How Filipinos in Dubai Send Money Home in 2025
Ask five OFWs in Dubai how they send money home and you'll get five different answers. Some still use Western Union. Others use exchange houses on Al Karama high street. A growing number have switched to USDT on Tron — and they're not going back. Here's the full picture.
- Western Union and exchange houses are still the most used method but far from the cheapest.
- Remitly and Wise offer better rates than WU but still charge percentage-based margins.
- USDT on Tron with Energy: $1.20 flat — cheapest for any amount over $200.
- The main barrier to USDT adoption is family setup on the receiving end — Coins.ph makes this easy.
Traditional Methods
Western Union / MoneyGram: Still the most recognisable. Available in all malls and exchanges across Dubai. Fast for cash pickup. Expensive — fees plus exchange rate margin typically cost 4–8% of the total. For a monthly send of AED 2,000, Western Union costs AED 50–85 in combined fees.
UAE exchange houses (Al Ansari, Al Rostamani, UAE Exchange): Lower fees than WU for direct bank transfers. Popular on Al Karama and Bur Dubai high streets where the Filipino community is concentrated. Typical cost: AED 30–60 for a AED 2,000 transfer. 1–3 day settlement.
Bank wire: Most expensive option. UAE banks charge AED 60–100+ fixed fee plus currency conversion margins. Used mainly by those with established banking relationships who prioritise the audit trail.
Digital Alternatives
Remitly: Available in UAE, Philippines-focused, good rates. Typical cost on a $500 transfer: $3–5 fee plus 0.5–1% exchange margin. Settlement same day for express, 2–5 days for economy. Significantly cheaper than WU for regular remittances.
Wise: Transparent fee structure — typically 0.5–1% of amount plus a small fixed fee. Mid-market exchange rate. Requires a Wise account on both ends. Not as widely used in the Filipino community as WU or exchange houses but growing.
LBC (Lhuillier): Filipino-specific remittance service, popular in the community. Rates vary — check current fees as they differ by amount and payment method.
The USDT Method
A growing number of OFWs in Dubai — particularly those under 35 who are comfortable with smartphones and apps — have switched to USDT on Tron. The process: buy USDT on Binance with UAE bank transfer, send to family's Coins.ph address (which connects to GCash), family receives pesos within 30 minutes of the send.
Total cost for sending AED 2,000 (~$545): 4 TRX (~$1.20) for the Tron network fee plus Coins.ph conversion spread (~0.5%, ~AED 10). Total: approximately AED 11–13. Compared to AED 50–85 on Western Union, that's AED 37–72 saved on every single transfer.
The main reason more OFWs haven't switched: helping family in the Philippines set up Coins.ph. Once that one-time setup is done, the monthly process takes about 10 minutes and costs almost nothing.
What Actually Works Best
For first-time or occasional senders who don't want to set up anything new: UAE exchange house. Not the cheapest but familiar and reliable.
For regular monthly remittances over AED 1,000: USDT via Coins.ph is the clear winner on cost. Takes one afternoon to set up with family — saves AED 40–70 every month thereafter.
For very small amounts (under AED 500): Remitly or Wise may be more practical than USDT given wallet setup overhead for small sends.
Also read: Dubai to Philippines USDT guide · Send money from Dubai guide
AED 11 TOTAL. NOT AED 80. EVERY MONTH.
Switch to USDT TRC-20. Load 4 TRX Energy before each send. Family gets more.
GET ENERGY →