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Fawran instant payments in Qatar: sending money by phone number
How to register for Fawran, Qatar Central Bank's instant transfer service, link your mobile number or an alias, send and request money in seconds between any participating banks, and what the limits, fees and safety rules are in 2026.
Last reviewed: 13 October 2026
- Speed
- Seconds, 24/7, within Qatar only
- Fee
- Usually QAR 0.50 (up to QAR 1,000) or QAR 2 (above) to another bank
- Limits
- Set by each bank: from QAR 5,000 to QAR 100,000 per transfer
- You need
- A QAR bank account, the bank's app and a Qatari mobile number
Fawran is Qatar's national instant payment service, launched by Qatar Central Bank (QCB) in March 2024. It lets you send Qatari riyals from your bank app to someone at any participating bank in Qatar in seconds, 24 hours a day, using their mobile number or a short alias instead of a long IBAN. Before the money goes, you see the receiver's name, which helps you catch mistakes. It is now used for splitting bills, paying a landlord or a driver, sending money to family in Qatar, and paying some online shops. The order is simple: open a bank account and the bank's app, register your mobile number or alias for Fawran once, then send, receive and request money. The most important rule: a Fawran payment cannot be cancelled once you confirm it, so always check the name first.
Before you start
- An active Qatari riyal current or savings account at a bank in Qatar (dormant or blocked accounts cannot be linked)
- Your bank's mobile banking app installed and activated (new users often activate with the debit card number and PIN)
- A Qatari mobile number registered in your bank's records — usually the number on your QID file with the bank
- Your phone with you to receive the one-time password (OTP) that confirms registration and transfers
- For sending: the receiver's mobile number, alias or IBAN, and the receiver must be registered for Fawran too
- If you changed your phone number recently: update it with your bank first, or Fawran will use the old one
- Your bank's 24-hour customer service number saved in your phone, in case you send to the wrong person or see a transfer you did not make
Step by step
Understand what Fawran is (and is not)
Fawran is run by Qatar Central Bank and works inside each bank's own app; there is no separate Fawran app to download. It only moves Qatari riyals between bank accounts inside Qatar, so you cannot use it to send money abroad. Transfers arrive within seconds, any time of day, including weekends and holidays. It works for individuals and, since October 2024, for companies too, which register with their commercial registration or establishment ID. Think of it as a faster, cheaper replacement for a normal local bank transfer.
Check that your bank offers Fawran
Fawran started in March 2024 with QNB, Commercial Bank, QIB, Ahlibank, Dukhan Bank and Doha Bank, and other banks including QIIB, Masraf Al Rayan and HSBC Qatar have since joined. Look for a 'Fawran' option in the Transfers or Pay & Transfer menu of your app. If you do not have a Qatari bank account yet, open one first; most expats open a salary account with the bank their employer uses. The person you are paying can be at a different bank, as long as they are registered for Fawran.
Read guide: Open a bank account in Qatar →Register your mobile number or alias
In your bank app, open the Fawran section and choose to register (QNB calls it 'Register Now', QIB 'Manage Aliases'). Pick the account you want to receive money into, then choose an identifier: your mobile number (usually pre-filled from the bank's records) or an alias, which is a short nickname of your choice, typically letters and numbers starting with a letter. Confirm with the OTP sent by SMS. Registration is instant and needs no branch visit. Until you register, nobody can find you on Fawran and you cannot send.
Know the one-number-one-bank rule
A mobile number can be linked to Fawran at only one bank, and each alias points to only one account. If you have accounts at two banks, link your mobile number to the one where you want most money to land, and use a separate alias for the other. If you change banks, deregister the number at the old bank first (look for Deregister or Manage, then Delete), then register it at the new one. Some banks also let you suspend Fawran temporarily without deleting your alias.
Send money and check the name
Go to Fawran, choose Send or Transfer, pick how you are identifying the receiver (mobile number, alias or IBAN) and enter it. The app then shows the receiver's registered name: read it carefully before you continue, because this is your only chance to catch a typo. Enter the amount and a short note (for example 'October rent'), then confirm with your OTP, PIN or fingerprint. The money usually appears in the receiver's account within seconds, and both of you get a confirmation.
Receive money
To receive, just give the payer the mobile number or alias you registered. You never need to share your card number, PIN, OTP or password, and you never need to click a link or 'approve' anything to receive a normal Fawran payment. The money lands in the account you linked, and you get an SMS or app notification. If someone says your payment is 'pending' until you pay a fee or share a code, it is a scam.
Request money from someone
Most bank apps include 'Request to Pay' (QNB calls it 'Request for Payment'). You enter the other person's mobile number or alias, the amount and a reason, and they get a request in their own bank app that they can accept or reject. At QNB, requests that are not answered expire after 6 hours. This is handy for splitting bills or collecting rent shares, but only accept requests you were expecting: approving a request sends your money immediately.
Pay online shops and QR codes with care
Since October 2024, QCB's QPay e-commerce gateway can accept payment through Fawran, so some Qatari websites let you pay with your mobile number or alias instead of a card. You approve the payment in your bank app, and bank limits for QPay may be lower than for normal transfers. As of October 2026 we could not confirm a national Fawran QR-code scheme for paying in shops; check your bank app for what it supports. Never scan a QR code or open a link that someone sends you claiming it will 'release' money to you.
Know your limits and fees
QCB set a maximum of QAR 50,000 per transfer at launch and lets each bank set its own lower or reviewed limits, so limits differ a lot. For example, QNB allows QAR 10,000 per transfer and QAR 20,000 a day in its mobile app (QAR 15,000 and QAR 50,000 on a trusted device); HSBC lists QAR 25,000 per transfer and QAR 100,000 a day; Ahlibank lists up to QAR 100,000 per transfer, 5 transfers a day. Fees to another bank are usually QAR 0.50 up to QAR 1,000 and QAR 2 above that; QIB and Ahlibank show transfers inside the same bank as free. Check your own bank's current page before a large payment, such as rent or a car deposit.
If you sent money to the wrong person
You cannot cancel a Fawran transfer yourself once it is confirmed. Call your bank's customer service straight away, give the date, time, amount and receiver details, and ask them to raise a Fawran dispute; QCB says errors are handled through each bank's dispute channels. The bank will contact the receiving bank, but getting the money back usually depends on the receiver agreeing, so act fast and keep screenshots. If you were tricked into paying, also report it to the police (see the scams guide).
Read guide: Common scams in Qatar: fake fine messages, delivery texts, job and rental fraud →Stay safe from Fawran scams
Fraudsters in Qatar pose as banks, ministries, delivery firms and buyers on selling sites, and ask you to 'transfer a fee' or read out an OTP. In June 2026 the Ministry of Labour warned residents about fake requests to transfer money to personal accounts to 'speed up' services: official fees are never paid by Fawran to a person. Never share OTPs or passwords, never pay a stranger before you have seen the goods, and be suspicious of urgent messages. If the name on the confirmation screen does not match who you expect, stop.
Read guide: Common scams in Qatar: fake fine messages, delivery texts, job and rental fraud →Use the right tool for each job
Fawran is for money inside Qatar. To send money home, use a licensed exchange house or your bank's international transfer service instead. Keep Fawran confirmations for rent, deposits and private car sales, because the screen with the receiver's name and reference is useful proof of payment. When you leave Qatar for good, deregister your alias and number before closing your account so nobody sends money to an account that no longer exists.
Read guide: Sending money home from Qatar: options, fees and limits →
What it costs
| Fawran transfer to another bank, QAR 1–1,000 (QNB, QIB, Ahlibank) | QAR 0.50 |
| Fawran transfer to another bank, above QAR 1,000 (QNB, QIB, Ahlibank) | QAR 2 |
| Fawran transfer within the same bank (QIB, Ahlibank) | Free |
| Registering for Fawran | Free |
Official fees at the time of review. Fees change, so confirm before paying.
Common mistakes
- Not reading the receiver's name on the confirmation screen; a single wrong digit in a phone number can send money to a stranger, and the transfer cannot be cancelled
- Paying a 'seller' on a classifieds site before seeing the item; once sent, Fawran money is very hard to get back
- Sharing an OTP or approving a Request to Pay you did not expect, believing it is needed to 'receive' money
- Trying to register a mobile number that is already linked at another bank, instead of deregistering it there first
- Assuming every bank has the same limit, then failing to pay rent or a deposit on the day; check your limit in advance
- Changing your phone number without updating it with the bank, so payments and OTPs go to an old number
- Leaving Qatar or closing an account without deregistering your Fawran alias
Questions people ask
Can I send money to someone who banks with a different bank?
Yes. Fawran works between all participating banks in Qatar, and fees are the same small charge whichever bank the receiver uses. The receiver must have registered their mobile number or alias for Fawran at their bank. If the app says the number is not found, ask them to register or use their IBAN instead.
Can I use Fawran to send money to India, the Philippines or another country?
No. Fawran only moves Qatari riyals between bank accounts inside Qatar. For money home, use your bank's international transfer service or a licensed exchange house.
I sent money to the wrong number. Can I get it back?
You cannot cancel it in the app. Call your bank immediately and ask them to raise a dispute with the receiving bank; QCB says errors and complaints go through each bank's channels. Recovery is not guaranteed, especially if the receiver does not cooperate, so always read the name shown before you confirm.
What is the maximum I can send by Fawran?
It depends on your bank and channel. QCB set QAR 50,000 per transfer at launch, and banks set their own limits within their rules: in 2026 QNB lists QAR 10,000 per transfer in its app, HSBC QAR 25,000 and Ahlibank up to QAR 100,000. Your app's Fawran or limits page shows your own figure.
How much does Fawran cost?
Registering is free. At QNB, QIB and Ahlibank, a transfer to another bank costs QAR 0.50 up to QAR 1,000 and QAR 2 above that, and QIB and Ahlibank do not charge for transfers inside the same bank. Check your own bank's tariff, as fees can change.
Can I link my number to two banks?
No. A mobile number can be registered at one bank only. Use an alias (nickname) for your second account, or deregister the number at the first bank and register it at the second.
Someone sent me money 'by mistake' and is asking me to send it back. What should I do?
Be careful: this is a known scam pattern, where the first payment may be fraudulent and later reversed. Do not send money back yourself; contact your bank, tell them about the transfer and let the bank handle any return.
Is Fawran safe?
It is operated by Qatar Central Bank and works only through your bank's own app, with OTP or biometric approval and a name check before each transfer. The risk is mainly people: scammers who persuade you to send money or share codes. Never give your OTP to anyone, including someone claiming to be from your bank.
Official sources
- QNA: QCB launches Fawran instant payment service (March 2024) ↗
- QNB: Fawran registration, limits and fees ↗
- QIB: Fawran service and fees ↗
- Ahlibank: Fawran limits, aliases and fees ↗
- Gulf Times: QCB extends Fawran to corporate customers ↗
- The Peninsula: Ministry of Labour warns against fraudulent transfer requests (2026) ↗
Always check the official source before acting. QatarSteps is independent and not a government website.