The UAE is both a domestic payment market and a regional/global payment hub.
Currency and central bank
Currency: UAE dirham
Code: AED
Central bank: Central Bank of the UAE
USD relationship: approximately AED 3.6725 per US$1
UAEFTS
The UAE Funds Transfer System is the country's RTGS.
It is owned, hosted and managed by CBUAE.
It provides real-time gross settlement of transfers between participating banks and financial institutions using their CBUAE accounts.
Aani
Aani is the UAE national instant-payment platform operated by Al Etihad Payments.
It supports 24/7 instant transfers and alternative identifiers.
By April 2026, CBUAE/AEP reported more than 12.5 million registered users and 74 connected licensed financial institutions.
UAESWITCH
UAESWITCH provides domestic ATM/card-switching infrastructure and connects to regional arrangements.
Jaywan
Jaywan is the UAE's domestic card scheme and supports local card routing.
Other CBUAE systems
CBUAE also operates/oversees infrastructure including:
Image Cheque Clearing;
UAE Direct Debit;
UAE Payment Gateway;
UAE Wages Protection System.
Cross-border
The UAE participates in:
AFAQ for GCC regional payments;
Buna for eligible Arab-region multi-currency payments;
SWIFT/correspondent banking for global payments.
Stablecoins / payment tokens
The UAE has one of the GCC's most developed explicit payment-token regulations.
The CBUAE Payment Token Services Regulation covers:
Issuance;
Conversion;
Custody and transfer.
It distinguishes Dirham Payment Tokens from Foreign Payment Tokens and restricts use of foreign payment tokens as a general means of payment under the onshore framework.
Do not interpret a vibrant UAE crypto sector as blanket permission to settle ordinary commerce in USDC/USDT.
Related pages
Authoritative sources and update date
Research updated: September 16, 2026.
This content is designed as an explainer. Payment availability, participant-bank coverage, cut-off times, fees, FX spreads, stablecoin treatment, and licensing requirements can change. For an actual transaction, confirm the current position with the relevant central bank, payment-system operator, sending institution and receiving institution.