Al Etihad Payments (AEP), a wholly-owned subsidiary of the 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 switching and processing card payment transactions, and the establishment of a new operations center in the UAE.
The center will become part of Mastercard’s global network, delivering advanced card payment services to customers across the UAE and the wider region.
The announcement marks a significant milestone in the UAE’s evolving payments landscape, enabling the global issuance and acceptance of Jaywan–Mastercard co-badged credit cards. It also strengthens the UAE’s position as an international financial hub through the establishment of a new Mastercard network node in the country, designed to process both domestic and international payment transactions.
Moreover, the UAE will be among the earliest countries to benefit from Mastercard’s advanced technology and services.
This strategic partnership supports Al Etihad Payments’ role in bringing together banks, fintechs, merchants and global technology partners to modernize the UAE’s payment infrastructure. Together, Al Etihad Payments 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. Drawing on proven global experiences, the UAE highlights how a holistic, locally anchored approach can strengthen national payment goals and foster innovation.
Dimitrios Dosis President – Mastercard EEMEA
“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.”
Humaid Al Dhaheri, the CBUAE’s Assistant Governor for Banking Operations and Support Services, and Chairman of Al Etihad Payments, said that, “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.”
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, as per the statement.
