Payment methods in United Arab Emirates

Asia

9methods

17banks

The average online shopper in the UAE spends US$1,189 a year, rising to US$1,505 by the year 2027.

Market takeaways

The average online shopper in the UAE spends US$1,189 a year, rising to US$1,505 by the year 2027.
In 2023, the e-commerce market in the UAE was worth US$12 billion. By 2027, this will have increased to US$16 billion.
In the UAE, shoppers complete more than 60% of all online purchases using a mobile device - such as a smartphone or tablet.
Almost 40% of the items UAE shoppers buy online come from merchants based overseas - a volume of commerce worth over US$4 billion a year.
Online shoppers in the UAE use cash and digital payment methods, rather than cards, to pay for almost half of all e-commerce purchases.

Population

10.1M

Online population

10.0M

B2C e-commerce

$11.2B

Banked population

96%

Credit card population

49%

E-commerce of total retail

15%

Payment method breakdown

Card52%
Cash7%
Bank Transfer11%
E-Wallet24%
Other6%

Card scheme breakdown

Visa56%
Mastercard39%
American Express4%
Local schemes0%
Other1%

Cross-border e-commerce

Cross-border shoppers

61%

Share of e-commerce

37%

Cross-border value (est.)

$4.1B

Featured payment methods in United Arab Emirates

All payment methods available in this market, sorted by prominence.

Google Pay

Google wallet for quick checkout with encrypted credentials in app and web contexts.

Careem Pay

Careem Pay is the UAE Central Bank-authorised digital wallet within the Careem super-app, enabling instant top-ups, direct payments, P2P transfers and remittances. Operator: Careem (with First Abu Dhabi Bank / Magnati). Est. users: Large user base via Careem super-app (2024, best estimate).

Tabby

Tabby is the Middle East's leading independent BNPL fintech, SAMA-licensed and UAE-regulated, enabling split payments at over 40,000 retailers online and in-store. Operator: Tabby FZ-LLC. Est. users: 14 million+ users (2024).

Tamara

Tamara is a Saudi-headquartered BNPL provider licensed by SAMA, letting shoppers split purchases into installments at online and in-store checkouts across the Gulf. Operator: Tamara Financial Company. Est. users: 10 million+ users (2024).

Aani

Aani is the UAE's national instant payment platform operated by Al Etihad Payments, enabling real-time transfers, QR and request-to-pay using a mobile number. Operator: Al Etihad Payments (subsidiary of Central Bank of the UAE). Est. users: Nationwide, integrated across UAE banks (2024).

e& money

e& money is the first digital wallet licensed by the Central Bank of the UAE, offered by e& life, supporting online payments, money transfers and bill payment. Operator: e& life (formerly Etisalat). Est. users: Large user base, telecom-backed (2024, best estimate).

PayBy

PayBy is a UAE digital payment platform built with First Abu Dhabi Bank, accepted at major supermarkets, hotels and online stores for QR, POS and online payments. Operator: PayBy (with First Abu Dhabi Bank). Est. users: Widespread retail and online acceptance (2024, best estimate).

Ziina

Ziina is a UAE Central Bank-licensed social payments app enabling individuals and businesses to send money and accept cashless payments online and in person. Operator: Ziina Payment LLC. Est. users: 100,000+ users (2024, best estimate).

Apple Pay / Google Pay

The major international device-based wallets — Apple Pay, Google Pay and Samsung Pay — have been widely adopted in Kuwait alongside local prepaid cards. These wallets tokenise underlying debit and credit card credentials and are accepted at NFC-enabled point-of-sale terminals and participating online merchants. Their adoption reflects Kuwait's high smartphone penetration and consumer preference for contactless payments.

Featured banks in United Arab Emirates

All banks operating in this market, sorted by prominence.

HSBC Holdings

London, United Kingdom

HSBC is one of the world's largest banks by assets, headquartered in London with a dominant presence in Asia. It offers retail, commercial, and investment banking in over 60 countries.

Citigroup (Citi)

New York, United States

Citigroup (Citi) is a global diversified financial services holding company, operating in 160+ countries. It is known for its institutional banking, treasury services, and consumer banking across emerging markets.

Intesa Sanpaolo

Turin, Italy

Intesa Sanpaolo is Italy's largest bank and one of the Eurozone's leading financial institutions, providing retail, corporate, and investment banking in Italy and across Eastern Europe, the Middle East, and Africa.

First Abu Dhabi Bank (FAB)

Abu Dhabi, UAE

FAB (First Abu Dhabi Bank) is the UAE's largest bank and one of the largest in the Middle East, formed from the 2017 merger of FGB and NBAD.

ICICI Bank

Mumbai, India

ICICI Bank is India's second-largest private sector bank, offering retail, SME, corporate, and investment banking services.

Emirates NBD

Dubai, UAE

Emirates NBD is Dubai's largest bank, offering retail, SME, corporate, and private banking with a strong regional and global presence.

Standard Chartered

London, United Kingdom

Standard Chartered is a British multinational bank focused on Asia, Africa, and the Middle East. Headquartered in London, it operates in over 50 markets providing corporate and retail banking.

Firstrand (FNB / RMB / WesBank)

Johannesburg, South Africa

FirstRand is South Africa's second-largest banking group, comprising FNB (retail/SME), RMB (investment banking), and WesBank (vehicle finance).

Abu Dhabi Commercial Bank (ADCB)

Abu Dhabi, UAE

ADCB is Abu Dhabi's second-largest bank, offering retail, SME, corporate, and private banking. It absorbed Union National Bank and Al Hilal Bank in 2020.

National Bank of Kuwait (NBK)

Kuwait City, Kuwait

NBK is Kuwait's largest bank and a major financial institution in the Middle East, offering retail, corporate, investment, and private banking.

Arab Bank Jordan

Amman, Jordan

Arab Bank is Jordan's largest bank and one of the oldest private sector banks in the Arab world, with operations in 30+ countries.

Julius Baer

Zurich, Switzerland

Julius Baer is one of Switzerland's leading pure private banking and wealth management groups, managing assets for high-net-worth individuals globally.