Saudi Arabia to UAE Payments: Cross-Border Transfer Challenges and Alternative Payment Routes

We are seeing the challenge beyond Saudi Arabia

At PaySelect, we have increasingly seen similar challenges arise when businesses need to move money across borders.

This is not limited to Saudi Arabia and the UAE.

We have worked with businesses looking for more efficient routes across the GCC, as well as companies and individuals moving funds between Europe and the UAE.

Real estate is one example where this becomes particularly relevant.

The UAE continues to attract international property buyers and investors, but moving larger amounts into the country can create unexpected challenges. International buyers may face high FX margins, intermediary banking fees, delays, additional compliance requirements or difficulties finding the most appropriate route for a particular transaction.

For a large transaction, even a relatively small difference in the FX rate can translate into a significant cost.

The same challenges can affect importers, exporters and other businesses making regular international supplier or corporate payments.

Cross-border payments should be compared, not assumed

Businesses frequently spend significant time negotiating the cost of accepting card payments while paying considerably less attention to the cost of moving money internationally.

The headline transfer fee is only one part of that cost.

The FX spread, correspondent banking charges, intermediary fees, settlement time and route used to deliver the funds can all affect the final amount received.

It is therefore worth comparing providers and routes before executing a significant international transaction — particularly for businesses making recurring transfers or moving large amounts.

PaySelect expands its cross-border network with ARP Digital

To provide businesses with more options, PaySelect has partnered with ARP Digital, a regulated digital capital infrastructure provider focused on GCC settlement and cross-border payment corridors.

ARP Digital provides alternative settlement infrastructure across a number of GCC and international corridors, including routes between the GCC and Europe.

Rather than relying exclusively on traditional correspondent banking chains, its infrastructure can use alternative settlement rails while the business sends and receives fiat currency.

For businesses, this can provide another option when comparing FX rates, settlement times and the overall cost of moving money internationally.

More options from Europe into the UAE

ARP Digital is also not the only cross-border option available through PaySelect.

Several payment providers within the PaySelect network offer solutions for businesses and clients moving funds between Europe and the UAE.

This allows us to look at the individual transaction — including the originating country, destination, currency, transaction size, purpose of payment and business type — and identify which providers may be suitable.

For sectors such as real estate, where individual transactions can be substantial, having access to several providers can be particularly valuable.

Instead of assuming a bank transfer is the only option, businesses can compare available routes before deciding how to move their funds.

Building resilience into cross-border payments

The recent issues reported between Saudi Arabia and the UAE demonstrate why businesses should avoid becoming entirely dependent on a single payment route.

Cross-border payment infrastructure is affected by banking relationships, compliance requirements, risk policies and, occasionally, wider geopolitical developments.

Businesses cannot control all of those factors.

What they can control is whether they have alternatives.

PaySelect is continuing to expand its cross-border provider network so businesses can compare different solutions for moving money into, out of and across the GCC — whether for real estate, supplier payments, corporate transfers or other international transactions.

If your business regularly moves money internationally, PaySelect can review your existing setup and help identify alternative providers and routes based on your requirements.

Source: Financial Times, “Saudi Arabia blocking payments to UAE accounts, businesses say”, 2026.

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