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Domestic Transfers - How Do They Work ?

Learn how a domestic transfer works, what to expect, and the different stages your transfer may go through.

A domestic transfer is a payment where both the sender's and the receiver's bank accounts are in the same country (UAE).
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How does a payment flow?

Sender and receiver both have Ruya accounts

  • The money is deducted from the sender instantly and lands in the receiver's account instantly.

  • There is no clearing rail and no separate compliance routing step.

  • There is zero fee for this type of transfer.

For payments within Ruya, this all happens within moments, so you'll simply see the transfer move to completed almost immediately.

Outside Ruya (receiver banks elsewhere)

This involves a few steps:

  1. Started – Payment is initiated.

  2. Processing – A quick standard compliance check is run.

  3. Payment deducted – Funds leave your account.

  4. Transfer completed – Funds are sent on to the receiver's bank.

Payments outside Ruya go through a quick routine check, such as verifying the recipient's details. Most payments clear it within minutes.


Settlement speed: which rail is used?

For payments outside Ruya, the system automatically selects one of two clearing rails. It's determined based on your payment:

  • Certain purpose codes (e.g. salary payments) → always routed via Funds Transfer System

  • Any payment above AED 50,000 → always routed via Funds Transfer System

  • Everything else → routed via Immediate Payment Instruction

IPI (Immediate Payment Instruction) is the instant rail for everyday payments. Funds typically reach the receiver's bank within few minutes.
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FTS (Funds Transfer System) is the Central Bank's settlement system for larger payments and specific payment purposes (like salaries). It settles during banking hours.

The two rails behave differently:

Rail

Typical speed

Immediate Payment Instruction (everyday, smaller payments)

Near-instant

Funds Transfer System (large payments or specific purposes)

Same business day if initiated before the daily cutoff of 6:00 PM (Dubai time); otherwise settles the next business day

Business days are all days except Sundays and public holidays (Saturday is treated as a business day).

To learn how to send a payment step by step, see: How to make a SuperPay Transfer.

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