What Is Jaywan? A Merchant Guide to the UAE’s National Card Scheme
Jaywan brings a new local option to card payments in the UAE. Learn how it works, where customers can use it, and what its rollout could mean for your business.
Jaywan is the UAE’s domestic card scheme, operated by Al Etihad Payments, a subsidiary of the Central Bank of the UAE. Nationwide issuance of Jaywan cards began on July 20, 2026. As banks and financial institutions issue the cards, businesses have a new local payment option to offer their customers.
Tap Payments now enables merchants in the UAE to accept Jaywan, building on our support for local payment methods across the region. Here’s how the scheme works, what it means for your business, and how to get started with Tap.
What Is Jaywan?
Jaywan means “precious pearl” in Emirati Arabic, a nod to the pearls that once connected the UAE to global trade.
Today, it is the name of the UAE’s national card payment scheme, owned and operated by Al Etihad Payments, a subsidiary of the Central Bank of the UAE. When a customer pays with Jaywan in the UAE, UAESWITCH connects the merchant’s payment provider with the bank or financial institution that issued the card. This keeps the transaction within UAE payment infrastructure rather than routing it through an international card network.
Jaywan are already being issued for payments in stores and online, contactless purchases and ATM withdrawals. Digital wallet support is available for some cards and depends on the issuer and wallet.
Al Etihad Payments has signed co-badging agreements with Mastercard, Visa, Discover, and UnionPay to support Jaywan’s international acceptance. Availability of these cards and other co-badged products depends on the issuing financial institution.
Why the UAE Introduced Jaywan
Jaywan forms part of the Central Bank of the UAE’s Financial Infrastructure Transformation Programme. Designed specifically for the UAE, the national card scheme strengthens the country’s payment infrastructure and supports secure and convenient digital payments tailored to local needs.
For businesses, it marks a further development in the local payment options available to UAE customers.
How Merchants Can Start Accepting Jaywan With Tap
Jaywan will be enabled automatically for Tap Payments merchants in the UAE as part of the mandatory national rollout. Existing pricing, fee structures and settlement terms will remain unchanged.
For merchants using Tap Payments’ APIs, Card SDK or Checkout SDK, no integration changes are needed. Those using Tap Payments’ Apple Pay SDK directly will need to update to the latest version, available now, to accept Jaywan cards through Apple Pay.
Check our Jaywan integration guide and Apple Pay Web SDK integration for more details.
How Jaywan Fits Into the UAE’s Wider Payment Strategy
The program connects several national initiatives.
What Jaywan Means for UAE Businesses
For businesses, Jaywan adds a local card payment option built around the UAE market. Its value comes from the customers it can help you serve and the domestic infrastructure behind each payment.
Another way for customers to pay
As Jaywan cards reach customers across the UAE, accepting them gives cardholders another way to pay your business. Jaywan prepaid cards also make card payments accessible to people without a bank account.
Payments supported by UAE infrastructure
Domestic Jaywan transactions use UAESWITCH, with payment data processed and stored in the UAE. This gives businesses a national card payment option alongside the international payment methods they already accept.
How Jaywan Works for Customers and Merchants
Jaywan follows a simple model. In the UAE, payments use the local Jaywan route. Abroad, an international partner network handles the transaction when the card supports overseas use.
At a UAE checkout, customers can use Jaywan in stores, online, through contactless payments, and with supported digital wallets. Jaywan also works alongside international card networks. Co-badged cards carry both Jaywan and an international network brand, allowing overseas payments where supported by the issuer and partner network. International availability depends on the card.
Accept Jaywan With Tap Payments
Tap Payments now enables merchants in the UAE to accept Jaywan. It joins our regional offering of local payment methods, including mada in Saudi Arabia, KNET in Kuwait, NAPS in Qatar, Benefit in Bahrain, and Omannet in Oman.
For businesses serving customers across the region, local payment coverage matters in every market. Adding Jaywan gives UAE merchants another way to serve their customers through Tap.
Speak to the Tap Payments team about accepting Jaywan for your business.
Merchant Questions
- Is Jaywan a card or a payment scheme?
Jaywan is a national card payment scheme. Banks, licensed financial institutions, and exchange houses use the scheme to issue Jaywan branded cards. The card is what the customer carries, while the scheme provides the rules and infrastructure that support the transaction.
- Can I accept Jaywan online with Tap Payments?
Yes. Jaywan supports eCommerce payments and will be enabled automatically for Tap Payments merchants in the UAE. Integration requirements differ as follows:
- If you use our APIs, Card SDK or Checkout SDK, no action is required.
- If you use our Apple Pay SDK directly, you need to update your integration to the latest version to accept Jaywan cards through Apple Pay. The update is available now.
- Does Jaywan replace international card networks?
No. Jaywan provides a national payment scheme for domestic card transactions in the UAE while continuing to work alongside international card networks. Under domestic routing requirements, eligible Jaywan transactions processed locally in the UAE must go through Jaywan rather than an international card network. Co-badged cards can also use their partner networks for international transactions.
- Can Jaywan cards be used internationally?
Co-badged Jaywan cards with international schemes like Visa or Mastercard support international use, while mono-badged cards are issued for domestic use only. Acceptance depends on the issuer, card product and networks enabled for that card. Cardholders should check their issuer’s current terms before using it overseas or on an international website.
- Is Jaywan the same as Aani?
No. Jaywan is a card payment scheme. Aani is an instant payment platform that lets customers send money between participating accounts using details such as a mobile number, email address, or QR code. Both are part of the UAE’s wider financial infrastructure strategy.
