Al Etihad Payments, the operator of the UAE’s national card switch (UAESWITCH) and the domestic card scheme Jaywan, has entered into a partnership with Visa to introduce co-badged ‘Jaywan – Visa’ debit and prepaid cards. The new cards, featuring both Jaywan and Visa logos, will allow UAE customers to make payments locally and internationally.
The co-badged cards will be accepted at over 150 million merchant partners across 200 countries and territories, making them ideal for both domestic use and international travel. Customers will be able to use the cards for online shopping and international purchases, marking the first time the Jaywan card can be used globally for cross-border transactions.
Previously, banks and financial institutions in the UAE were set to offer a mono-badge Jaywan card for local transactions and use within the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries. However, with this new co-badged partnership with global payment systems like Visa, customers can now seamlessly use their cards outside the UAE.
Transactions within the UAE will be processed via the UAESWITCH system, while cross-border transactions outside the GCC will be handled through Visa’s global payment network, VisaNet.
Al Etihad Payments, a subsidiary of the Central Bank of the UAE (CBUAE), has been working to enhance the country’s financial infrastructure, with the Jaywan card being a key initiative. In February, the Central Bank of the UAE announced that the necessary infrastructure was in place to launch the Jaywan card both locally and internationally.
Saif Humaid Al Dhaheri, Chairman of Al Etihad Payments, emphasized that the collaboration with Visa would create a “seamless, secure, and efficient card payment ecosystem.” He added that Jaywan is a crucial step towards strengthening the UAE’s financial infrastructure, promoting economic growth, and supporting digital transformation.
Dr. Saeeda Jaffar, Senior Vice President and Group Country Manager for the GCC at Visa, also expressed her enthusiasm for the partnership. “With around 30% of payments still being made in cash, we are excited to extend the benefits of digital payments to a wider range of consumers and businesses in the UAE, contributing to the country’s digital economy,” she said.
This new co-badged card marks a significant milestone in the UAE’s push for more robust digital payment solutions, benefiting both individual customers and businesses by offering a locally rooted payment option that facilitates both domestic and international transactions.
