News Desk
Faced with rival Ooredoo’s functional lead in cross-border payments, Dhiraagu’s payment arm is rolling out motorcycles, holiday trips, and rent subsidies to spur transaction volume.
In the Maldives’ mobile wallet sector—a market largely defined by the country’s two telecommunications operators—Dhiraagu Fintech is increasingly deploying consumer raffles and material incentives to drive engagement on its payment platform.
A succession of promotional blitzes launched by Dhiraagu offers high-value consumer prizes: a Kuala Lumpur holiday package for utility bill settlements through January 10, a 2026 Honda Air Blade 125 motorcycle drawn in partnership with local distributor Sheesha, and rent waivers for public housing tenants in Fahi Dhiriulhun Corporation (FDC) units.
The aggressive giveaway strategy highlights a distinct operational contrast with main competitor Ooredoo Maldives, whose m-Faisaa platform has focused its market expansion on functional utility and international financial integration.
While Dhiraagu Fintech relies on sweepstakes to incentivise routine bill payments, Ooredoo’s m-Faisaa has embedded core transactional capabilities into its ecosystem. Notably, m-Faisaa’s integration with PayPal allows users to receive international USD payments directly, alongside established inward remittance corridors covering more than 200 countries.
Furthermore, many of Dhiraagu’s primary incentives remain tightly tethered to its own internal billing ecosystem. Entering the Kuala Lumpur travel raffle or monthly cash draws requires customers to pay Dhiraagu telecom invoices via the eWallet—functioning essentially as an internal bill-collection tool rather than expanding everyday merchant usage.
Registration requirements for full account functionality on DhiraaguPay also maintain a structured multi-step KYC process, including document verification and video authentication calls.
As Ooredoo continues to broaden m-Faisaa’s structural utility across international money transfers and merchant settlements, Dhiraagu’s promotional reliance on holiday packages and vehicle draws tests whether high-stakes raffles can build lasting user loyalty in a market where functional payment rails increasingly dictate consumer preference.
