The Central Bank of the UAE launched a Tourist Identity initiative on May 2 in partnership with the Federal Identity and Citizenship Authority and ADCB. The service enables tourists to open a digital bank account within minutes of arriving in the country. Biometric facial recognition at the point of entry verifies identity and satisfies KYC requirements.
Accounts are linked to both the Jaywan national card scheme and the Aani instant payment platform. Tourists gain immediate access to A2A instant transfers for the duration of their stay.
Aani currently operates across 57 participating financial institutions in the UAE. The platform has processed instant dirham-denominated transfers since its 2023 launch.