Talabat has named du Pay its digital wallet and payment platform for fleet partners in the UAE, giving delivery riders a single place to receive and manage their money. The companies announced the expanded partnership on Oct. 12.
Talabat says its fleet partners will use du Pay to pay riders digitally each month. The change is intended to replace separate payment arrangements with one wallet solution, although the companies didn’t explain how existing payment providers will be phased out or whether riders will have a choice of wallet.
For riders, du Pay accounts include an IBAN and a free digital debit card with cashback on spending, according to the companies. The wallet also supports money transfers, bill payments, mobile recharges, and access to cash loans.
Du Pay says riders can get an extra 50% balance when recharging a du prepaid mobile account. That offer is limited to du prepaid recharges, not a general bonus on wallet spending. The companies didn’t provide examples of transfer fees, recharge limits, or whether riders need a du mobile number to use the wallet.
Talabat says riders already receive monthly payments from their employers, the fleet partners, through du Pay. CEO Roberto Mancone said the service reaches “thousands of riders” each month, without giving an exact figure. Du Pay reports more than one million registered customers across its services.
The announcement followed a signing ceremony at talabat’s Dubai office attended by Mancone and Simonida Subotic, talabat’s vice president and managing director for the UAE. The release doesn’t disclose financial terms or say whether the partnership includes any fees paid by fleet partners or riders.
What the partnership means for UAE riders
Du Pay is the digital financial services arm of UAE telecom operator du and says it is licensed by the Central Bank of the UAE. The company says residents can open accounts using a UAE mobile number and Emirates ID. Its wallet includes an IBAN without account-opening fees, monthly charges, or minimum balance requirements, according to du Pay.
Talabat, founded in Kuwait in 2004, operates across the Middle East and North Africa and is a subsidiary of Delivery Hero, according to the background information provided about the company. The food-delivery platform has previously announced rider-support programs. In 2025, Talabat Qatar reported distributing 30,000 iftar kits and more than 3,000 hot meals during Ramadan The new UAE deal focuses instead on payments and access to financial services
For riders, consolidating employer payments and everyday financial tools in one app could reduce the need to manage multiple accounts, but the practical effect depends on fees, cash access, and the terms of the loan and cashback features. A previous report on the du Pay and Talabat partnership also covered the wallet’s role for riders. Another UAE business has announced a payment partnership, with Parkin adding uPay as a payment option. Neither announcement directly compares rider costs or service terms.
