News

RemotePass Launches Debit Card Service For Digital Nomads

The new service will enable remote workers with an active RemotePass contract to receive instant payments.

Published

4 years ago

April 4, 2023

Nour Nasir

RemotePass

The leading remote work platform, RemotePass, has launched a physical debit card for remote workers in emerging markets. The new service allows digital nomads with an active RemotePass contract to receive instant payments with zero fees, avoiding high SWIFT charges and the lengthy wait times typically associated with international transfers.

The new card service will allow users to hold funds in USD and can be used both online and offline globally, wherever Mastercard is accepted. The card forms part of the RemotePass Super App. It enables users to manage their contracts, subscribe to premium health insurance plans, track expenses, and access physical and virtual payroll cards for instant payment.

remotepass new debit card service

The new product offering is in line with the UAE government’s vision of attracting global talent and establishing the country as a leading hub for remote work. Through its Employer of Record services, RemotePass handles the entire relocation, visa, and insurance process for foreign companies seeking to hire and/or relocate employees or contractors in the UAE.

The UAE has become a sought-after destination for cross-border remote hiring, with companies from the US, the UK, and Saudi Arabia benefiting from access to a vast pool of highly skilled job seekers seeking full-time remote work. In addition, the UAE introduced a digital nomad visa in March 2021, allowing expatriates to reside in the country while working for their employers in their home country.

To get started with the new service, RemotePass users simply need to upload documents via the app for verification and then request a card. Once an application has been approved — usually within 48 hours — users will have complete control of their card through the mobile app, enabling them to freeze, terminate, view, and manage transactions. The RemotePass card uses 3-D Secure, which provides additional authentication for online transactions. For offline use, cardholders are required to enter their PIN for extra security.

Also Read: A Guide To Digital Payment Methods In The Middle East

“Our physical card is just one of the many ways we’re helping remote workers get the financial freedom they need to thrive. We are working with different partners to bring more localized financial services and benefits such as a reward program, advance pay and pension plans,” says Kamal Reggad, co-founder & CEO of RemotePass.

A global survey conducted by Prudential found that 42% of remote workers would consider seeking new employment if their current employer removed work-from-home options. Meanwhile, FlexJobs reported a 105% rise in searches for “remote, part-time jobs” last year, proving the need for an efficient means of receiving cross-border funds.

Related Topics:FinTech Remote Work RemotePass

Up Next

Saudi Arabia Launches Digital Platform For Seismic Hazards

Don't Miss

Saudi Arabia And UAE Are At The Forefront Of An AI Revolution

Click to comment

News

Abu Dhabi’s Robot Kitchen Is Serving Up Biryani, Not Burgers

Circus SE wants to put a tiny automated factory inside the buildings where Gulf residents live and work, bypassing part of last-mile delivery.

Published

6 days ago

October 20, 2026

Nour Nasir

abu dhabi's robot kitchen is serving up biryani not burgers

Circus SE

The most telling thing about a new autonomous kitchen now running in Abu Dhabi’s Marina Square is what it won’t cook:

“We don’t do fast food,” says Nikolas Bullwinkel, Founder and CEO of Circus SE. “We’ve actively decided not to build a machine that can only do burgers”.

Instead, the CA-1 system is built around pot-based cooking: curries, pastas, soups and rice dishes. After experimenting with highly personalized recipes, Circus deliberately leaned back toward recognizable food. “We’re going with a chicken biryani because you know it,” Bullwinkel says of the AED 40 dish.

circus se ca-1 robot system

The Germany-based robotics and food technology company operates across eight countries, and Abu Dhabi is its first deployment outside Europe. More locations are expected there and in Dubai.

In Germany, its units can be placed in supermarkets, gas stations, airports and hospitals. In the Gulf, Bullwinkel wants them inside residential and office buildings, replacing some of the complexity of last-mile delivery. “We’re basically bringing a very tiny factory a few square meters into your building,” he says. Catering company Royal Prestige supplies the ingredients and knowledge of local tastes.

The CA-1 manages up to 36 refrigerated ingredient silos alongside automated induction cooking, robotic plating and a self-cleaning dishwasher. Two robotic arms move ingredients through the system with minimal human intervention. It can produce up to 120 hot meals an hour, and a meal such as rice and curry can take around three to four minutes.

Also Read: Ooredoo Qatar’s 5G+ Network Is Built For Machines As Much As People

Five cameras and multiple sensors monitor heat, temperature and consistency, an attempt to approximate what a chef perceives. “You can hear something gets burned, you can smell it, you can see it at some point,” Bullwinkel says. CircusOS, the company’s operating system, adjusts recipes in real time.

You might think of the platform as a threat to kitchen staff, but Bullwinkel frames Circus as a way for chefs to develop recipes and distribute them at scale. With that being said, rising labor costs and shortages are also part of his case for automation.