For millions of workers across the UAE, waiting until payday to access money they’ve already earned can create real financial stress. GCC Exchange and Abhi Middle East Limited are stepping in to change that.
GCC Exchange, a well-known name in remittance and foreign exchange services in the region, has partnered with Abhi Middle East Limited, a neobank and fintech focused on SMEs and everyday workers. The startup is primarily designing solutions providing immediate access to financial tools for employees. It is backed by Hub71 and the Abu Dhabi Investment Office.
Through this partnership, eligible employees get to withdraw a portion of their earned income outside of the traditional pay cycles schedule. It is especially relevant for ex-pats who transfer funds to their families abroad. Therefore, early withdrawal function is integrated with remittance rails right away. The initiative offers greater financial flexibility and ensures timely support for their dependents back home in times of need.
At its core, this collaboration is about giving workers more control over their money. Through Earned Wage Access (EWA), employees can tap into the wages they’ve already worked for before the traditional payday cycle kicks in. No loans. No credit checks. Just faster access to what’s already yours. When matched with GCC Exchange’s international money transfer services, EWA is a life-saver for many expat and migrant workers in the UAE. They can send money back home when they have the urge, without unnecessary delays or complications.
Commenting on the partnership, Mr. Yash Rajesh, General Manager at GCC Exchange, said, “Our partnership with ABHI marks an important step forward in how financial services can better serve today’s workforce. We understand the critical need for timely access to income, especially for expatriates supporting families abroad. By combining our trusted remittance capabilities with ABHI’s innovative Earned Wage Access platform, we are creating a solution that offers both immediacy and reliability. At GCC Exchange, we remain committed to introducing forward-thinking solutions that enhance financial well-being and simplify the way our customers manage and move their money.”
The solution is more than relevant for UAE. In this country, 88%-90% of the total workforce is made up of expatriates. That is 8,5 to 9 million people who often support their families back home. As the crisis in Middle East region unfolds, the need to move money swiftly accelerates. There are more people who were forced to seek refuge abroad and need more monetary support than ever. In such circumstances, financial access flexibility is crucial.
Omair Ansari, Co-Founder & CEO of Abhi Middle East Limited, added, “The partnership with GCC Exchange reflects our commitment to solving one of the most fundamental gaps in financial systems, timely access to earned income. Together with GCC Exchange, we are creating a powerful ecosystem that empowers workers to access liquidity when they need it and support their families without delay. As we expand across the region, collaborations like these are critical in driving sustainable financial inclusion at scale.”
Since its inception in 2021, ABHI has rapidly expanded across Pakistan, the UAE, Saudi Arabia, and Oman, enabling businesses and employees with fast, transparent, and on-demand access to liquidity. With over 1 million users and 7,000+ business partners, the startup continues to drive financial inclusion and economic empowerment across emerging markets.
Earlier this year, Abhi Saudi convened HR and business leaders in Riyadh to examine how earned wage access (EWA) and financial well-being strategies are reshaping employee engagement, retention, and performance. The participants highlighted how financial well-being initiatives such as Earned Wage Access (EWA) are supporting improved employee engagement, retention, and productivity while aligning with the objectives of Saudi Vision 2030.
