United Arab Bank (UAB) has entered into a strategic partnership with Emirates Face Recognition (EFR) to integrate facial recognition technology into its mobile banking platform. The agreement, signed on May 29, 2025, combines UAB’s banking services with EFR’s digital identity verification solutions, building upon the UAE’s national digital ID system that leverages facial recognition and biometric authentication.
The partnership agreement was executed in the presence of key executives including UAB CEO Shirish Bhide, Head of Retail Banking Emre Yalcin, EFR CEO Zack Charkas, and EFR Head of Product Talha Khan.
The initiative follows the Central Bank of the UAE’s directives on adopting advanced technologies to enhance customer privacy, reduce fraud, and streamline digital services. The development continues a broader trend in UAE’s banking sector, where institutions like Abu Dhabi Islamic Bank have already implemented biometric onboarding systems through partnerships with the Ministry of Interior.
“We are proud to partner with an innovative national company like Emirates Face Recognition, which shares our ambitions to deliver efficient, secure, and fast banking solutions while supporting the UAE’s transition to a digital-first lifestyle,” said Shirish Bhide, CEO of United Arab Bank. “This agreement represents a significant milestone in our digital transformation roadmap and reaffirms our commitment to innovation and customer-focused security.”
The implementation of facial recognition technology is designed to provide an additional layer of security for mobile banking authentication while simplifying the user experience for customers accessing their accounts and conducting transactions. The system will incorporate liveness detection and advanced matching algorithms, similar to those deployed by other major UAE banks for customer onboarding and authentication.
The partnership marks another step in the UAE’s broader digital transformation strategy, which has seen the launch of various digital government services through platforms like Tamm, demonstrating the country’s commitment to modernizing its financial and identity verification infrastructure. The collaboration also shows UAB’s dedication to meeting regulatory requirements while advancing its digital banking capabilities.
Sources: ZAWYA, Marketscreener, GCC Business News
