Today's Edition
ABU DHABI (ALETIHAD)
Al Etihad Payments (AEP), a wholly-owned subsidiary of the Central Bank of the UAE (CBUAE), in its capacity as the owner and operator of the UAE’s national card switch and domestic card scheme “Jaywan”, has entered into a first-of-its-kind strategic partnership with Mastercard.
The partnership includes the launch of the world’s first “Jaywan–Mastercard” co-badged credit card, the development of advanced infrastructure for the switching and processing of card payment transactions, and the establishment of a new operations centre in the UAE that will form part of Mastercard’s global network, providing local and regional markets with advanced card payment services.
The announcement marks a transformative milestone in the UAE’s evolving payments landscape, enabling the issuance of Jaywan co-badged credit cards and their acceptance globally, and strengthening the UAE’s position as an international financial hub with the implementation of a new node in the Mastercard network in the UAE that is designed to process both domestic and international flows.
Moreover, the UAE will be among the earliest countries to benefit from Mastercard’s advanced technology and services.
This strategic partnership supports AEP’s role in bringing together banks, fintechs, merchants and global technology partners to modernise the UAE’s payment infrastructure.
Together, AEP and Mastercard will expand payment options, support local innovation and strengthen resilience to enable financial institutions and businesses to serve consumers more efficiently in an increasingly transforming digital economy.
The launch of the 'Jaywan-Mastercard' credit card, with Mastercard serving as the prime international scheme for the Jaywan credit card program, will enable secure, simple and accessible payment experiences, while giving banks, fintechs and merchants additional functionality to better serve consumers, grow their businesses, and contribute to the national economy.
Through this collaboration, Mastercard will deploy next-generation payment infrastructure in the UAE, powering Jaywan debit, prepaid and credit co-badge, encompassing advanced switching, processing and value-added services and, through Mastercard’s global product offering, advanced cybersecurity, fraud prevention and threat intelligence capabilities.
Humaid Al Dhaheri, the CBUAE’s Assistant Governor for Banking Operations and Support Services, and Chairman of Al Etihad Payments, said, “This collaboration represents a defining moment for the UAE’s payments ecosystem. By combining national infrastructure with global innovation, we are strengthening sovereignty, resilience and choice, while accelerating the UAE’s journey toward a future-ready financial system."
Dr. Dimitrios Dosis, President, EEMEA, Mastercard, added, “As Mastercard celebrates forty years in the UAE, this latest milestone with Al Etihad Payments reflects how together we can strengthen the foundation for continued growth in trade, tourism and commerce. We are bringing together trusted technology, global scale and deep local relationships to strengthen domestic resiliency while remaining deeply connected to the global economy."
As the partnership evolves, Al Etihad Payments and Mastercard will explore flexible, market-relevant solutions that support the UAE’s digital transformation, enhance payment choice, and strengthen the country’s future-ready domestic payments ecosystem.
