Paymentology and Liabify Launch LiaPay Prepaid Cards to Boost Financial Inclusion in UAE

Paymentology and Liabify are launching co-branded prepaid cards in the UAE to integrate financial services directly into the workplace. By linking payroll tools with real-time card processing on the Mastercard network, the partnership enables employees to access financing disbursements and manage everyday spending through the LiaPay app, marking a significant step for embedded finance in the region.

What was announced

The collaboration introduces a co-branded prepaid card programme designed specifically for employees across the United Arab Emirates. Powered by Paymentology’s cloud-native issuing and processing technology, the cards are integrated into LiaPay, Liabify’s financial wellbeing application. This integration allows employees to access approved financing disbursements and perform everyday transactions through a single payment solution, moving beyond traditional payroll-linked tools.

The programme operates on the Mastercard network, utilizing Paymentology’s real-time processing capabilities to ensure seamless transactions. Liabify provides the user interface, co-branding, and financing-intermediary support within the local regulatory framework. The solution is designed to offer greater flexibility for workers in managing their income and accessing financial services tailored to their professional lives. While the initial rollout focuses on the UAE market, the partnership aims to expand these integrated financial solutions across the wider GCC region over time, leveraging Paymentology’s regional expertise and global infrastructure.

"Financial wellbeing is becoming an increasingly important part of the employee experience, and access to flexible, convenient financial services can make a real difference to people's everyday lives. Our collaboration with Liabify is a great example of how embedded finance can bring these services closer to where they are needed. By combining LiaPay’s innovative approach to employee financial wellbeing with Paymentology’s cloud-native issuing technology, real-time processing capabilities and global expertise, we’re helping to create a more seamless payment experience that gives employees greater choice and control over how they access and manage their money. We’re excited to support Liabify’s ambitions as it scales its offering across the UAE and beyond."

Nauman Hassan, Regional Director for MENA at Paymentology

The companies involved

Paymentology is a leading global issuer processor that provides the underlying technology for banks and fintechs to launch and manage card programmes. The company specializes in cloud-native, real-time processing, allowing for highly configurable payment solutions across various geographies. With a significant presence in the global fintech ecosystem, Paymentology has become a critical infrastructure provider for firms looking to deploy sophisticated card products without the burden of legacy systems.

Liabify is a UAE-based HR-fintech platform that focuses on the financial wellbeing of employees. Its flagship application, LiaPay, serves as a bridge between employers and financial services, offering tools like earned wage access and integrated financing. By positioning itself at the intersection of human resources and financial technology, Liabify aims to solve liquidity challenges for workers while providing employers with tools to improve staff retention and satisfaction. This partnership with Paymentology represents a deepening of Liabify's technical capabilities in the card issuing space.

What FF News has reported before

Paymentology has maintained a high level of activity across global markets, frequently appearing in FF News for its role in enabling digital banking transformations. Recently, the processor helped Paymentology Powers Mukuru’s Expansion into Everyday Banking in South Africa, facilitating a shift from remittances to broader financial services. The company has also been active in the Philippines, where it Partners with Asia United Bank to Accelerate Digital Payments. In the Middle East specifically, Paymentology recently worked with Huru to Launch the Jaywan Card in the UAE, demonstrating its commitment to local payment schemes. Additionally, the firm showcased its regional expansion strategy by bringing PayCredit to APAC during the Singapore FinTech Festival.

What this means

This announcement highlights the accelerating trend of "payroll-as-a-platform" in the Middle East. By embedding a prepaid card directly into an HR tool, Liabify and Paymentology are bypassing traditional retail banking hurdles for the UAE's workforce. This move puts pressure on traditional banks that have historically struggled to provide flexible credit or liquidity products to lower-to-mid-income employees. The success of this model will likely depend on the speed of regulatory evolution across the GCC and the willingness of employers to integrate these tools into their existing HR stacks. It raises a broader question for the sector: will the workplace eventually replace the bank branch as the primary point of financial service delivery?