THE CHALLENGE

Conceptualizing a digital wallet for easing financial transactions

Since its inception, Careem has been investing in research and development to provide a seamless experience for its users. Now that financial technologies were gaining notoriety and cashless transactions were becoming a norm, it was vital that Careem also kept up with the pace and upgraded its app to cater to the users’ needs.

In 2019, Careem decided to add a new feature to its app to ease the process for its customers further. This feature was a digital wallet where customers could store their money to pay for their rides instead of worrying about extra cash or change to pay the Careem Captains.

A digital wallet allows users to securely store, manage and use their payment information for performing financial transactions. It plays the role of a virtual container, storing multiple payment methods such as debit and credit cards or bank account details, enabling users to send, receive, and store money securely.

The wallet was designed to be:

• Convenient: users should be able to make transactions without needing to enter their payment details for every purchase.
• Secure: to reduce the risk of card fraud and unauthorized access, enhanced security would have to be ensured with measures like two-factor authentication and encryption techniques for safeguarding payment data.
• Quick & Efficient: time is of utmost importance, which is why the wallet should allow for quick and seamless transactions with just a few clicks and taps.
• Synergistic: users should be able to pay for integrated partner services in addition to performing transactions within the Careem app.

Since VentureDive was already associated with Careem as a key technology partner, Careem decided to partner for the Careem Pay vertical as well.

CREATING THE SOLUTION

Achieving Milestones with a Well-Curated Team and Process 

The collaboration started in May 2019, and a team was assembled comprising resources from VentureDive and Careem. VenD’s team included resources from Android, Web, Backend, iOS, Design, and QA. Together, the team embarked on biweekly sprints and followed Agile and Scrum methodologies for the workflow. The sprint revolved around bug fixes and improvements in the code, amongst other development tasks. At the end of every sprint, a new release was put out.

During COVID-19, Careem also suffered from the impact of global financial downtime. VentureDive, being a thought partner, understood the situation and shared the financial hit on Careem by extending discounts on its services. This gesture was highly appreciated by the management of Careem, thus solidifying the relationship even further.

In totality, VentureDive provided the following services for bringing Careem Pay to life:

• UI and UX Design
• Backend Development
• Frontend Development
• Native Mobile App Development
• Mobile, API, and Functional Testing

CELEBRATING THE SUCCESS

The Vision & Roadmap for Careem Pay

We have been a driving force behind the development of Careem’s super app, including CareemNow and Careem Delivery modules. Currently, Careem Pay is available for all users in the UAE and Pakistan, with the facility to top-up using credit/debit cards and bank transfers. Careem Pay is also approved by the Central Bank of UAE, and for users in the Emirates, the app supports:

• Salik top-ups
• Bill payments for gas, phone, and others
• Online and In-Store payments for select partner merchants

Moving forward, there are plans to issue a Careem Card and obtain licenses in other regions, so Careem users everywhere can fully benefit from the features of Careem Pay. The target is to cover the MENAP region and pivot towards data-driven and AI-enabled features.

A Reliable Fintech Software Development Partner                        

Similar to Careem Pay, VentureDive has been providing software and technology solutions for a number of high-growth startups and enterprises worldwide. With the rise of fintech app development and decentralized finance, we are constantly training our resources to meet the demands of a rapidly-changing landscape.

We continue to assist Careem on all major fronts, and our specialties in fintech and custom software development render us a reliable technology partner for many organizations on a global scale.