Sending business payments from the US to the UAE
A US company pays a UAE supplier or subsidiary by SWIFT wire, usually in US dollars, to the IBAN of the company's USD account at a UAE bank. Each currency account has its own 23-character IBAN starting AE, and a dollar payment sent to the dirham IBAN may be converted on arrival. This guide covers the details to collect, the dirham peg, rails, the UAE working week, holidays, documents and fees.
- The Central Bank of the UAE states that maintaining the dirham peg to the US dollar is the overriding objective of its monetary policy, so a dollar invoice carries almost no currency risk for a UAE company.
- A UAE IBAN has 23 characters: AE, two check digits, a 3-digit bank identifier and 16 digits for the account, and each currency account has its own IBAN.
- UAEFTS, the CBUAE's real-time gross settlement system, has run since 2001 and settles each interbank dirham payment individually.
- UAE banks moved to a Monday to Friday working week from 3 January 2022, which lines up with Fedwire's weekdays.
- Emirates NBD's business schedule of charges lists inward remittances in dirhams or foreign currency as free.
Details to collect from your recipient in the UAE
The CBUAE introduced IBAN under circular 4305/2011, with use from 19 November 2011, and the IBAN must be used to send and receive local and international transfers. Ask for the IBAN of the USD account, not the dirham account, together with the bank's SWIFT code.
| Detail | What to ask for | Why it matters |
|---|---|---|
| Beneficiary name | The company name exactly as on the trade license and the account, including FZE, FZC or LLC | A brand name, or a missing suffix, is a common cause of queries |
| IBAN | 23 characters starting AE, the USD account's IBAN; Standard Chartered UAE's example is AE470440000001123456701 | The dirham IBAN can lead to conversion |
| Bank name and address | Full legal name and UAE address | Required on SWIFT wires |
| SWIFT code | 8 or 11 characters, from the bank | Routes the wire |
| Intermediary bank | The bank's US dollar correspondent, if it instructs one | Left out, the payment can route slowly |
| Reference | Invoice number | Lets the recipient match the payment |
Sources: Standard Chartered UAE, IBAN FAQ; field list compiled by the Helm Editorial Team. As published on 29 October 2026.
FZE means free zone establishment, a free zone company with one shareholder, and FZC a free zone company with two or more. If you deal with a group that has a free zone company and a mainland company, pay the one that signed the contract and issued the invoice.
USD or dirhams: what the UAE's rules mean for your payment
The UAE dirham is pegged to the US dollar, and the CBUAE describes maintaining the peg as the overriding objective of its monetary policy framework. That is why many UAE traders invoice, hold and pay in dollars even when their local costs are in dirhams. The US dollar to dirham page covers the peg in detail.
| Rule | What it says | What it means for your payment |
|---|---|---|
| Exchange rate | Dirham pegged to the US dollar as the overriding monetary policy objective | A dollar invoice is low risk for both sides |
| IBAN | Mandatory for local and international transfers since 19 November 2011 (circular 4305/2011) | Always pay to an IBAN |
| Dirham payments inside the UAE | Settle on UAEFTS, the CBUAE's real-time gross settlement system | A local dirham payout runs on UAEFTS |
| Working week | Monday to Friday, with a Saturday and Sunday weekend, since 3 January 2022 | Same business days as Fedwire |
Sources: CBUAE, monetary policy framework and UAEFTS; Standard Chartered UAE, IBAN FAQ; First Abu Dhabi Bank, working week announcement. As published on 29 October 2026.
None of the CBUAE sources cited here sets a deadline for UAE companies to bring export proceeds home or to sell dollars for dirhams. For how UAE trading companies hold dollars, see UAE business accounts for trading companies.
Rails and arrival times to the UAE
A dollar payment from a buyer in the US does not settle on UAEFTS. It travels by SWIFT to the UAE bank through the bank's US correspondent, and the dollars move on Fedwire, which runs from 9:00 p.m. ET on the previous day to 7:00 p.m. ET on weekdays, with a 6:45 p.m. ET deadline for customer transfers. Gulf Standard Time is UTC+4 with no daylight saving, 8 hours ahead of New York in the US summer and 9 hours ahead in the US winter.
| Route | What the recipient receives | Timing, as published | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| SWIFT wire in USD to the USD IBAN | US dollars | Credited on a UAE business day after the correspondent passes it on | The standard route |
| SWIFT wire in USD to the dirham IBAN | Dirhams, converted by the bank | Credited on a UAE business day | Compare the bank's rate with the peg |
| Dirham payout over UAEFTS | Dirhams | Real time during UAEFTS business hours | UAEFTS has run since 2001; version 3 launched in 2012 |
Sources: CBUAE, UAEFTS; Federal Reserve Financial Services, Fedwire operating hours. As published on 29 October 2026.
UAE public holidays apply to the government and private sectors, and under Cabinet Decision No. 27 of 2024 a holiday is not moved when it falls on a weekend. National Day falls on 2 and 3 December 2026 and New Year's Day on 1 January 2027; Eid holidays follow the moon and can last four days.
Documents, screening and why payments to the UAE are held
UAE banks check that each receipt fits the company's licensed activity and expected volumes, so a payment with the invoice number and a clear purpose is credited faster. Free zone companies receiving payment for goods should be able to show the invoice and shipping documents if asked. Keep the contract for the first payment to each new UAE counterparty.
On the US side, sanctions screening applies to every payment: OFAC states that all US persons, including US-incorporated entities and their foreign branches, must comply with its sanctions, so check the payee and its bank against OFAC's lists (OFAC FAQ 11).
| Problem | What happens | How to prevent it |
|---|---|---|
| Dollars sent to the dirham IBAN | Converted at the bank's rate | Ask for the USD account's IBAN |
| Name without FZE or LLC, or a brand name | Queried or returned | Use the name on the trade license |
| Sent before a four-day Eid holiday | Can wait close to a week | Pay early in the week before Eid |
| Missing intermediary bank | Routed slowly | Copy the bank's USD instructions |
| Wire sent as SHA | Arrives short of the invoice | Use OUR for invoices that must be paid in full |
Sources: UAE Government portal, public holidays; Standard Chartered UAE; Helm Editorial Team. As published on 29 October 2026.
Costs: SHA, OUR and Helm's fees for payments to the UAE
Emirates NBD's business schedule lists inward remittances, in dirhams or foreign currency, as free. A free inward remittance does not stop intermediary banks deducting their fees in transit on SHA terms, so agree OUR in the contract for large invoices. For the recipient's account options, see USD business accounts in the UAE.
From a Helm account you can send international supplier payments by SWIFT and by local rails in the recipient's currency where available, confirmed by your account manager, with the rate, fee and expected arrival shown before you confirm. Helm is a financial technology company, not a bank; US dollar account services are provided by Bridge Building, Inc. (NMLS ID 2450917), a licensed money transmitter, with funds held at Lead Bank.
Helm agrees pricing with each business in writing before the account opens, and shows the rate, the fee and the expected arrival before you confirm each payment. See how Helm pricing works.
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USD, EUR and GBP accounts in your company's name, with a named account manager.
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How do I send a business payment from the US to the UAE?
Send a SWIFT wire in US dollars to the IBAN of the company's USD account at its UAE bank, with the bank's SWIFT code, the name exactly as on the trade license and the invoice number.
What is a UAE IBAN?
A UAE IBAN has 23 characters: AE, two check digits, a 3-digit bank identifier and 16 digits for the account. Each currency account has its own IBAN.
Should I pay a UAE supplier in dollars or dirhams?
The dirham is pegged to the US dollar, so most UAE trading companies invoice and hold dollars. Paying dollars to the USD account avoids a conversion on either side.
Are UAE banks open on Friday?
Yes. UAE banks moved to a Monday to Friday working week, with a Saturday and Sunday weekend, from 3 January 2022, which matches Fedwire's business days.
Which holidays delay payments to the UAE?
National Day on 2 and 3 December 2026, New Year's Day on 1 January 2027 and the Eid holidays, which follow the moon and can last four days. US Federal Reserve holidays also delay dollar wires.
What does Helm charge to send money to the UAE?
Helm agrees pricing with each business in writing before the account opens, and shows the rate, the fee and the expected arrival before you confirm each payment.
References
- Central Bank of the UAE: Monetary policy, about the framework
- Central Bank of the UAE: UAE Funds Transfer System (UAEFTS)
- Standard Chartered UAE: IBAN frequently asked questions
- First Abu Dhabi Bank: FAB adopts Monday to Friday working week
- UAE Government portal: Public holidays
- Emirates NBD: Business Banking Schedule of Charges
- Federal Reserve Financial Services: Fedwire Funds Service operating hours
- Office of Foreign Assets Control: FAQ 11, Who must comply with OFAC sanctions?
This guide is general information for businesses, not financial, legal or tax advice. Rules, fees and timings were checked against the sources listed on the review date and may change.