Worldpay Sees Surge In Real-time Payments And Digital Wallets As Regulatory Reforms Reshape UAE Landscape

Speaking to Arabian Business on the sidelines of Seamless Middle East 2025, Tausif Ahmed, Merchant Country Leader for MENA at Worldpay, said the country’s recent changes to allow non-bank acquiring have positioned it as a regional frontrunner in payment innovation.

“The UAE Central Bank’s decision to license non-bank acquirers marked a turning point,” Ahmed said. “It allowed international players like Worldpay to enter the market and bring in global best practices, an end-to-end proven solution, and access to advanced payment technologies.”

He added Worldpay sees the UAE and broader GCC as a high-growth region, with growing cross-border trade, digital commerce, and demand for embedded finance products.

Digital wallets take the lead, super apps accelerate usage

Digital wallets are rapidly becoming the preferred method of payment for consumers in the UAE.

Worldpay data shows that in 2024, 30 per cent of consumer transactions in the country were made through digital wallets—a number expected to reach 40 per cent by 2030.

“Digital wallets and super apps are not just changing how people pay; they’re also reshaping expectations around convenience and user experience,” Ahmed said.

“Consumers now expect fast, seamless payments whether they’re booking a ride, ordering food, or paying bills.”

He also pointed to the growing popularity of apps like Careem and Talabat, which bundle payments with everyday services, as examples of how digital integration is influencing customer behaviour.

Regulatory compliance and AML need to be part of the DNA

While the payments space is evolving rapidly, there needs to be continuous awareness and implementations of all regulatory compliance, AML and risk systems and processes.

“We view compliance not as a cost, but as an investment in sustainable business”. Ahmed said.

Worldpay also supports local merchants expanding overseas by helping them adapt to local regulations in target markets, while enabling global brands entering the region to localise their payment offerings.

Real-time payouts address gig economy and remittances

A major focus for Worldpay is the rollout of real-time payout capabilities in the UAE, powered by Visa Direct and Mastercard Send. Some of the use-case are insurance payouts , gig economy platforms, and cross-border remittances.

“Instant access to funds is becoming a default expectation, especially in the gig economy and for businesses that need to disburse funds quickly,” Ahmed said.

AI, data and fraud prevention take centre stage

In a move to strengthen its risk management capabilities, Worldpay recently acquired Ravelin, an AI-based fraud prevention company. Ahmed said this helps the company offer merchants stronger fraud mitigation and compliance tools.

“Payments are bloodstream of every business and beyond transactions, shaping customer experiences, data strategy and growth,” he said.

“We give merchants data insights that help them boost authorisation rates, payments performance, customer behaviour, transaction declines, and streamline reconciliation.”

Payment orchestration sees growing demand from enterprise merchants

Ahmed said Worldpay is seeing growing demand for payment orchestration—a model where businesses use multiple payment processors through a unified platform.

“Orchestration is no longer a niche concept. It’s becoming the standard, especially for enterprise merchants operating with multiple PSPs and regions,” he said. “They want redundancy, flexibility, and the ability to optimise performance by routing payments through the most effective channels.”

Expanding operations in the UAE

Over the past year, Worldpay has expanded its merchant portfolio in the UAE beyond traditional sectors, airlines and travel to include OTAs, financial services, including trading and insurance, digital platforms, mobility firms, education and healthcare.

The company is also relocating to a new office in Dubai Internet City to support its growing local team.

Looking ahead, Ahmed said the company is focused on real-time payments, embedded finance, and supporting the region’s role in cross-border payment innovation.

“Dubai is becoming a global headquarters for many businesses,” he said. “As payment infrastructure matures, you’ll find Worldpay at the heart of great commerce experiences helping our customers become more efficient, more secure, and more successful.”