Send business payments to United Arab Emirates
Pay suppliers, staff and partners in United Arab Emirates in AED, from a balance you hold, by SWIFT. The fee and the rate are shown before you confirm.
Quick facts
- Local currency
- AED · United Arab Emirates Dirham
- Pay out in AED?
- Yes — AED can be held, converted and paid out
- Route
- AED · SWIFT
- Typical timing
- SWIFT: typically 1 to 3 working days (typical, not guaranteed)
- Account details
- IBAN, 23 characters, starts AE · Format and example
- Banks closed
- Saturday – Sunday · Payment calendar
- Next AED closing days
- 2 December 2026 — National Day · 3 December 2026 — National Day · 1 January 2027 — New Year's DayUAEFTS
- SWIFT codes
- 173 banks in our directory
Paying suppliers and staff in the UAE
The UAE dirham (AED) is one of the currencies you can hold, so suppliers, staff and partners in the Emirates can be paid in dirhams by SWIFT from an AED balance. The dirham is pegged to the US dollar.
UAE accounts use a 23-character IBAN starting AE: a 3-digit bank code and a 16-digit account number. UAE banks may ask what an incoming payment is for, so put the invoice number or a short description of the goods or services in the payment reference.
Since January 2022 the UAE working week has run Monday to Friday, with banks closed on Saturday and Sunday. UAE public holidays are in the payment calendar, with Islamic dates marked provisional until they are announced.
What you need from your supplier
The beneficiary’s full legal name
Exactly as their bank holds it: the company name for a business, not a trading name.
Their address
Street, town and country.
IBAN (23 characters, starting AE)
Check it with our IBAN checker before the first payment: the check digits catch almost every typo.
The bank’s SWIFT/BIC code
8 or 11 characters. Use the code the supplier gives you; the head-office code works if you only know the bank.
What the payment is for
An invoice number or a short description. Some payments need a supporting document such as the invoice.
How it works
- 01
Add your beneficiary in United Arab Emirates
Enter the details above once and save them. Every later payment to the same supplier, employee or partner starts from the saved record.
- 02
Pay in AED
Pay from a balance you hold, or convert as part of the payment. The fee, the rate and the amount the beneficiary receives are shown before you confirm.
- 03
Approve and send by SWIFT
A second approver can sign off if your policy requires it. You can download a confirmation of the payment to forward to the beneficiary.
Largest banks in United Arab Emirates
Fees
- SWIFT payment out
- 0.25%, min €25.00
- Currency conversion
- 0.5%
Figures from the MENA plan. Every fee is shown before you confirm a payment, and banks in a SWIFT chain may deduct charges of their own. All plans and fees →
Sending money to United Arab Emirates: questions
- How long does a business payment to United Arab Emirates take?
- A SWIFT payment typically takes 1 to 3 working days, depending on the currency and the banks in the chain. Banks in United Arab Emirates are closed Saturday – Sunday. Payments instructed after the daily cut-off, at a weekend or on a holiday start on the next working day. Timings are typical, not guaranteed; the payment calendar shows value dates.
- How much does it cost to send money to United Arab Emirates?
- On the MENA plan a SWIFT payment out costs 0.25%, min €25.00, and banks in the SWIFT chain may deduct charges of their own. Converting currency costs 0.5%. Every fee and the rate are shown before you confirm.
- Which currency should I pay a supplier in United Arab Emirates in?
- Usually AED, the currency the supplier’s account is held in, so their bank doesn’t convert it. AED is a currency you can hold: pay from a AED balance, or convert into it as part of the payment.
- What details do I need from the supplier?
- The beneficiary’s name and address, their IBAN (23 characters, starting AE) and their bank’s SWIFT/BIC code.
- Will I need to send documents?
- Sometimes. Depending on the destination and the amount, we may ask for an invoice or another supporting document before a payment is released, and the recipient’s bank may ask your supplier for the same. Keeping the invoice number in the payment reference helps both.
- Can a business based in United Arab Emirates open an account?
- Yes, United Arab Emirates is not on our list of markets we can’t serve, so a business based there can apply, subject to KYC/KYB review. Onboarding hasn’t opened yet: join the waiting list and we’ll contact you when it does.
Related
Other destinations in Middle East and North Africa
Paying suppliers in United Arab Emirates?
Onboarding hasn’t opened yet. Join the waiting list and we’ll contact you when it does.