First Abu Dhabi Bank partners with Thunes to enable global mobile-wallet payouts

First Abu Dhabi Bank (FAB), the UAE’s largest lender, has selected cross-border payments provider Thunes to expand its capability to make payouts directly to mobile wallets and other digital payout endpoints. The partnership is designed to accelerate and broaden FAB’s cross-border disbursement options for remittances, corporate payments and customer payouts, leveraging Thunes’ API-driven rails and global payout network.

Under the agreement, FAB will integrate Thunes’ infrastructure to route payments to mobile wallets in multiple countries, allowing recipients to receive funds quickly without the need for traditional bank accounts. For FAB, this is a strategic move to enhance its digital treasury and customer-facing services, especially for clients and customers who rely on mobile-first payment solutions across emerging markets.

Thunes is known for connecting banks, fintechs and corporates to a diverse set of payout endpoints — including mobile wallets, bank accounts and cash pickup locations — through a single API. By tapping that connectivity, FAB aims to reduce friction, shorten settlement times and streamline operational workflows for cross-border payouts. The integration also promises improved transparency and tracking for senders and recipients, which can be important for corporate payroll, supplier disbursements and remittance corridors.

The collaboration is consistent with a broader industry trend: banks partnering with specialized fintechs to speed up digital transformation and extend reach overseas without building proprietary networks from scratch. For FAB, aligning with a payments network gives it access to localized payout channels and regulatory know-how in jurisdictions where mobile wallets dominate.

Operational considerations will likely include compliance, onboarding of local payout partners and technical integration via APIs. Thunes’ model typically emphasizes regulatory compliance, currency conversion and real-time settlement features where available — capabilities that help banks maintain controls while offering faster payout experiences to end users.

While FAB’s announcement focuses on expanding payout reach and improving customer experience, the move also signals increased competition in the cross-border payout space. As banks look to offer more seamless, instant payment options, partnerships like this one underscore how incumbent financial institutions and fintech networks are collaborating to meet rising demand for efficient global payouts.