UAE cardholders will soon be able to use Jaywan mono-badged cards at more than 100 million points of sale and 1.8 million ATMs across more than 183 countries and regions under a new agreement between Al Etihad Payments and UnionPay International.
Abu Dhabi, UAE — August 12, 2026: Al Etihad Payments (AEP), the owner and operator of the UAE’s national payment switch and Jaywan domestic card scheme, has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with UnionPay International to facilitate the global acceptance of Jaywan mono-badged cards through the UnionPay network.
The agreement, signed on August 11 at UnionPay International’s headquarters in Shanghai, marks a significant step in expanding the international use of the UAE’s domestic payment scheme and enhancing the efficiency of cross-border payments.
Under the agreement, Jaywan cardholders will be able to use mono-badged Jaywan cards at more than 100 million points of sale and 1.8 million ATMs across more than 183 countries and regions.
UnionPay International will route Jaywan card transactions conducted outside the UAE to the UAE National Switch operated by Al Etihad Payments. This arrangement is expected to support the international expansion of the Jaywan scheme while providing cardholders with greater flexibility when making payments and withdrawing cash overseas.
Settlement arrangements will be governed under a separate MoU covering settlement, liquidity and foreign exchange services. The framework is intended to support efficient cross-border settlement and strengthen the operational capabilities of the Jaywan scheme as it expands internationally.
The MoU was signed by Saif Humaid Al Dhaheri, Chairman of the Board of Directors of Al Etihad Payments, and Dong Junfeng, Chairman of the Board of Directors of China UnionPay and UnionPay International.
Al Dhaheri said the agreement represents an important step in supporting the global expansion of Jaywan and improving the efficiency of cross-border payments.
He added that the partnership will expand opportunities for the international use of Jaywan cards, supporting trade, tourism and economic cooperation while strengthening the scheme’s position among global payment networks.
Junfeng said the partnership reflects growing demand for seamless cross-border payment services between China and the UAE, particularly in trade and tourism.
He noted that the new agreements build on the Memorandum of Understanding on cross-border payments signed by the two countries’ central banks in 2025. The partnership is expected to enhance the global competitiveness and operational resilience of the UAE’s domestic payment brand while improving local-currency settlement efficiency and supporting bilateral trade.
The latest agreement builds on an existing partnership between Al Etihad Payments and UnionPay for the issuance of co-badged Jaywan–UnionPay cards by financial institutions in the UAE.
Under the existing arrangement, domestic transactions are processed through the Jaywan scheme, while international transactions are processed through the UnionPay International network.
The new agreement will enable mono-badged Jaywan cards to access the UnionPay acceptance network internationally, representing a further step in the UAE’s efforts to develop a globally connected domestic payments ecosystem.
