When global merchants expand into new markets, the constraints of cross-border settlement become apparent. Settlement cycles lengthen, total costs increase, and visibility declines. For PSPs adding local currencies, this creates a gap between what they can technically offer and what clears reliably day to day.
AED was that currency for Futurepay.
Futurepay partnered with Lorum to move AED collections onto domestic UAE rails. This delivered a measurable improvement in settlement timelines and day-to-day operating certainty.
Client context
FuturePay is a licensed global payment service provider serving digital businesses worldwide. It provides collection and payout account services for B2B and B2C e-commerce platforms, independent online merchants, and digital entertainment businesses. It supports collections in 50+ countries, payouts across 180+ countries and regions, and 108+ payment methods worldwide.
As Middle East demand accelerated, local AED collection became a requirement, not a feature.
The challenge
Before working with Lorum, AED collections relied on correspondent banking and cross-border workarounds. This created four constraints:
- Settlement delays tied to international cutoffs
- Higher blended costs from intermediary routing
- Limited ability for merchants to hold and use AED locally
- Friction when routing AED alongside other working currencies
Despite strong UAE demand, these constraints reduced conversion and slowed merchant expansion.
The solution
Futurepay integrated Lorum's local AED receiving accounts. This enabled merchant-named AED accounts in the UAE. IBANs are issued in each merchant's own business name, not a pooled Futurepay account, with funds settling on local cutoffs.
Go-live took 4 weeks from kickoff to the first live AED transaction.
Lorum was selected for direct local clearing access, not a correspondent banking proxy. Key differentiators included:
- Direct local banking connectivity
- Clear operating cutoffs and settlement windows
- Stable day-to-day performance
- Alignment with Futurepay's global expansion strategy
Results
After moving AED onto Lorum rails, Futurepay saw clear before-and-after improvements:
- Settlement time: reduced from ~2 business days to same-day settlement.
- Success rate: increased from ~94% to ~99% settled straight-through.
- Time to launch: 4 weeks from kickoff to the first live AED transaction.
What changed for merchants
With local AED accounts in place, merchants can now:
- Enter the UAE market with local AED collections.
- Receive funds into merchant-named AED accounts.
- Scale UAE volumes with less settlement uncertainty.
Futurepay on the partnership
"Partnering with Lorum turned AED from a regional add-on into a global-ready product. Merchants can operate locally in the UAE while staying connected to Futurepay’s worldwide payment network."
