- Transfers are processed on a fully regulated platform with competitive foreign exchange rates and low transfer fees.
For the roughly 700,000 Overseas Filipino Workers (OFW) living in the United Arab Emirates, sending money home is more than a transaction — it is a lifeline.
Every dirham transferred represents school fees, groceries, utility bills, or savings for a future back home. Yet for too long, the cross-border remittance experience has been weighed down by high fees, opaque exchange rates, and processing delays that undercut the very purpose of sending money in the first place.
du Pay, the digital financial services arm of UAE telecom giant du, is betting it can change that. The company has launched a new campaign in partnership with GCash, the Philippines’ largest mobile wallet operated by Globe Telecom, to deliver what both firms describe as a smarter, faster remittance experience — one built for the mobile-first reality of today’s Filipino diaspora.
Two telco-born fintechs converge
The campaign builds on a Memorandum of Understanding signed between du Pay and GCash, bringing together two fintech platforms that share a common lineage: both were born out of telecommunications companies that already command deep trust in their respective markets. That shared DNA, both companies argue, gives them a natural foundation for a remittance corridor that prizes speed, security, and reach.
The mechanics are straightforward. UAE-based Filipino workers can register on du Pay using their mobile number and Emirates ID, then transfer funds directly to any GCash wallet in the Philippines — instantly, and around the clock.
There are no banking hours to contend with, no intermediary stops where fees accumulate, and no ambiguity about when the money will arrive.
Incentives that make the switch easier
Throughout the campaign period, du Pay is sweetening the proposition with rewards designed to make the switch from traditional remittance channels more compelling. Customers sending money to GCash wallets will gain access to exclusive promotional incentives, including weekly cash prizes — a recognition, du Pay says, that building new financial habits requires more than just a better product.
The underlying economics are equally deliberate. Transfers are processed on a fully regulated platform with competitive foreign exchange rates and low transfer fees, ensuring that more of what Filipino workers earn actually reaches the people they are earning it for.
For families receiving money in the Philippines, the value proposition extends well beyond the transfer itself. Because funds land instantly in GCash wallets, recipients gain immediate access to the platform’s entire financial ecosystem — from paying bills and buying groceries to saving, building credit, and purchasing insurance.
Cash sent through du Pay, the companies argue, does not just move from point A to point B. It becomes a tool for financial inclusion at the destination.
“Mobile wallet-to-mobile wallet remittances are the future of how money moves, and together with du Pay, we are making that future accessible today,” said Arjun Varma, General Manager for GCash International.
“We have always believed that no Filipino should be left behind, whether at home or thousands of miles away. This partnership means that OFWs in the UAE can send money home with confidence, knowing it will arrive instantly and be ready to use across everything GCash offers.”
A mission grounded in community
Roberto Mancone, CEO of du Pay, framed the initiative in deeply personal terms. “The Filipino community is one of the most vibrant and hardworking communities in the UAE, and every transfer they make home represents a commitment to the people they love,” he said.
“Our partnership with GCash, a fellow fintech born from the telco world, allows us to honour that commitment by making digital financial services truly seamless and affordable.”
Mancone added that supporting OFWs and deepening ties with the Filipino community is not a side project for du Pay — it is central to the company’s broader mission in cross-border payments innovation.
Both companies reaffirmed their intention to build a lasting partnership, with a shared roadmap to continuously expand and enhance services available to Filipinos in the UAE and their families back home..
Filipino residents in the UAE can get started immediately by downloading or updating the du Pay app, available on the Apple App Store and Google Play Store.
