The UAE’s homegrown payment card network Jaywan is set to gain a major international boost after Al Etihad Payments signed a new agreement with UnionPay International. The partnership will allow Jaywan cardholders to use mono-badged Jaywan cards across more than 183 countries and regions, significantly expanding the reach of the UAE’s national payment scheme.
Under the arrangement, Jaywan cards will be accepted at more than 100 million points of sale and 1.8 million ATMs worldwide through UnionPay’s global network. The agreement marks an important step in the UAE’s efforts to build a stronger domestic payments ecosystem while giving consumers greater flexibility when travelling abroad.
Jaywan was launched as the UAE’s first national domestic card scheme. It is operated by Al Etihad Payments, a subsidiary of the Central Bank of the UAE. The national scheme officially began its nationwide rollout in July, with banks, licensed financial institutions and exchange houses starting to issue cards.
With UnionPay’s international infrastructure supporting overseas payments, cardholders will be able to use the UAE payment brand in a much wider range of markets. Transactions made outside the UAE will be routed through UnionPay to the UAE National Switch, which is operated by Al Etihad Payments. This arrangement keeps the UAE’s domestic payment infrastructure connected to the global network while supporting international acceptance.
Saif Humaid Al Dhaheri, Chairman of Al Etihad Payments said that the signing of this MoU represents an important step in supporting the global expansion of the "Jaywan" scheme and enhancing the efficiency of cross-border payments.
"Building on the MoU on cross-border payments signed by the two central banks in 2025, these agreements will strengthen the global competitiveness and operational resilience of the UAE's domestic payment brand. Furthermore, this partnership will significantly improve local currency settlement efficiency and support bilateral trade ties," he said.
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For the UAE, this could strengthen the position of its domestic payment network while reducing the gap between a national card scheme and established global payment infrastructure.
The development also comes as more UAE banks and financial institutions prepare to issue Jaywan cards. Eleven institutions had completed preparations by late July, with additional banks, exchange houses and fintech companies expected to join the network in phases.
The signing ceremony took place at UnionPay International’s headquarters in Shanghai, where Saif Humaid Al Dhaheri and Dong Junfeng, Chairman of China UnionPay and UnionPay International, signed the MoU.