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Aani, the UAE’s instant payment platform, has 14.7 million enrolled users, has processed more than 192 million transactions and has moved AED 545 billion, according to Al Etihad Payments’ announcement of its new chief executive. Aref Al Ramli took over as CEO of AEP, a subsidiary of the Central Bank of the UAE, on 2 November.
Key takeaways
Al Etihad Payments (AEP), a Central Bank of the UAE subsidiary, appointed Aref Al Ramli chief executive effective 2 November. He was most recently chief digital officer at Al Hilal Bank.
AEP’s announcement puts Aani, the UAE’s instant payment platform, at 14.7 million enrolled users, more than 192 million transactions and AED 545 billion in transactions processed. It gives no date for the figures.
Aani had 12.5 million users in April 2026, so enrolment has risen by about 2.2 million since.
The Aani numbers
AEP gives the figures as 2026 numbers without a cut-off date, and doesn’t say whether the transaction totals are cumulative since launch or for the year. On those totals the average transaction is about AED 2,800 (UFV calculation).
Enrolment has grown by about 2.2 million since April, when AEP reported more than 12.5 million users. The Central Bank’s Financial Stability Report 2025 put it at 11.7 million.
Who Aref Al Ramli is
Al Ramli has more than 24 years in financial services. He was most recently chief digital officer at Al Hilal Bank. Before that he was chief executive of Emirates Digital Wallet, which led a payments initiative involving 16 banks aimed at financial inclusion and a cashless economy. At Mashreq he led digital banking and innovation and oversaw the launch of Mashreq Neo and Mashreq NeoBiz. From 2017 to 2020 he chaired the UAE Banks Federation’s Digital Committee.
His mandate is to lead AEP’s work on the UAE’s national payment infrastructure and to expand adoption of its payment platforms, working with financial institutions and payment service providers. He said he wants AEP’s platforms to become ‘a natural part of how people and businesses across the UAE pay every day.’
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Saif Humaid Al Dhaheri, chairman of AEP’s board of managers, said the UAE’s economic ambitions require payment infrastructure that institutions, businesses and individuals can depend on.
What else AEP runs
The announcement lists Jaywan cards among AEP’s platforms, and key initiatives with Mastercard and UnionPay International that support the national payments infrastructure. It doesn’t name Al Ramli’s predecessor or give the reason for the change.
FAQs
Who is the new CEO of Al Etihad Payments?
Aref Al Ramli, effective 2 November 2026. He was previously chief digital officer at Al Hilal Bank.
What is Al Etihad Payments?
A subsidiary of the Central Bank of the UAE that runs national payment platforms, including the Aani instant payment platform.
How many people use Aani?
14.7 million enrolled users, according to AEP’s announcement, up from more than 12.5 million in April 2026.
How much has Aani processed?
More than 192 million transactions worth AED 545 billion, according to AEP. The announcement doesn’t say over what period.
What is Aref Al Ramli’s mandate?
To lead AEP’s work on the UAE’s national payment infrastructure and expand adoption of its platforms with financial institutions and payment service providers.
Editor’s Take: AEP’s April update shows where Aani’s reach had gaps: it was integrated with 74 licensed institutions, covering 85% of banks but 10% of exchange houses and 5% of digital wallets and finance companies, with about 774,000 merchants using it. Al Ramli previously ran Emirates Digital Wallet, a 16-bank payments initiative, and wallets are the segment with the lowest coverage in those numbers.