e& money , the fintech arm of e&, has announced plans to partner with PayPal to introduce account linking and instant withdrawals in the UAE. Once launched, the collaboration will allow PayPal users to link their accounts directly to e& money and access their balances in UAE dirhams (AED). Customers will be able to move funds instantly from PayPal to their digital wallets, converting US dollars to AED at a fixed exchange rate.

A second phase of the rollout will enable two-way transfers, allowing users to send money from e& money back to PayPal . The company also plans to join PayPal World, a network of global partnerships connecting leading payment systems and digital wallets on one platform.

Melike Kara, CEO of e& money, said the partnership aims to simplify cross-border commerce and improve access to earnings for freelancers and digital creators.“By joining forces with PayPal, we'll be eliminating the friction freelancers, creators, and everyday consumers face when bringing their earnings into the local economy,” she said.

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For the UAE's growing freelancer and digital creator community, instant withdrawals will help eliminate cash-flow bottlenecks and reduce dependence on costly third-party services. Everyday consumers will also be able to use their PayPal balances locally for shopping, bill payments, or transfers without waiting days for a bank-clearing cycle.

Khalifa Al Shamsi, CEO of e& life and e& international, told Khaleej Times that the agreement makes e& money the country's“first and only” digital wallet that links directly to PayPal.“Together, we're opening doors to a cashless future so freelancers, creators, and everyday people in the UAE can tap global opportunities in seconds and take part in the digital economy,” he said.

"PayPal users in the UAE will be able to move funds to e& money within moments, at any hour, and spend them straight away on bill payments, peer-to-peer transfers, or using the e& money Mastercard. Rates will be fixed before you send and fees will be shown up front, cutting the surprise charges that can appear with traditional payout channels,” he added.

The tie-up is expected to support the UAE's financial inclusion goals and the broader shift toward a cashless economy, in line with the country's target for the digital economy to account for 19.4 percent of GDP by 2031. The initiative also aligns with the UAE's vision for financial inclusion, ensuring that all individuals - whether banked or unbanked - have access to secure and innovative financial services.

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