Careem Pay Expands Remittances to Saudi Arabia and Türkiye in Minutes

Careem Pay is widening its remittance network once again, this time adding Türkiye and the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia to the list. For UAE residents, that means they can now send money directly to bank accounts in both countries through the Careem app, no extra hoops, no long waiting game.

If you’ve ever queued at an exchange house on a busy evening, you’ll know what a bit of a faff it can be. Over the years, I’ve met plenty of founders in the UAE who quietly admit that sending money home is one of those monthly rituals they’d rather simplify. So moves like this feel spot on for a region where cross-border ties are part of daily life, not just business.

According to the company, transfers to both Türkiye and Saudi Arabia land in recipients’ bank accounts within five to ten minutes. That’s quick by most standards. The maximum transfer limit is set at AED 150,000 per transaction for Türkiye and AED 36,000 for Saudi Arabia, opening the door not only for everyday remittances but also for larger financial commitments, tuition fees, property-related payments, or family support during big milestones.

Careem Pay now supports sending money to more than 35 countries, covering major corridors such as India, Pakistan, Egypt, Europe and the UK. Adding Saudi Arabia and Türkiye seems less like an experiment and more like a calculated next step.

Mohammad El Saadi, Vice President of Careem Pay, described the expansion as a natural progression. He pointed out that each corridor reflects a different customer need. In Saudi Arabia, he noted, trust and security matter just as much as speed, especially in a market with significant cross-border flows and a strong push towards financial inclusion under Vision 2030. In Türkiye’s case, slower transfers and uncertainty around arrival times have been a pain point, and the promise here is funds delivered in under ten minutes.

The remittance dynamics are indeed distinct. Saudi Arabia remains one of the world’s leading remittance markets, with bank transfers dominating the landscape. Meanwhile, Türkiye’s outbound and inbound flows are heavily influenced by an estimated 6.5 million Turkish citizens living abroad. The UAE plays a notable role here, particularly for higher-value transfers. And believe it or not, that demand for reliability can sometimes outweigh the hunt for the very lowest fee.

On the pricing front, Careem Plus members benefit from zero fees and access to exclusive exchange rates. In a market where margins are thin and competition is fierce, that perk could turn remittances from a routine task into a tangible financial advantage. I reckon subscription-style fintech benefits are becoming a quiet trend in the region, not flashy, but effective.

For users keen to try the new service, it’s straightforward: update the Careem app and tap on ‘Pay’ from the home screen. Simple enough, well… assuming your app updates behave themselves.

Careem, founded in 2012, has grown into what it calls an “Everything App” across the Middle East, covering transport, food, groceries and payments. It operates in more than 70 cities across 10 countries, from Morocco to Pakistan, and says it has created earning opportunities for over 2.5 million Captains while serving more than 70 million customers.

For a region built on movement, of people, ideas and capital, smoother remittances are not just a nice add-on. They are essential. And while fintech announcements can sometimes blur into one another, this one definately taps into something real: staying connected to family and business across borders, without the stress.

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