Al Etihad Payments (AEP), a subsidiary of the Central Bank of the UAE (CBUAE), is enhancing Jaywan, the UAE’s domestic card scheme, by signing co-badging agreements with international card schemes, including Discover, Mastercard, UnionPay and Visa.
With these partnerships, Jaywan cardholders will have the flexibility to transact worldwide, leveraging the global reach of international payment networks. Within the UAE, transactions will continue to be processed securely through UAESWITCH, maintaining a high standard of reliability and performance.
Jaywan will introduce debit and prepaid co-badged cards for everyday transactions, salary disbursements, and secure cross-border payments. UAE financial institutions will begin issuing Jaywan co-badged cards from H2 of 2025.
Jaywan co-badge cards will provide international acceptance, and cardholders can use their cards abroad, ensuring that travel and cross-border payments remain seamless. These partnerships enhance Jaywan’s usability by extending its reach to international merchants, ATMs, and online payment platforms, allowing users to transact effortlessly both in the UAE and beyond.
Saif Al Dhaheri, chairman of Al Etihad Payments, said: “Jaywan is a key step toward strengthening the UAE’s financial infrastructure, offering a locally rooted payment solution that supports economic growth and digital transformation. We are leveraging advanced technology and strategic partnerships, and we are creating a secure, and efficient payment ecosystem that aligns with the nation’s vision for innovation and financial empowerment.”
Financial sovereignty doesn’t mean isolation
Jaywan has been developed to foster innovation in the UAE’s payment ecosystem, providing for UAE residents and businesses without relying on tech from abroad. Nonetheless, this does not mean that ignoring global trends and other networks across the globe is the best thing for the ecosystem.
Speaking to The Fintech Times, Jan Pilbauer, CEO of Al Etihad Payments said: “Financial sovereignty doesn’t mean isolation. It means building a strong domestic foundation while collaborating strategically where it benefits our users.
“We have enabled Google Pay and Samsung Pay integration for Jaywan with Apple Pay coming in the next few months, completing our coverage across major digital wallets. The new partnerships with international card schemes are not just technical integrations — they are strategic partnerships that help us accelerate the adoption and usability of Jaywan.”
Exploring the volume of international payments expected from these cardholders, Pilbauer added: “While international usage of debit cards is generally limited, as more banks issue these co-badged cards in the second half of the year, and international e-commerce enablement goes live, we expect to see an uptick in cross-border usage, particularly for travel, subscriptions, and business services.
“What we’re enabling with Jaywan this year goes beyond simply paying abroad – it’s about delivering a seamless experience and expanding where and how UAE residents can use their Jaywan cards in a way that’s fully integrated with both local and global systems.
“If you look at our roadmap, you’ll see that we’ve prioritised acceptance: from point-of-sale and ATMs in the UAE, to e-commerce platforms and digital wallets. The next phase is international enablement – including online commerce, where many cardholders already shop across borders.
“This is where our co-badging agreements with Discover, Mastercard, Visa and UnionPay come in. These partnerships are essential building blocks that allow a Jaywan card, issued in the UAE, to be recognised and accepted globally, whether for cross-border e-commerce or travel-related purchases. So yes, this is an important step in enabling international payment experiences, and on our own terms, aligned with the needs of UAE customers.”
This is only the beginning
Discussing the potential for more partnerships with country-specific card schemes, Pilbauer concluded: “We are actively exploring regional and strategic collaborations. The GCC, with its shared economic vision, presents natural alignment opportunities, and we’re actively enabling interoperability arrangements with other domestic schemes in the GCC region.
“India is a particularly relevant market given the size of the remittance corridor and trade ties. Partnerships with networks like RuPay will allow for mutual enablement, expanding choice for UAE residents while reinforcing financial connectivity between markets.
“At the core of it all is interoperability—we want Jaywan to serve UAE residents wherever they go, while preserving the benefits of a truly national payments infrastructure.”
Source: https://thefintechtimes.com/
