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Etihad Payments, the owner and operator of the UAE’s National Payment Systems and the national Jaywan card scheme, has signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with UnionPay International to expand the global acceptance of Jaywan single-scheme cards through the UnionPay network.
The agreement will allow Jaywan cardholders to use their cards at more than 100 million points of sale and 1.8 million ATMs across more than 183 countries.
The MoU was signed at UnionPay International’s headquarters in Shanghai by Saif Humaid Al Dhaheri, Chairman of Etihad Payments, and Dong Junfeng, Chairman of UnionPay China and UnionPay International.
Under the agreement, UnionPay will route transactions made outside the UAE using Jaywan cards to the UAE’s Electronic Payment System, operated by Etihad Payments. Settlement arrangements will be covered under a separate MoU, including settlement, liquidity and foreign exchange services to support Jaywan’s international expansion.
Al Dhaheri said the agreement marks an important step in expanding Jaywan globally and improving cross-border payment efficiency, supporting trade, tourism and economic cooperation. He added that the partnership will provide wider international access to Jaywan cards and strengthen their presence among global payment networks.
Dong Junfeng said the strategic partnership between China and the UAE continues to develop amid growing demand for seamless cross-border payment services for trade and tourism.
He said the agreement, building on a 2025 memorandum signed by the central banks of China and the UAE to enhance cross-border payment cooperation, would strengthen the global competitiveness and operational resilience of the UAE’s domestic card scheme. It would also improve payment settlement efficiency using local currencies and support bilateral trade ties.
The partnership builds on the existing cooperation between Etihad Payments and UnionPay to issue Jaywan-UnionPay co-badged cards through UAE financial institutions. Domestic transactions are processed through Jaywan, while international transactions are processed through UnionPay International.
