What is remittance?
UAE complete guide

To remit means to send money — specifically, to transfer funds to someone in another country. A remittance is the money sent.

In UAE, "remit" is everyday language for transferring AED salary to family back home in India, Pakistan, Philippines, Bangladesh, Egypt, or other countries. The UAE has 9+ million expatriates, and over $43 billion is remitted annually — making the UAE one of the world's top 3 remittance-sending countries.

All UAE remittance providers must be licensed by CBUAE (Central Bank UAE).

Remitly AE is the UAE-available version of Remitly — a CBUAE-licensed digital money transfer app.

Key facts:
• Available as mobile app (iOS + Android)
• Sends to 100+ countries — popular corridors: India, Pakistan, Philippines
• Two speed options: Economy (1-3 days, better rate) and Express (minutes, higher fee)
• Licensed and regulated in UAE by CBUAE

Remitly competes with Al Ansari Exchange, Wise, and LuLu Exchange in UAE. Compare Remitly's current AED to INR rate vs all providers at remit.ae.

E-remit (electronic remittance) means sending money internationally via a digital platform — app, website, or online bank portal — without visiting a physical branch.

UAE e-remit options:
• Apps: Wise, Remitly, WorldRemit, Western Union app
• Bank portals: Emirates NBD, FAB, ADCB online transfer
• Exchange house websites: Al Ansari online, LuLu Exchange app

vs. walk-in remittance: Exchange house branches (Al Ansari, LuLu, GCC Exchange) — best for cash pickup, no-bank-account recipients, or workers without smartphones.

UAE remittance is money sent by expatriate workers living in the UAE to their home countries. It is one of the UAE's most significant financial flows.

UAE remittance by the numbers:
• Total annual outflow: $43+ billion
• Largest corridor: AED → INR (India, ~$14B/yr, 3.3M senders)
• AED → PKR (Pakistan, ~$6B/yr, 1.5M senders)
• AED → PHP (Philippines, ~$3.5B/yr, 700K senders)
• AED → BDT (Bangladesh, ~$2.5B/yr)

All providers must be CBUAE-licensed. Transfers happen through exchange houses, digital apps, or banks.

A UAE exchange house is a CBUAE-licensed institution specializing in currency exchange and international money transfers.

Major UAE exchange houses:
• Al Ansari Exchange — 200+ branches across UAE
• LuLu Exchange — 200+ branches, inside LuLu hypermarkets
• GCC Exchange — competitive rates for South Asian corridors
• UAE Exchange — large international network
• Wall Street Exchange — competitive AED to INR rates
• Orient Exchange — strong Philippines corridor

Exchange houses generally offer better rates than banks for common corridors and require no bank account for cash pickup delivery.

Remittance specifically refers to money sent by migrant workers to family in their home country — personal, cross-border, recurring.

Money transfer is broader — any movement of funds, including business payments, local bank transfers, or one-time personal transfers.

In UAE, both terms are used interchangeably. Practically: both go through the same CBUAE-licensed providers (exchange houses, apps, banks). The key UAE-specific context: remittances are subject to CBUAE oversight and are tracked under the WPS (Wage Protection System).