The Central Bank revealed that the number of employees registered in the Wage Protection System (WPS) increased last year, reaching 7.26 million employees, with a total of 68 billion dirhams paid in salaries and benefits. The latest report from the 'Central Bank' showed that the WPS recorded significant growth, with the number of registered employees rising from 6.06 million in 2024 to 7.26 million in 2025, an increase of nearly 1.2 million employees. The number of salary transactions also increased from 67.5 million to 79.5 million transactions, while the total cumulative value grew from 341 billion to 409 billion dirhams. The number of registered employers increased by 15%, from 321,007 to 368,448, reflecting improved economic activity and greater compliance with wage regulations. The WPS in the United Arab Emirates is one of the most prominent regulatory initiatives launched to ensure the regular and timely payment of wages to private sector employees. Developed by the Central Bank in cooperation with the Ministry of Human Resources and Emiratisation, the system relies on electronic salary transfers through banks and approved financial institutions. The system aims to enhance transparency, protect workers' rights, reduce wage-related disputes, and support labor market stability. It also helps create an accurate database that enables government bodies to monitor compliance and analyze labor market indicators more efficiently. According to the Central Bank's report, payment and financial transfer systems in the UAE performed strongly in 2025, driven by the expansion of digital services and increased reliance on modern financial solutions, with clear growth in most indicators compared to 2024. Regarding Instant Payment Systems (IPI), 33.8 million transactions worth approximately 168.8 billion dirhams were processed in 2025. Although the number of transactions decreased compared to 2024, this decline is attributed to a shift in activity towards the 'Aani' system following its expansion, reflecting the evolution of the country's instant payment structure rather than a drop in demand. The UAE Direct Debit System (UAEDDS) processed 16.3 million transactions worth 140.3 billion dirhams in 2025, marking a 3.76% increase in the number of transactions and a 22.88% increase in value compared to 2024, indicating a rise in the average transaction value and increased reliance on this system. For the UAE Switch (UAESWITCH), 663 million transactions were processed last year through ATMs and point-of-sale terminals. ATM transactions reached 102.9 million, valued at 160.8 billion dirhams, growing by 9.05% in volume and 7.99% in value compared to 2024. Point-of-sale transactions accounted for the largest share, totaling 560.7 million, including 38.1 million from prepaid cards and 522.6 million from debit cards, which grew by 4%, reflecting the ongoing shift towards electronic payments. The UAE Funds Transfer System (UAEFTS) also showed strong performance, with individual transfers reaching 114.9 million transactions worth 9.9 trillion dirhams, a growth of 17.76% in volume and 19.93% in value. Corporate transfers reached 865.7 thousand transactions worth 14.5 trillion dirhams, increasing by 4.7% in volume and 33.05% in value, reflecting significant growth in high-value corporate transfers. This overall performance reflects the accelerating digital transformation in the UAE's financial sector, the enhancement of payment system infrastructure efficiency, and the growth in economic activity and transaction volumes, aligning with global fintech trends. The UAE Cheque Clearing System (ICCS) processed approximately 23.78 million cheques worth around 1.5 trillion dirhams in 2025, a 1.42% increase in the number of cheques and an 8.55% increase in value compared to 2024, indicating the continued use of cheques for high-value transactions.
