UAE residents can now use Jaywan to pay in 200 foreign countries with co-badge card
The UAE's Al Etihad Payments, which operates the national card switch (UAESWITCH) and the domestic card scheme Jaywan, has signed an agreement with Visa to introduce co-badged 'Jaywan - Visa' debit and prepaid cards in the country.
With both Jaywan and Visa logos on the cards, UAE customers will be able to pay in the UAE and at more than 150 million merchant partners across 200 countries and territories when travelling abroad or shopping online.
This will be the first co-badged Jaywan card in the UAE that customers can use for online payments and when travelling abroad.
As reported by Khaleej Times earlier, banks and other financial institutions will offer their customers a mono-badge card — Jaywan — for local usage as well as in the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries. Meanwhile, a co-badge card in partnership with international payment schemes such as Discover, Mastercard, Visa and UnionPay will be offered for payments in foreign countries.
Transactions in the UAE will be processed through the UAESWITCH while cross-border transactions outside the GCC area will be processed through Visa's global network 'VisaNet'.
Al Etihad Payments is a subsidiary of the Central Bank of UAE (CBUAE).
In February, the Central Bank revealed that financial infrastructure is ready to launch the country's first domestic card Jaywan locally and globally. The card will help individual customers and companies in reducing payment costs.
Saif Humaid Al Dhaheri, chairman of Al Etihad Payments, said the new cards in partnership with Visa will create a 'seamless, secure, and efficient card payment ecosystem'.
'Jaywan is a key step toward strengthening the UAE's financial infrastructure, offering a locally rooted payment solution that supports economic growth and digital transformation,' he said.
'With around 30 per cent of payments still made with cash, we look forward to implementing this agreement and continuing our collaboration with industry partners to extend the benefits of digital payments to more consumers and businesses, as well as the wider UAE economy,' said Dr Saeeda Jaffar, senior vice president and group country manager for the GCC at Visa.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Zawya
4 hours ago
- Zawya
Deloitte Middle East, AWS unveil $1bln expansion plans to boost digital transformation
Deloitte Middle East and Amazon Web Services (AWS) rolled out plans to deliver $1 billion worth of services by 2030, accelerating digital transformation across the Middle East, according to a press release. Both parties will inject investments to boost regional capabilities, support local cloud adoption, and unlock new growth opportunities across key sectors. This strategic alliance will focus on enabling enterprises to enhance their core operations, increase agility, and drive innovation through cloud-native technologies and an AI-first approach. On its part, Deloitte will grow its network of AWS-certified practitioners in the Middle East and invest in building dedicated Centers of Excellence to meet complex transformation needs. Rashid Bashir, Technology & Transformation Leader at Deloitte Middle East, said: 'This initiative is a major step forward in our mission to drive large-scale transformation for organizations across the region. By deepening our alliance with AWS, we are not only investing in advanced technologies but also in the talent and tools that local businesses need to thrive.' 'Together, we will help clients accelerate innovation, build resilience, and unlock long-term value through cloud and AI adoption at scale – starting right here in the Middle East,' Bashir added. Under the joint agreement, Deloitte and AWS will work closely with clients across key sectors, including banking, energy, public services, and healthcare, integrating Deloitte's industry insight with AWS's advanced capabilities. Main focus areas will include cloud strategy and architecture, application modernization, AI development and integration, cybersecurity, and governance. Tanuja Randery, Managing Director for Europe, Middle East & Africa at AWS, commented: "Customers can look forward to significantly accelerating the pace of their bold transformation projects by having a partner which will stay with them from inception to value realization." In January, Deloitte Middle East teamed up with Dynatrace to expand its cloud offering in response to increasing demand for accelerated digital transformation and enhanced business resilience. All Rights Reserved - Mubasher Info © 2005 - 2022 Provided by SyndiGate Media Inc. (
Gulf Today
12 hours ago
- Gulf Today
'Techno Meet' sheds light on role of technology in financial sector
Sajjad Ahmad, Deputy Business Editor The global remittance market has been growing steadily year on year by 5-6%, and breached the $900 billion mark last year, said Osama Al Rahma, Chairman of Foreign Exchange and Remittance Group (FERG). He said, "The UAE is the second largest country of remittances exports after the United States and its remittance sector is growing as the country is attracting new global talent and visitors." Speaking on the sidelines of 'Techno Meet' event, Al Rahma explained," The UAE remittances industry has shown remarkable growth in recent past and the sector is adopting latest technologies and introducing various solutions for its customers." About the event, he said," This event is a platform for the exchange houses to discuss the upgraded solutions and compliance in the light of the Central Bank of the UAE's digital transformation initiatives to enable them to align with the government strategy. The event also aims to create more awareness for financial inclusion." The Foreign Exchange and Remittance Group (FERG) successfully concluded the third edition of its flagship event, 'Techno Meet', held at the Shangri-La Hotel, Dubai. The day-long event created space for strategic dialogue on the intersection of technology, compliance, and financial operations, emphasising on the critical role of collaboration between exchange houses, banks, regulators, and fintechs in navigating the rapidly evolving digital economy. The event kick-started with a keynote address by Jan Pilbauer, CEO of Al Etihad Payments, who highlighted the transformative potential of digital innovation within the UAE's financial landscape. He outlined both the opportunities and responsibilities that come with accelerating digital transformation, emphasising the need for agile collaboration between institutions, regulators, and technology providers to build a future-ready financial ecosystem. Speaking about the event, Osama Al Rahma said, 'TECHNO MEET reflects FERG's ongoing commitment to advancing financial innovation, regulatory dialogue, and sector-wide collaboration. With every edition, we strengthen our collective capacity to adapt, innovate and grow. I would like to thank all the speakers, partners, and participants who have made this gathering a catalyst for progress.' The event featured panel discussions, technical presentations, networking sessions and live demonstrations, during which participants examined and discussed emerging solutions that are redefining cross-border payments, digital assets, and financial infrastructure. Senior executives and experts from organisations such as Al Etihad Payments, Al Ansari Exchange, Lulu Exchange, Al Fardan Exchange, Fils, McKinsey & Company, EY, Thought Box, Zigram, HODL Consulting, BitOasis, Encryptus and Abhi shared practical insights and case studies, reinforcing the importance of data-driven decision-making, agile innovation, and a compliance-first approach to transformation. Attendees further explored how technology can improve operational efficiency, strengthen governance, and drive customer-centric service models. The event concluded with an awards ceremony recognising key contributors, and a call to continue building bridges between tradition and technology through meaningful dialogue, policy alignment, and innovation partnerships. The Foreign Exchange and Remittance Group (FERG) is a non-profit organisation based on the initiative of the Central Bank of UAE. FERG comprises companies engaged in the business of money exchange and remittances, from large sized companies in the UAE with over 100 branches, to single-branch outlets to join a common platform and work towards mutual benefits. FERG, as an organisation through its members, not only complies with the UAE's financial regulations, but also plays a significant role in providing information to the entire industry and works closely with most of its members to ensure all requirements and implementation are being promoted. The Group has also taken up issues that have led to favourable policy amendments by the Central Bank of the UAE, promoted Emiratisation, and supported the implementation of the Wage Protection System. FERG regularly liaises with national police departments to combat dubious financial transactions and works with the Central Bank to implement strict AML policies.
Tahawul Tech
12 hours ago
- Tahawul Tech
Opinion: Telecom Operators need a talent strategy to develop solution visionaries
Ramzi Khoury, partner, Amar Akli and Omar Nowaihed, principals, with Strategy& Middle East, part of the PwC network, have co-authored an op-ed, which examines the steps and practices that telecommunications operators need to implement and adopt in order to capitalise on growth opportunities in the business-to-business market. GCC telecom operators can achieve significant growth in the business-to-business market. That business-to-business opportunity is appealing given the broader challenges facing telecom operators, such as the ongoing commoditization of their core services, intense competition, and rigid business models. To achieve this growth, telecom operators should collaborate with their business customers to deploy advanced digital solutions tailored to their industries and sectors. That means becoming trusted advisors, problem-solvers, and essential partners in their business customers' digital journeys. Telecom operators thereby can diversify revenues, protect earnings from connectivity, and become leaders in the region's information and communication technology industry. The market for advanced digital solutions, which combine technologies to transform businesses and deliver exceptional value, is substantial and growing fast. Mordor Intelligence estimates that this market will rise by 24.3% CAGR in the Middle East from 2025 to 2030, reaching $149 billion.[i] Combined with the demand created by artificial intelligence (AI) and the GCC governments' ambitious digital agendas, that presents an inviting opportunity for regional telecom operators. Better yet, GCC telecom operators are uniquely positioned to succeed. They have nationwide infrastructures, serve a broad base of mobile and fixed subscribers, possess unrivalled market knowledge, and have demonstrated a long-term commitment to localization and GCC countries' sovereignty priorities. To put these advantages to work, telecom operators should become solution visionaries. That means going beyond selling connectivity along with other discrete products and services. Instead, telecom operators should act as consultants, developing a deep understanding of their clients' aspirations, strategic goals, and pain points; and collaborating with them to formulate digital strategies. Telecom operators can assist their business clients to transform and modernize how they operate. A telecom operator could assist a port management company to devise a strategy that defines the purpose of port digitization, sets short- and long-term goals, and provides a comprehensive implementation plan. Part of being a solution visionary is creating comprehensive solutions that integrate multiple products and services. Telecom operators can play a vital role in the region's plans for advanced industrial projects. A telecom operator working with a manufacturer could enable the design of a smart factory. This concept would integrate connectivity, cloud computing, data centers, cybersecurity, internet of things (network of connected devices) sensors, industrial platforms, robotic process automation tools, business process automation tools, and system integration. Solution visionaries illustrate and visualize solutions, enabling clients to experience the outcomes, understand value created, and fine tune design. For instance, a telecom operator might simulate an AI-enabled healthcare system to help a government health provider or authority visualize experiences and outcomes for patients, providers and the community. Being a solution visionary means cultivating long-term relationships with clients. Telecom operators could thereby identify strategic opportunities and find ways to unlock value creation, such as through public-private partnerships. A telecom operator might envision, and propose, an overarching digital value proposition for a major exposition. That could include digital twins (such as virtual representations of the exhibitions), connectivity, ticketing systems, and the other elements needed to stage a successful event. Such relationships are about building innovative business models. Telecom operators could offer clients such options as joint ventures and build-operate-transfer agreements, thereby participating in clients' ventures and lowering clients' capital investment costs. A telecom operator might, for example, provide smart signage and parking solutions to a stadium operator in return for a share of the resulting revenues. While telecom operators already possess some necessary advantages for success in advanced digital solutions, they may need to develop the capabilities of solution visionaries, and the internal structure to support them. First, telecom operators should build their product and service portfolios to offer comprehensive digital solutions. For instance, a solution visionary to the logistics industry may require partnering with, or acquiring, other companies so the telecom operator has more offerings in tracking and monitoring, warehouse automation, and smart logistics. Second, telecom operators should create a dedicated, highly entrepreneurial unit. There should be incentive and performance management systems for the staff to be solution visionaries. The telecom operator should empower the unit's leaders to make fast decisions. The unit's structure should support a multi-sector focus emphasizing emerging technologies and a team-based format for selling. As its capabilities mature, all sales teams can adopt a solution visionaries approach, while the unit remains a center of excellence. Third, telecom operators need a talent strategy to develop solution visionaries. That means hiring, developing, and retaining people possessing a strong understanding of technology and business. These people should be capable of a consultative approach to identify opportunities, conceptualize complex solutions, and drive them to the proposal stage. Handling such opportunities typically requires combined expertise of sector and technology experts, business analysts, solution architects, and deal structuring experts. Advanced digital solutions are the next frontier for GCC telecom operators, an opportunity to create uniquely valuable partnerships with their business customers.
