Botim Launches UAE’s First Jaywan Prepaid Card to Boost Financial Inclusion

Botim has become the first fintech platform in the UAE to issue a prepaid card under the national Jaywan scheme. By integrating the Botim One Jaywan Prepaid Card with its existing payroll ecosystem, the platform aims to digitise salary disbursements and financial services for millions of workers across the Emirates, supporting the country's sovereign payment infrastructure.

What was announced

Botim is launching the Botim One Jaywan Prepaid Card to drive the adoption of the UAE’s national card scheme among the country's workforce. Operated by Al Etihad Payments, Jaywan is designed to process domestic card transactions locally, enhancing national control over payment infrastructure and data security. The card is specifically targeted at workforce communities, leveraging Botim’s status as a Ministry of Human Resources and Emiratisation (MoHRE) accredited provider for Wage Protection System (WPS) services.

The rollout will initially reach 200,000 workers through corporate payroll relationships and strategic partnerships with exchange houses. In the long term, the platform aims to scale this to 4 million workers. The card offers multilingual digital onboarding with no minimum salary or minimum balance requirements, removing traditional barriers to entry for the unbanked. Beyond domestic payments at point-of-sale terminals and e-commerce sites, cardholders can access international remittances to over 170 destinations, fractional gold and silver investments starting from AED 10, and various credit products for eligible users. This initiative aligns with the UAE’s Financial Infrastructure Transformation Programme and the National Digital Economy Strategy, focusing on localising payment processing while connecting digital wage access with broader financial inclusion.

"The UAE continues to set a clear direction for the future of financial services by investing in infrastructure that is efficient, resilient and built for long-term national growth. Jaywan marks an important step in strengthening the country’s payments ecosystem, supporting financial inclusion and advancing the UAE’s digital transformation. Botim is proud to contribute to this national priority by supporting wider adoption of the scheme among workforce communities that are central to the UAE's economy."

H.E. Dr. Tariq BinHendi, CEO of Botim

The companies involved

Botim is the UAE’s leading fintech platform and is a subsidiary of Astra Tech. Under the leadership of H.E. Dr. Tariq BinHendi, who serves as both CEO of Botim and a Board Member at Astra Tech, the company has evolved from a communication app into an "ultra-app" providing a wide range of financial and consumer services. With over 8.5 million users in the UAE, it occupies a significant position in the region's digital ecosystem, particularly within the migrant workforce and payroll sectors where it facilitates digital salary disbursements through regulated channels.

Al Etihad Payments (AEP) is the entity responsible for operating the Jaywan scheme. As a subsidiary of the Central Bank of the UAE (CBUAE), AEP’s mandate is to develop and operate the national payment infrastructure. Jaywan represents a move toward sovereign payment rails, reducing reliance on international networks for domestic transactions by routing and processing them within the UAE. The scheme is a cornerstone of the UAE’s broader strategy to modernise its financial systems and ensure secure, locally-processed data handling for both businesses and consumers across the country.

What FF News has reported before

FF News has closely tracked the expansion of the Jaywan scheme and Botim’s regional growth. We recently covered how Checkout.com Boosts UAE Payments with Native Jaywan Card Scheme Integration, as well as the partnership between Mastercard and noon payments Launch Jaywan Card Acceptance via Mastercard Gateway. These developments highlight the rapid build-out of the Jaywan ecosystem across both acquirers and gateways. Additionally, Botim’s focus on the expatriate workforce was evidenced when Botim Partners with Orange Egypt to Enable Direct UAE-to-Egypt Digital Wallet Remittances, further solidifying its role in the cross-border payment space. We also noted the initial move toward this launch in our report on Botim Launches UAE’s First Fintech Jaywan Prepaid Card for Workforce Financial Inclusion.

What this means

The launch of the first fintech-issued Jaywan card marks a shift in the UAE's payment landscape, moving from infrastructure development to active consumer adoption. By targeting the WPS-linked workforce, Botim is addressing a high-volume segment where financial inclusion remains a critical challenge. This move puts pressure on traditional banks and international card schemes to justify their domestic value propositions as local rails become more accessible and cost-effective for domestic processing. The success of Jaywan will depend on whether other fintechs follow Botim’s lead in integrating these local rails into everyday consumer apps, potentially creating a more insular but highly efficient domestic payment market that prioritises national data sovereignty.