ADIB Launches UAE’s First 24/7 Real-Time EGP Transfers to Egypt via Visa Direct

Abu Dhabi Islamic Bank has launched 24/7 real-time Egyptian Pound transfers to Egypt, utilizing the Visa Direct network to become the first UAE bank to offer this specific capability. For fintech professionals, this move highlights the accelerating shift toward instant cross-border retail payments in high-volume corridors, bypassing traditional banking hours and settlement delays.

What was announced

The new service allows ADIB customers to send Egyptian Pounds (EGP) directly to eligible bank accounts in Egypt through the ADIB Mobile App. Crucially, these transfers are processed in real time, functioning 24 hours a day, including weekends and public holidays. This capability marks a significant expansion of the ADIB Remit proposition, a cross-border money movement service developed in partnership with Visa.

By leveraging Visa Direct’s global infrastructure, ADIB provides its users with access to a network that reaches more than 18 billion eligible cards, digital wallets, and accounts worldwide. The specific focus on the Egypt corridor addresses one of the UAE’s most critical remittance pathways. Cross-border transfers are a vital financial lifeline for families in the region, and the integration of real-time settlement aims to provide greater speed and certainty compared to legacy remittance methods.

The service is designed for immediate delivery to eligible bank accounts, cards, and wallets. This rollout demonstrates the practical application of global payment rails being tailored for local currency needs, specifically targeting the high demand for EGP liquidity among the UAE’s expatriate population. Customers can initiate these transfers directly through their existing mobile banking interface, ensuring the process remains integrated within their primary financial ecosystem.

The companies involved

Abu Dhabi Islamic Bank (ADIB) is a leading Islamic financial institution based in the United Arab Emirates. As a major player in the regional banking sector, it provides a variety of Shari’a-compliant financial products and services. The bank has focused on enhancing its digital offerings, particularly through its mobile application, to serve the diverse needs of the UAE’s population. With several previous digital initiatives, ADIB continues to position itself as a first-mover in adopting international payment technologies to serve local remittance needs.

Visa is a global leader in digital payments, facilitating transactions between consumers, merchants, financial institutions, and government entities across more than 200 countries and territories. Its Visa Direct platform is a key component of its strategy to move beyond traditional card-based transactions into account-to-account and real-time push payments. Visa’s massive scale is reflected in its extensive network, which underpins much of the world's modern payment infrastructure. The company frequently partners with regional banks to deploy its technology, allowing local institutions to offer global-standard payment speeds without building independent international rails.

What FF News has reported before

FF News has extensively tracked Visa’s efforts to modernize global payment infrastructure and expand its technological footprint. Recently, the publication covered how Visa Launches Six Global Capability Hubs in Singapore to explore advanced fields like agentic AI and quantum payments. In the realm of security and corporate utility, FF News reported on how Verifone Integrates Featurespace AI to combat fraud using Visa-powered screening, as well as a collaboration where Expensify and Visa Partner to improve corporate expense management. These stories highlight Visa’s multifaceted approach to integrating its rails into diverse financial services, from fraud prevention to real-time corporate liquidity.

What this means

This announcement signals a shift in the UAE remittance market where real-time settlement is becoming the baseline expectation rather than a premium feature. By being the first to market with 24/7 EGP transfers via Visa Direct, ADIB puts significant pressure on other regional banks and traditional exchange houses that still rely on legacy settlement cycles. The move also underscores the growing dominance of card-network rails in the cross-border space, challenging the traditional SWIFT-based dominance for retail transfers. The primary question for the sector is whether this will trigger a price war in the Egypt corridor, as speed becomes a commoditized standard.