The UAE’s national instant payments platform, Aani, has achieved a significant milestone, surpassing 12.5 million users. This robust growth underscores the nation’s rapid shift towards cashless payments and strengthens Aani’s position as a cornerstone of the UAE’s evolving financial infrastructure. Operated by Al Etihad Payments, a subsidiary of the Central Bank of the UAE (CBUAE), Aani reported an extraordinary sixfold year-on-year increase in the number of transfers, alongside a consistent average monthly growth of 10 per cent throughout 2025. This surge highlights the increasing consumer confidence and widespread adoption of digital payment solutions across the Emirates.
Aani’s impressive expansion is largely attributed to its extensive integration across the UAE’s financial ecosystem. The platform is now seamlessly connected to 74 licensed financial institutions, encompassing 85 per cent of banks, 10 per cent of exchange houses, and 5 per cent of digital wallets and finance companies. This broad network ensures effortless and secure transactions for a vast user base. Saif Humaid Al Dhaheri, Assistant Governor at the CBUAE and Chairman of Al Etihad Payments, emphasized that this rapid growth directly reflects “customers’ growing confidence in the security and efficiency” of the UAE’s cutting-edge payment ecosystem, reaffirming the commitment to further enhancing instant payment services to bolster the country’s digital economy.
The platform has seamlessly integrated into daily financial activities, with approximately 25,000 person-to-person (P2P) transfers executed daily using only mobile numbers. These transactions are completed in an impressive average of just three seconds, establishing Aani as one of the fastest payment systems in the entire region. Beyond individual users, Aani is also experiencing significant traction among businesses, with approximately 774,000 merchants across the UAE poised to accept Aani payments. This widespread commercial adoption facilitates instant account-to-account transactions, which are crucial for companies aiming to improve cash flow management and enhance overall operational efficiency within the bustling UAE market.
Aani currently offers a diverse suite of services designed for modern financial needs, including convenient QR code payments, flexible request-to-pay options, and straightforward money transfers utilizing mobile numbers, Emirates ID, or email addresses. A key feature is the ability for users to manage multiple bank accounts and digital wallets through a single, intuitive app. Looking ahead, the platform has ambitious plans to introduce new functionalities. These forthcoming features include crucial cross-border payment capabilities, efficient electronic direct debits, secure e-cheques, and advanced business-to-business (B2B) payment solutions, all aimed at further solidifying the UAE’s position as a global leader in digital finance.
