Wio Personal customers can now access cards enabled by Jaywan, the UAE's domestic card scheme. The move brings the national payments network to one of the country's digital banks and gives cardholders a locally processed alternative for everyday spending.
Jaywan, meaning "precious pearl" in Emirati Arabic, is operated by Al Etihad Payments (AEP), a subsidiary of the Central Bank of the UAE. It processes and stores all payment-related data within the UAE, so local transactions stay inside the national financial system.
The nationwide rollout began on July 20, 2026, inaugurated by Sheikh Mansour bin Zayed Al Nahyan. First Abu Dhabi Bank (FAB) and Commercial Bank of Dubai (CBD) were among the first issuers. Wio Bank followed, with AUSTRIACARD announcing on September 23, 2026, that it had produced and delivered the first Jaywan cards for the bank. Wio CCO Prateek Vahie said bringing Jaywan-issued cards to customers "reflects our commitment to the UAE's national payments strategy".
Understanding Jaywan Card Types and Acceptance
Jaywan cards come in two main types:
- Mono-badge cards: These work within the UAE, GCC, and some other countries. An agreement between AEP and UnionPay, signed on August 11, 2026, allows mono-badged Jaywan cards to be used abroad at over 100 million POS terminals and 1.8 million ATMs in more than 183 countries and regions.
- Co-badge cards: These pair Jaywan with an international scheme such as Mastercard for worldwide acceptance. AEP and Mastercard announced the first Jaywan-Mastercard co-badged credit card on July 21, 2026.
Jaywan cards are accepted at ATMs, point-of-sale (POS) terminals, and online. Etihad Airways, Majid Al Futtaim (across 200+ destinations), and Emirates (for flight bookings from September 2026) already accept Jaywan. Network International has added Jaywan to its online payment gateway, and the Telr gateway also accepts it.
Wio Bank's Jaywan Integration
Wio Bank has integrated Jaywan into its Wio Personal offering.
See Wio's cards and accounts on the Wio Bank page.
Kredit provides informational content only and does not offer financial advice. We do not guarantee accuracy and recommend consulting a licensed financial professional before making decisions.
