As ride-hailing platforms face pressures
Mastercard has expanded its payments partnership with Uber in a move aimed at enhancing digital financial services for drivers, couriers, and consumers using the platform.
The new phase of cooperation will see Uber integrate a wider set of Mastercard’s technologies, with a focus on real-time payments, simplified digital credentials, and fraud prevention tools.
The companies announced that Uber will adopt Mastercard Move to enable immediate payouts to drivers and couriers, allowing them to access their earnings at the end of each trip or delivery.
This service is already being used in the United States and Canada through the Uber Pro Card, which will now be extended to new markets, including the United Kingdom.
Mastercard will also provide backend infrastructure through its Gateway services, which will facilitate digital collections and increase transaction security. For gig workers operating in markets with slower banking systems or limited access to traditional financial services, such tools are expected to play a key role.
The partnership is likely to draw attention across regions such as the Middle East and Africa, where demand for digital wallets and mobile-first financial services is surging. Uber maintains an active presence in several key Middle Eastern cities, including Dubai, Cairo, and Riyadh, where driver liquidity has been a recurring issue amid rising operational costs.
The Uber Pro Card enables drivers and couriers to receive no-fee payments instantly and offers cashback rewards, primarily on fuel purchases. The card also now integrates Mastercard One Credential, a digital payment identity solution designed to provide greater flexibility and control for workers managing irregular incomes.
Uber says the card aims to provide more stable financial tools to its global network of drivers, who often face inconsistent earnings and limited access to financial products.
Uber’s broader customer base will also gain access to Mastercard Offers, a platform that provides cardholders with exclusive promotions when using Uber’s services. The move supports Mastercard’s ongoing efforts to increase cardholder engagement across mobility and delivery platforms.
Mastercard Gateway, a digital processing and anti-fraud solution, will be utilised to support Uber’s increasing volume of online payments. The platform enables companies to securely and efficiently accept multiple digital payment methods. In the Middle East and Africa, where e-commerce and digital services are rapidly expanding, such tools have become increasingly crucial.
While Uber and Mastercard did not provide a timeline for regional rollouts beyond the UK, the partnership’s global framework suggests possible adoption in major urban centres in the UAE, Saudi Arabia, South Africa and Egypt — markets where Uber continues to expand amid competition from local and regional ride-hailing apps.
The announcement comes as governments in several countries are pressing global platforms to improve conditions for gig workers, including faster access to pay, better financial tools, and more transparency around earnings.
While the companies emphasised the scale of the partnership — connecting more than 3.5 billion cards to Uber’s 170 million users — the move also reflects rising regulatory and social pressure on tech firms to provide improved financial support for platform-based labour.
Uber has not confirmed whether the Uber Pro Card will be rolled out in Middle Eastern or African markets. However, analysts say the rising popularity of real-time payment solutions in the region, particularly in the UAE and Saudi Arabia, makes further expansion likely.
Both firms stated that the expanded collaboration will support future growth by enhancing trust, speed, and flexibility in digital transactions. In a region where digital transformation is progressing rapidly and labour markets are increasingly shaped by gig work, the development will be closely monitored by regulators and competing platforms alike.
Image: The Uber Pro Card enables drivers and couriers to receive no-fee payments instantly, offering cashback rewards primarily on fuel purchases. Credit: Aleksandr Sochnev
