Will Co-Badged Credit Card Launch In The UAE Redefine Global Digital Payments?

Al Etihad Payments partners with Mastercard to launch the world's first Jaywan co-badged credit card, expanding global merchant acceptance while reinforcing UAE payment infrastructure

Al Etihad Payments, a subsidiary of the Central Bank of the UAE, has joined forces with Mastercard to roll out a historic co-badged Credit Card program. The creation of the first "Jaywan–MasterCard" credit product combines the country's national payment scheme with an established global network. This milestone allows consumers to complete domestic and international payments seamlessly while ensuring local processing power remains backed by world-class financial technology.

Key Technical Innovations and System Upgrades

Under the strategic collaboration, Mastercard is establishing a new operations center within the UAE. The shared switching platform provides financial institutions and merchants with greater operational flexibility while elevating transactional security standards across the region.

Core capabilities driven by the partnership include:

• Global Acceptance: Expanding domestic Jaywan credit lines across millions of global merchants.

• Next-Gen Cyber Defenses: Integrating advanced fraud prevention and cybersecurity systems into daily transaction flows.

• Local Operations Node: Building dedicated processing infrastructure to route domestic payments through local networks while staying globally connected.

Executive Statements on Strategic Resilience

Financial leaders view the co-badging deal as an essential move toward national data sovereignty and long-term economic growth.

"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," - H.E. Saif Humaid Al Dhaheri, Chairman of Al Etihad Payments.

The arrangement ensures banks and fintechs can quickly launch modern payment solutions.

Supporting Regional Commerce and Tourism

Unifying a domestic card scheme with a multinational payment processor increases financial inclusion, and it also brings down transaction costs for merchants. The new system is multifaceted, being capable of handling digital wallets, online commerce, and physical point-of-sale terminals. By giving consumers unified payment access across borders, the initiative actively supports trade and tourism expansion across the Middle East.

Transforming Future Market Dynamics

Combining regional card schemes with international payment rails establishes a flexible template for emerging markets seeking payment independence. As local issuers roll out these products, businesses gain access to more competitive processing fees and broader digital capabilities. CIO Bulletin views this development as a decisive step toward modernizing sovereignty and connectivity across the global payments ecosystem.