Al Etihad Payments (AEP), a subsidiary of the Central Bank of the UAE and the operator of Aani, the country’s national instant payments platform, has partnered with Montran to introduce a next-generation International Remittance Platform (IRP) Gateway. This collaboration marks a significant milestone in the UAE’s efforts to build a more connected and modern financial ecosystem by enabling seamless cross-border instant payments and strengthening interoperability with global payment systems.
As part of its broader national payments strategy, AEP is focused on expanding Aani’s capabilities beyond domestic transactions. However, connecting with international payment systems has long presented challenges due to differences in technical standards, regulatory requirements, and settlement frameworks. The complexity of handling real-time transactions across various jurisdictions, along with inefficiencies tied to manual processes and pre-funding requirements, has made cross-border integration both costly and operationally demanding.
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To overcome these obstacles, Montran will deploy its IRP Gateway, a unified platform designed to simplify and streamline international instant payment connectivity. The solution allows UAE-licensed financial institutions to connect directly with Aani and other global instant payment networks through a single, standardized interface. By leveraging ISO 20022 messaging standards, real-time data transformation, and open API interoperability, the platform ensures secure, efficient, and fully compliant transaction processing. It also supports key features such as intelligent routing, foreign exchange management, and real-time settlement, giving financial institutions greater flexibility and efficiency.
With the implementation of the IRP Gateway, financial institutions in the UAE will be able to send and receive cross-border instant payments more seamlessly, while Al Etihad Payments maintains full oversight and operational control. This enhanced visibility will help improve transaction transparency, compliance, and overall efficiency within the financial system.
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The first phase of deployment will include integration with India’s Unified Payments Interface (UPI), one of the world’s most widely used instant payment systems. Montran’s experience as a certified partner of the National Payments Corporation of India (NPCI) and its successful integrations with major Indian banks played a crucial role in securing this partnership. Montran’s global expertise in supporting central banks and regulators with instant payment infrastructure further reinforced its position as the preferred technology provider.
Matt Walsh, Managing Director of Montran MENA, expressed confidence in the collaboration, emphasizing the company’s commitment to supporting AEP’s vision of a borderless, real-time payments ecosystem. He noted that the IRP Gateway will enable national payment systems to connect securely and efficiently, helping accelerate the UAE’s transition toward a more integrated and future-ready financial landscape.
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This initiative represents a major step forward in enhancing cross-border payment efficiency and aligns with the UAE’s long-term vision of building a globally interoperable, real-time financial infrastructure that supports innovation, economic growth, and seamless international transactions.
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