Central Bank Digital Currencies (CBDC) and instant payments are now active programs in the UAE. The country has successfully launched its national real-time payment platform, Aani, and piloted a live cross-border CBDC transaction through mBridge. TeamHeroes has supported both initiatives at the commercial and strategic level.
Aani: Instant Payments at National Scale
As part of the Aani program, Erwin van Helden supported cloud provisioning to the delivery consortium led by Accenture. The platform enables instant payments across the UAE and supports both retail and institutional use cases. It is part of the Central Bank’s broader Financial Infrastructure Transformation (FIT) Program.
CBDC Phase 1: Commercial Engagement
Erwin led the commercial track for CBDC Phase 1 as the prime contractor representative. The initiative included a public demonstration in which His Highness Sheikh Mansour bin Zayed Al Nahyan transferred 50 million Digital Dirhams to China using the mBridge platform. This event validated the viability of cross-border CBDC settlement based on distributed ledger technology.
Leadership and National Milestones
H.H. Sheikh Mansour bin Zayed Al Nahyan initiates the first cross-border CBDC transaction via mBridge during the UAE Central Bank’s 50th Anniversary.
Jan Pilbauer, Central Bank UAE, speaking at the MEA Finance SME Business & Finance Summit 2025.
CBDC and RTP as National Infrastructure
CBDC and real-time payments are no longer experimental. They are core national platforms that shape how money moves, how trust is built, and how innovation is governed. TeamHeroes continues to advise financial institutions and technology leaders on how to engage with regulatory priorities, delivery models and national infrastructure planning.
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