Checkout.com x Jaywan, Image
Checkout.com has integrated the Jaywan card scheme into its acquiring platform in the United Arab Emirates to support domestic transactions. This development allows regional merchants to accept national payment cards directly while complying with central regulatory frameworks.
Operated by Al Etihad Payments, a subsidiary of the Central Bank of the UAE, the domestic initiative aims to strengthen national payment infrastructure. The system provides sovereign payment rails for digital commerce across the country.
Integration of the Jaywan Card Scheme
As regional banks and licensed financial entities issue new payment cards, Checkout.com routes transactions automatically through local networks. Furthermore, this mechanism operates in the background, which preserves the standard payment interface for end users while minimizing operational complexity for online businesses.
By connecting directly to the Jaywan card scheme, businesses can process local transactions with reduced reliance on global rails. Merchants operating in the economy sector gain direct alignment with regulatory standards set by Al Etihad Payments.
“Enabling Jaywan is a defining step in the UAE’s payments evolution. We have built Jaywan directly into our acquiring platform so businesses can stay ready for the mandate, protect performance and manage the cost and compliance impact within the same platform they currently use.”
Remo Giovanni Abbondandolo, General Manager, MENA, Checkout.com
Early Adoption in Digital Healthcare
Digital health provider myAster, operated by Aster DM Healthcare, represents one of the initial platforms to activate the payment service. The healthcare brand initially partnered with Checkout.com in December 2025 to manage digital transactions for over 5 million registered users.
The integration enables patients to pay for medical consultations and pharmacy orders on the web portal and mobile apps using local cards. Consequently, medical providers can deliver localized payment options across digital touchpoints.
“Healthcare is increasingly digital, and payments need to evolve with the same speed and simplicity. Offering Jaywan on myAster is another step toward making every part of the digital healthcare journey effortless, secure, and locally relevant for our customers.”
Nalla Karunanithy, Chief Executive Officer, Aster Digital Health & Omnichannel
Expanding UAE Payment Infrastructure
Financial institutions across the UAE continue to issue cards under the Jaywan card scheme, enabling automatic routing for digital transactions. Al Etihad Payments designed the network to embed sovereign payment acceptance across everyday merchant checkouts.
“For Jaywan to become a natural part of how businesses and consumers transact across every payment environment, acceptance must be built into the infrastructure they already use. The integration with Checkout.com does that for digital commerce, bringing Jaywan to a broad range of businesses through the acquiring platform they operate on.”
Andrea Cianchetti, Chief Products Officer at Al Etihad Payments
Regional Operations and Licensing
In 2023, Checkout.com secured an acquiring licence from the Central Bank of the UAE. The payments firm also received in-principle approval for a Stored Value Facilities licence, aiming to combine acquiring and card issuing on a single infrastructure.
The company processed more than $300 billion in ecommerce volume globally in 2025 across 145 currencies. Regionally, the provider supports digital payments for enterprises including SHEIN, talabat, Tamara, and Careem, while serving broader international organizations such as cybersecurity conscious retail platforms and Netflix.
