Mastercard and Checkout.com partner to enable instant wallet top-ups for Careem

21 August 2023
In partnership with Mastercard and Checkout.com, Careem Pay has integrated Mastercard Send to enable customers in the UAE to access near real-time payments into their Careem Pay wallets, making it quicker and more convenient to use the Careem app to transfer money and access daily services.

Unlike a conventional bank transfer which takes at least several hours or even days to complete, Mastercard Send enables people and organizations to send and receive money around the world in near real time, offering speed, convenience, and security.

Mastercard Send is available in 108 countries around the world and is being rolled out in the UAE with Careem Pay, the financial technology arm of the Middle East ‘Everything App’, Careem. Mastercard Send is paving the way for innovative payment flows in the UAE, such as fast refund for marketplaces, disbursements for retail and delivery industries, as well as new P2P and international money transfer experiences.

Amnah Ajmal, Executive Vice President, Market Development, EEMEA, Mastercard, commented: “We are delighted to join forces with Checkout.com and Careem to strengthen the presence of Mastercard Send in the region. In line with our commitment to driving digital transformation across the markets we serve, Mastercard is proactively working with our partners to enhance the choice of innovative payment options available to consumers. We will continue to expand our partner network as we scale Mastercard Send across different segments and use cases.”

“As one of the first Mastercard Send partners in the UAE, we will be able to offer advanced payment services to our customers and provide a seamless user experience during wallet top-ups. We are dedicated to collaborating with Mastercard to explore new use cases and raise awareness about the many benefits of Mastercard Send among merchants for both funding and disbursements,” said Remo Giovanni Abbondandolo, General Manager for MENA at Checkout.com.

Ahmed Salahy, Director, Strategic Partnerships, Careem Pay added: “The Mastercard Send solution will help Careem Pay fulfill part of our purpose and promise to customers to simplify their payment experiences and access to fintech products. Careem Pay, the digital wallet and fintech arm of Careem, enables customers to top up their wallet, transfer and receive money at the click of a button and pay for products and services both on and beyond the Careem’s Everything App. Mastercard Send now gives our customers in the UAE access to near real-time payments with convenience and security to support financial inclusion of Careem’s digital wallet growth in the market.”

Checkout.com is a global payments solution provider (PSP) that helps businesses and their communities thrive in the digital economy and the first PSP to secure an acquiring license from the UAE Central Bank. Checkout.com uses Mastercard Send and its payment network to expand its wallet top-up service to millions of Mastercard cards in the UAE with multiple use cases. Checkout.com has 19 offices worldwide including Dubai and Riyadh, dedicated to help companies get smarter about their payments’ performance.

Careem provides a host of daily services that people need to move around, order things, and transfer money in one unified smartphone app. Careem has been delivering secure payments for over a decade, with over 50 million registered customers.