Photo Credit : WAM
Al Etihad Payments (AEP), a wholly owned subsidiary of the Central Bank of the UAE (CBUAE), has partnered with Mastercard to launch the world’s first Jaywan-Mastercard co-badged credit card, marking a major step in strengthening the UAE’s digital payments ecosystem.
The strategic collaboration will also see the development of advanced payment switching and transaction processing infrastructure, alongside the establishment of a new Mastercard operations centre in the UAE. The facility will become part of Mastercard’s global network, supporting local and regional markets with advanced payment services.
The launch enables Jaywan co-badged credit cards to be accepted worldwide while enhancing the UAE’s position as a leading international financial hub. A new Mastercard network node in the UAE will process both domestic and international payment transactions, making the country one of the first to benefit from Mastercard’s latest payment technologies and services.
The partnership aligns with Al Etihad Payments’ mission to bring together banks, fintech companies, merchants and global technology providers to modernise the nation’s payment infrastructure. It is expected to expand payment choices, encourage local innovation and improve the resilience of the financial ecosystem while supporting the UAE’s rapidly growing digital economy.
Under the agreement, Mastercard will serve as the primary international payment network for the Jaywan credit card programme. The new cards are designed to provide secure, seamless and convenient payment experiences while offering banks, fintechs and merchants greater flexibility to deliver enhanced services to customers.
Mastercard will also deploy next-generation payment infrastructure to support Jaywan debit, prepaid and co-badged credit cards. The platform will include advanced switching and processing capabilities, as well as value-added services such as cybersecurity, fraud prevention and threat intelligence.
Saif Humaid Al Dhaheri, Assistant Governor for Banking Operations and Support Services at the Central Bank of the UAE and Chairman of Al Etihad Payments, said the collaboration represents a significant milestone for the country’s payments ecosystem by combining national infrastructure with global innovation to strengthen resilience, consumer choice and financial sovereignty.
Dr. Dimitrios Dosis, President of Eastern Europe, Middle East and Africa (EEMEA) at Mastercard, said the partnership coincides with Mastercard’s 40th anniversary in the UAE and reflects a shared commitment to supporting growth in trade, tourism and commerce through trusted technology and globally connected payment solutions.
Both organisations said they will continue exploring new payment solutions that support the UAE’s digital transformation agenda, broaden consumer payment options and strengthen the country’s future-ready domestic payments ecosystem.
