UAE’s Jaywan Cards Set for International Use Across 183 Countries Through UnionPay Partnership
By Thasmiya
The UAE’s homegrown payment card, **Jaywan**, is moving beyond domestic payments, with co-badged cards set to work internationally through a partnership between Al Etihad Payments and UnionPay International.
The arrangement means eligible **Jaywan–UnionPay cards** can use Jaywan’s domestic payment infrastructure inside the UAE while relying on UnionPay’s international network when cardholders travel or make eligible overseas transactions.
The development is an important step for Jaywan as the UAE builds a nationally operated payments ecosystem while ensuring customers can continue using their cards internationally. ([Al Etihad Payments](https://aep.ae/en/news-media/press-releasesarticles/al-etihad-payments-enters-co-badging-agreements-on-card-schemes/?utm_source=chatgpt.com))
## **What is the Jaywan–UnionPay partnership?**
Al Etihad Payments, a wholly owned subsidiary of the Central Bank of the UAE, signed a strategic agreement with UnionPay International to introduce **co-badged Jaywan–UnionPay cards**.
These cards carry both the Jaywan and UnionPay identities.
Within the UAE, transactions are routed through the domestic Jaywan infrastructure and UAESWITCH. When customers use eligible co-badged cards internationally, transactions can be handled through UnionPay’s global acceptance network. ([Al Etihad Payments](https://aep.ae/en/news-media/press-releasesarticles/al-etihad-payments-enters-co-badging-agreements-on-card-schemes/?utm_source=chatgpt.com))
## **Can you use a Jaywan card outside the UAE?**
The important distinction is whether the card is domestic-only or co-badged with an international payment network.
A **Jaywan–UnionPay co-badged card** is designed for both domestic and international use.
UnionPay says its international payment network has acceptance across **183 countries and regions**, giving co-badged Jaywan cardholders significantly broader overseas usability.
The original partnership announcement described UnionPay’s reach as spanning more than 180 countries and regions. ([Al Etihad Payments](https://aep.ae/en/news-media/press-releasesarticles/finextra-al-etihad-payments-and-unionpay-international-to-issue-co-badged-cards-in-the-uae/?utm_source=chatgpt.com))
## **How will Jaywan work inside the UAE?**
When a co-badged card is used domestically, payments can be processed through the UAE’s own infrastructure.
Jaywan is operated by Al Etihad Payments, which also operates **UAESWITCH**, the UAE’s national card switch.
Keeping domestic transactions on the national network is intended to improve payment efficiency, strengthen local infrastructure and reduce dependence on international networks for transactions taking place entirely within the UAE. ([Al Etihad Payments](https://aep.ae/en/news-media/press-releasesarticles/al-etihad-payments-enters-co-badging-agreements-on-card-schemes/?utm_source=chatgpt.com))
## **What happens when you travel?**
Outside the UAE, the international payment network attached to the card becomes particularly important.
For a Jaywan–UnionPay card, UnionPay provides the international acceptance layer.
This means eligible cardholders can potentially use their cards at supported:
- Point-of-sale terminals - Retail stores - Restaurants and hotels - ATMs - Online merchants - Travel and tourism businesses
Actual acceptance will still depend on whether the particular merchant, ATM or online platform supports UnionPay.
## **Does every Jaywan card work internationally?**
No.
This is an important distinction for UAE consumers.
Jaywan has both domestic and internationally co-badged models. A card carrying only the Jaywan payment scheme should not automatically be assumed to work everywhere overseas.
The internationally enabled versions combine Jaywan with networks such as:
- UnionPay - Visa - Mastercard - Discover
Al Etihad Payments has entered co-badging agreements with these international payment networks specifically to expand Jaywan’s usability outside the UAE. ([Al Etihad Payments](https://aep.ae/en/news-media/press-releasesarticles/al-etihad-payments-enters-co-badging-agreements-on-card-schemes/?utm_source=chatgpt.com))
Before travelling, customers should therefore check the logos printed on their card and confirm international usage with their issuing bank.
## **Jaywan also has Visa and Mastercard partnerships**
UnionPay is not Jaywan’s only international partner.
Al Etihad Payments has also entered agreements with Visa, Mastercard and Discover.
The Jaywan–Visa partnership, for example, is designed to give eligible cardholders access to Visa’s network of more than **150 million merchant locations across over 200 countries and territories**. ([WAM](https://www.wam.ae/en/article/15gjm1y-etihad-payments-visa-announce-jaywan--visa?utm_source=chatgpt.com))
A separate collaboration with Mastercard supports Jaywan–Mastercard products and international transactions through Mastercard’s network. ([WAM](https://www.wam.ae/en/article/bin8fs2-etihad-payments-mastercard-collaborate-launch?utm_source=chatgpt.com))
This means international acceptance may differ depending on which co-badged Jaywan card a customer receives.
## **UAE banks have started preparing Jaywan cards**
Jaywan’s rollout accelerated significantly in 2026.
By July, **11 financial institutions** had completed preparations to issue Jaywan cards.
They included:
- First Abu Dhabi Bank - Abu Dhabi Commercial Bank - Sharjah Islamic Bank - Emirates NBD - Bank of Baroda - Commercial Bank of Dubai - Emirates Islamic - Mbank - Citi - Al Ansari Exchange - Botim Money
Other banks, exchange houses and fintech companies are expected to join the system in phases. ([WAM](https://www.wam.ae/en/article/c1d74o1-financial-institutions-ready-issue-jaywan-cards?utm_source=chatgpt.com))
## **What types of Jaywan cards are available?**
Jaywan was initially developed around **debit and prepaid cards**, allowing consumers to make everyday payments through the UAE’s domestic card network.
Its capabilities are now expanding.
In July 2026, Al Etihad Payments and Mastercard announced the launch of the first **Jaywan–Mastercard co-badged credit card**, extending the national scheme beyond debit and prepaid products. ([Mastercard](https://www.mastercard.com/news/eemea/en/newsroom/press-releases/en/2026/july/in-a-global-first-of-its-kind-issuance-al-etihad-payments-and-mastercard-announce-the-first-co-badged-credit-card-in-the-uae/?utm_source=chatgpt.com))
The broader rollout means UAE consumers are likely to encounter Jaywan across more bank accounts and card products over time.
## **Jaywan is also expanding online**
Jaywan is no longer limited to physical card terminals.
Network International recently enabled Jaywan acceptance across its UAE e-commerce payment gateway, allowing cardholders to make purchases across thousands of online merchants using the domestic scheme. ([WAM](https://www.wam.ae/en/article/c1betxn-network-international-rolls-out-uae%E2%80%99s-jaywan-card?utm_source=chatgpt.com))
This is particularly important because a modern national payment system needs to work across:
- Physical shops - E-commerce - Mobile payments - ATMs - International transactions
The expansion into online payments therefore represents another major stage in Jaywan’s rollout.
## **Where can Jaywan already be used in the UAE?**
Acceptance is expanding across major UAE businesses.
Majid Al Futtaim announced Jaywan acceptance across more than **200 destinations in the UAE**, including its retail, leisure, hotel and entertainment operations. ([Majid Al Futtaim](https://www.majidalfuttaim.com/en/media-centre/press-releases/detail/2026/07/majid-al-futtaim-among-the-first-companies-to-enable-jaywan-acceptance--enhancing-payment-convenience-for-over-200-destinations-in-the-uae?utm_source=chatgpt.com))
As banks issue more cards and merchants update their payment systems, domestic acceptance is expected to become increasingly widespread.
## **Why did the UAE create Jaywan?**
Jaywan is the UAE’s **Domestic Card Scheme**.
It was developed to create a nationally owned payment infrastructure capable of processing everyday card transactions within the country.
The system is intended to:
- Strengthen the UAE’s financial infrastructure - Improve payment efficiency - Support digital transformation - Encourage competition and innovation - Develop greater domestic payment sovereignty - Provide consumers and businesses with additional payment choices
Instead of relying exclusively on international card schemes for domestic transactions, Jaywan gives the UAE its own national payment network. ([WAM](https://www.wam.ae/en/article/c1betxn-network-international-rolls-out-uae%E2%80%99s-jaywan-card?utm_source=chatgpt.com))
## **Will Jaywan replace Visa or Mastercard?**
Not necessarily.
The co-badging strategy actually shows that Jaywan is designed to work alongside major international networks.
A co-badged card can use **Jaywan domestically** and an international network such as UnionPay, Visa or Mastercard when required overseas.
This approach gives the UAE greater control over domestic payment processing without removing the international acceptance customers expect when travelling.
## **What should you check before travelling with a Jaywan card?**
Do not assume that every Jaywan card has identical international capabilities.
Before leaving the UAE, check:
- Whether the card is co-badged - Which international network appears on the card - Whether overseas transactions are enabled - International transaction fees - Foreign exchange charges - ATM withdrawal fees - Daily spending and withdrawal limits - Whether your destination widely accepts the partner network
It may also be sensible to carry an alternative payment method when travelling, particularly to destinations where acceptance of your card’s international partner network is limited.
## **What about online international purchases?**
A co-badged Jaywan card may also support international e-commerce transactions through its partner payment network, depending on the issuing bank and card configuration.
Customers should check whether international and online payments have been activated through their bank’s mobile application.
Banks may also provide controls that allow customers to enable or disable:
- Online purchases - International transactions - Contactless payments - ATM withdrawals
Security settings will vary between issuers.
## **What does this mean for UAE residents?**
For everyday users, the biggest advantage is that Jaywan does not have to mean giving up international card functionality.
A UAE-issued card can process domestic purchases through the national system while still connecting to a major international network when the customer travels.
That could make Jaywan increasingly practical as banks begin incorporating it into ordinary current accounts, salary accounts, prepaid products and credit cards.
## **Why this matters**
Jaywan is moving from being a new domestic payment concept into a functioning part of everyday banking in the UAE.
International partnerships are particularly important because one of the biggest questions surrounding any domestic card scheme is what happens when its users leave the country.
Co-badging provides the answer.
Through partnerships with UnionPay and other international payment networks, the UAE can maintain its own domestic card infrastructure while giving eligible customers access to merchants and payment systems around the world.
For UAE residents, the key detail is simple: **check which version of Jaywan your bank issues**. A co-badged Jaywan–UnionPay card is designed for international use through UnionPay’s global network, while the capabilities of a domestic-only Jaywan card will be different.
## **FAQs**
### **Can Jaywan cards now be used in 183 countries?**
Eligible **Jaywan–UnionPay co-badged cards** can access UnionPay’s international acceptance network, which UnionPay reports extends across 183 countries and regions. The original partnership announcement described the network as covering more than 180 countries and regions. ([Al Etihad Payments](https://aep.ae/en/news-media/press-releasesarticles/finextra-al-etihad-payments-and-unionpay-international-to-issue-co-badged-cards-in-the-uae/?utm_source=chatgpt.com))
### **Will every Jaywan card work abroad?**
No. International functionality depends on whether the card is co-badged with an international network such as UnionPay, Visa, Mastercard or Discover.
### **How does a Jaywan–UnionPay card work?**
Inside the UAE, domestic transactions are processed through Jaywan’s infrastructure. International transactions can use UnionPay’s global network. ([Al Etihad Payments](https://aep.ae/en/news-media/press-releasesarticles/finextra-al-etihad-payments-and-unionpay-international-to-issue-co-badged-cards-in-the-uae/?utm_source=chatgpt.com))
### **Who operates Jaywan?**
Jaywan is operated by **Al Etihad Payments**, a wholly owned subsidiary of the Central Bank of the UAE. ([WAM](https://www.wam.ae/en/article/c1betxn-network-international-rolls-out-uae%E2%80%99s-jaywan-card?utm_source=chatgpt.com))
### **Which UAE banks are issuing Jaywan cards?**
Eleven financial institutions had completed preparations by July 2026, including FAB, ADCB, Emirates NBD, Emirates Islamic, CBD, SIB and several other banks and financial-service providers. ([WAM](https://www.wam.ae/en/article/c1d74o1-financial-institutions-ready-issue-jaywan-cards?utm_source=chatgpt.com))
### **Can Jaywan be used for online shopping?**
Yes. Domestic online acceptance is expanding, including through Network International’s e-commerce merchant network. International online usage depends on the card’s co-badged network and issuing bank settings. ([WAM](https://www.wam.ae/en/article/c1betxn-network-international-rolls-out-uae%E2%80%99s-jaywan-card?utm_source=chatgpt.com))
### **Will Jaywan replace my Visa or Mastercard?**
Not necessarily. Jaywan’s co-badging model is specifically designed to combine domestic Jaywan processing with international networks such as Visa, Mastercard and UnionPay.
### **Do I need to apply for a Jaywan card?**
Availability and issuance depend on your bank or financial institution. Customers should check directly with their provider to determine whether Jaywan is available for their account.
## **Source Credits**
Information source and resource owners: Al Etihad Payments, Central Bank of the UAE, UnionPay International, Emirates News Agency (WAM), Network International, Mastercard, Visa and participating UAE financial institutions.
## **Image Credits**
Image sources are combined from AI-generated visuals and other platforms. If any owner wants to be mentioned or any content needs to be changed, please email us at **concerns@whatmatters.ae**.