Driving Financial Inclusion: A WPS Payroll Solution for 2M Unbanked Workers

We transformed traditional payroll into the UAE’s largest fintech ecosystem for the unbanked workforce. By integrating automated e-KYC and retail banking APIs, our WPS-compliant solution empowers over 1.6 million active users with secure salary management and global remittances.

Revolutionizing Financial Inclusion A WPS-Compliant Payroll Solution for 2 Million Unbanked Workforce

Revolutionizing Financial Inclusion in the UAE

The C3Pay Mobile Ecosystem represents a benchmark in WPS-compliant payroll solutions, successfully bridging the gap for 2 million unbanked migrant workers in the UAE. By developing a high-performance digital platform, Mindster enabled Edenred to transition from traditional card distribution to a full-service Fintech super-app.

The solution integrates a robust e-KYC framework using Emirates ID verification, ensuring secure onboarding for a massive user base. Through strategic RAKBANK API integrations, the platform offers seamless international remittances, utility payments, and real-time card management. Today, with over 1.6 million active users, C3Pay stands as the UAE's largest salary processing provider, driving a measurable impact on financial inclusion and digital payment adoption across the GCC.

Revolutionizing Financial Inclusion in the UAE
Whenever we need their support, they're always readily available to help — they're a reliable team.
Salim Shariff
Product Director, C3 Pay
CLIENT BACKGROUND

Empowering the UAE’s Workforce through Digital Payments

Since 2008, Edenred has become the UAE’s largest salary processor, using its Edenred Payroll and C3Pay platforms to serve 7,000 businesses and 2 million employees. This is a critical service in a market where 88% of workers are migrants and 60% earn less than AED 5,000 monthly, leaving them unable to open traditional bank accounts. By offering WPS-compliant digital payments, Edenred moves these workers away from risky cash-based systems and exchange houses, allowing them to securely receive wages, pay for goods, and send money home. Globally, the company operates in 45 countries with 12,000 employees, focusing on making financial services accessible to those excluded by standard banks.

Empowering the UAE’s Workforce through Digital Payments
Figure 1: Cross-border remittance app interface featuring UAE-to-Asia transfer corridors

Quick Facts

  • Industry
    Fintech / Payroll Services
  • Users
    1.6 Million+
  • Core Tech
    .NET/Node.js, RAKBANK API, Emirates ID e-KYC
  • Compliance
    UAE WPS (Wages Protection System)
  • User Base
    1.6M+ Active Users (Largest in the UAE)
  • Operational Scale
    2 million salaries processed on time monthly
  • Market Impact
    Transitioned C3Pay from a card to a Market-Leading Salary Provider
  • Financial Inclusion
    400+ Free ATM points & seamless global remittance
Let’s discuss how we can scale your WPS-compliant fintech ecosystem
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CLIENT REQUIREMENTS

Streamlining Card Management and
Remittance Services

Develop a comprehensive mobile application to manage the C3Pay card (acquired by Edenred) with integrated financial services, specifically optimized for the unique needs of the unbanked workforce

Optimized Performance

Build a thin and responsive application capable of running on low-configuration devices. The solution must maintain high performance on entry-level smartphones with limited RAM and operate reliably on low-bandwidth networks.

Card Management

Provide intuitive self-service tools for C3 card activation, blocking/unblocking, PIN management, and real-time card control to reduce reliance on physical helpdesks. 

Remittance Services

Enable fast, affordable international money transfers to support workers’ families back home across multiple corridors via secure banking APIs. 

Utility Payments

Deliver seamless bill payment options for electricity, water, telecom, and other essential utilities directly from the salary balance.

Mobile Top-ups

Facilitate local and international mobile recharge for 130+ countries, ensuring workers stay connected with their families.

Compliance & Security

Implement a frictionless e-KYC process utilizing Emirates ID verification for secure, remote onboarding that meets UAE WPS (Wages Protection System) and Central Bank standards.

SOLUTIONS DELIVERED

Architecting Digital Financial Sovereignty

solutions delivered section Architecting Digital Financial Sovereignty To address the unique needs of the unbanked workforce, the solution focuses on digitizing complex financial workflows into accessible, self-service mobile interfaces. By integrating automated identity verification with comprehensive card management, the platform eliminates traditional barriers to banking, allowing users to manage payroll, remittances, and utility payments with enterprise-grade security.

SOLUTION 01

Payroll Mobile Application (C3Pay App)

The C3Pay App shifts control to the workers by providing intuitive self-service tools for card activation, real-time blocking/unblocking, and secure PIN management. The app provides real-time balance checking and transaction history. Features include card management tools for activation, blocking/unblocking, international remittances, mobile recharge for local and international numbers, utility payments, and secure ATM PIN viewing after identity verification.

payroll mobile

Figure 2: A fintech screen displaying a transaction history list and a current balance

SOLUTION 02

e-KYC & Onboarding System

Emirates ID verification validates identity documents during registration through an automated e-KYC process. Customers complete the KYC verification themselves within the app. In cases where automated verification fails or additional review is needed, field agents or admins can manually verify the KYC details uploaded by the customer. 

e-KYC and Onboarding System

Figure 3: Automated e-KYC and digital onboarding system for secure identity verification.

SOLUTION 03

Payroll App Integration Partners

RAKBANK integration partnership provides remittance corridors to India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Philippines, and Nepal with competitive exchange rates and real-time transfers. The bank verifies the data and provides status updates in the backend. Only verified users can access remittance services.

Transfer To integration enables mobile top-ups for local and international numbers, utility bill payments, and seamless in-app payment experience.

Payroll App Integration Partners_

Figure 4: Seamless payroll integration for instant international money transfers

SOLUTION 04

Employee Onboarding &
e-KYC

We abandoned the unstable “continuous background sync” method. Instead, we implemented a session-wise native pedometer mechanism:

Worker receives C3Pay Mastercard from employer/field agent

Downloads C3Pay app

Completes registration with Emirates ID details

Automated e-KYC verification is performed

If verification is successful, user gains immediate access to features

If verification fails or requires review, admin/field agent manually verifies the uploaded KYC details

User gains full access upon approval

Fixing the 40perc 
Step-Tracking Failure

Figure 5: An illustration of Employee Onboarding & e-KYC

PAYROLL SOLUTION CORE WORKFLOWS

Employer Onboarding &
Salary Processing

Employers onboard through WPS-compliant systems to process salaries directly to C3Pay cards.

Employee Onboarding to Service Workflow

Figure 5: A step-by-step visual guide to easy employee onboarding and financial services with the C3Pay app.

Ready to Scale Your Fintech Solution?

From WPS-compliant payroll to global remittance integrations, let’s apply our 2-million-user scaling expertise to your next project.

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CLIENT SUCCESS STORIES

Innovative and Impactful Solutions Delivered

FAQ'S

Frequently asked questions

C3Pay uses a direct integration with the Central Bank of the UAE’s Wages Protection System (WPS) to automate SIF file processing and salary disbursement.

It utilizes an automated e-KYC system that validates Emirates ID data in real-time, allowing workers to self-onboard without visiting a physical branch.

The C3Pay ecosystem is directly integrated with the Wages Protection System (WPS) mandate. It automates the generation and processing of Salary Information Files (SIF), ensuring that employers can disburse wages to unbanked workers' C3Pay Mastercards in full compliance with Central Bank of the UAE and MOHRE regulations.

The platform utilizes an automated e-KYC (Electronic Know Your Customer) workflow. Users scan their Emirates ID via the mobile app, which performs real-time data validation. If automated verification requires further review, the system triggers a manual verification loop for field agents or admins to ensure 100% identity accuracy before account activation.

C3Pay integrates with RAKBANK’s banking APIs to provide real-time remittance corridors to India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, the Philippines, and Nepal. This integration handles secure data sharing, currency exchange rate synchronization, and transaction status updates, allowing users to send money home instantly from their mobile wallet.

Yes. Through integration with partners like TransferTo (DT One), the C3Pay app allows users to pay essential utility bills (electricity, water, telecom) and perform local or international mobile top-ups across 130+ countries directly from their salary balance.

The app provides enterprise-grade security including biometric login, real-time card blocking/unblocking, and secure ATM PIN management. After identity verification, users can view their PIN digitally, reducing the need for physical paper trails and increasing the security of the funds.