Etisalat Money Adds Visa Direct for International Payments
Digital wallet users can now leverage four new transfer channels to facilitate cross-border business and personal payments.
Updated on Oct. 26, 2026 in Financial Services
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Etisalat money has partnered with Visa to integrate Visa Direct, adding four new international transfer capabilities to its digital wallet. This expansion allows users to facilitate cross-border remittances and payments across key corridors including India, Egypt, and the UK.
Why it matters
The integration aims to expand international payment reach and strengthen the platform’s market position in digital financial services. For operators, this move broadens the available channels for managing cross-border business transactions via mobile platforms.
The partnership adds four new international transfer capabilities to the etisalat money digital wallet. This integration facilitates transactions across seven major corridors, including India, Egypt, Pakistan, Bangladesh, the Philippines, the UK, and China.
The players
Etisalat money
A UAE-based digital financial services provider operating a mobile wallet platform.
Visa
A global payments technology company that facilitates electronic funds transfers through its proprietary network.
The details
The integration leverages the Visa Direct global money movement platform to provide users with multiple payout options. These include Visa Direct to Card, which enables funds transfers via recipient card numbers, and the introduction of Visa+ for application-to-application transfers using phone numbers. Additionally, the update adds SWIFT transfers directly to the app, allowing personal etisalat money accounts to pay international business accounts.
Timeline
October 26, 2026: Official partnership integration announced.
Market Landscape
This partnership follows the industry trend of integrating the Visa Direct global money movement platform into localized mobile wallets to improve cross-border settlement speeds. It reflects a shift toward embedded finance, where digital wallets increasingly compete with traditional banks for international payment volume.
Operators with international supply chains should monitor whether these new digital-to-card and application-to-application transfer capabilities offer competitive fee structures compared to standard wire transfers. Assess if these new pathways can improve cash flow speed when paying overseas contractors or business partners.
The takeaway
The move signals a growing expectation for digital wallets to function as comprehensive cross-border business payment hubs. Operators should track the roll-out of these features to determine if mobile-based, card-to-card transfers present a viable alternative to existing SWIFT-based procurement workflows.
Further reading
For more on digital payments, visit our Financial Services section.
Source note: This article includes information reported by Electronic Payments International.
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