Dubai, 08 April 2019: Emirates Islamic has announced the launch of Chat Banking services for customers via WhatsApp, marking a global first in the Islamic banking sector.

The banks customers will now able to conduct daily banking activities via WhatsApp in a seamless and hassle-free manner. The Chat Banking solution, supported by Infobip, further enhances Emirates Islamics suite of digital banking channels and allows customers to use features such as checking account balances and temporarily blocking or unblocking of an existing card.

As the first Islamic bank in the world to launch a WhatsApp banking solution for customers, we have further cemented our position as an industry innovator and digital frontrunner in the Islamic banking sector, said Wasim Saifi, Deputy CEO - Consumer Banking and Wealth Management at Emirates Islamic.

The launch of Chat Banking via WhatsApp reflects our commitment to digitising our services and building customer engagement via social media platforms. Emirates Islamic will continue to develop innovative and technology-driven solutions that will enable the migration of our customers from branches to digital channels, in line with the Smart Dubai agenda.

The bank has successfully integrated its core systems with the WhatsApp Business solution. All messages on Emirates Islamic's verified WhatsApp Business account are encrypted, ensuring confidentiality and security. To ensure a safe and secure banking experience, customers should always check for the green badge next to the Emirates Islamic name on the chat.

Suhail Bin Tarraf, Chief Operating Officer at Emirates Islamic added, The introduction of Chat Banking services via WhatsApp is part of our long-term strategy to shift the majority of our transactions towards mobile and online channels. As part of our commitment to bringing banking innovation to UAE customers, we have introduced several first to market solutions we were the first Islamic bank in the country to launch a mobile banking app and the first to provide three major wallets, namely Apple Pay, Google Pay and Samsung Pay to our customers.

To subscribe to this service, customers are requested to SMS WhatsApp to 4451 using their registered mobile number or alternatively they can subscribe through Mobile or Online Banking.