the local demand for simpler, faster and more secure ways to transfer money internationally.”

In the UAE, Visa is working with its financial institution partners to meet the growing demand for easier, more accessible and reliable ways to transfer money internationally. Visa Direct is a payment service that enables real-time money transfers quickly and securely using Visa’s global network, helping people, businesses and governments send and receive funds to billions of eligible cards, bank accounts and digital wallets worldwide.  In the UAE, Visa recently launched Visa+ that allows consumers to use Visa Direct to transfer money internationally by just using a mobile number.