What has Dubai Islamic Bank launched?
Dubai Islamic Bank has launched a Jaywan debit card for customers with current and savings accounts. The launch was reported by Emirates 24/7 from WAM on 27 July 2026 as part of the wider rollout of the national card scheme.
Jaywan is developed and operated by Al Etihad Payments, which is a subsidiary of the Central Bank of the UAE. Its stated purpose is to localise domestic card transactions, support the processing of payment data within the country, and strengthen the resilience of the UAE’s payment infrastructure.
DIB Group CEO Dr Adnan Chilwan described the scheme as part of the UAE’s effort to develop a more sovereign and resilient payments ecosystem. Those broader benefits remain institutional goals rather than specific savings or new protections promised to individual cardholders.
Why is DIB’s adoption strategically important?
DIB gives Jaywan distribution through the UAE’s largest Islamic bank, helping the national scheme reach a substantial part of the retail banking market. Payment networks become more useful as more banks, customers, and merchants participate, at least in theory, making issuer adoption central to Jaywan’s prospects.
Previously, domestic card payments depended on established international networks and their associated infrastructure. Jaywan adds a national layer designed to process domestic transactions within the UAE, shifting part of the payment value chain towards infrastructure operated by Al Etihad Payments.
The bank still owns the customer relationship, including the current or savings account connected to the card. Al Etihad Payments owns and operates the underlying national scheme. This division lets banks retain their customer-facing role while the UAE builds domestic payment infrastructure beneath it.
This, above all else, is why DIB’s participation carries more strategic weight than a routine card launch. National payment schemes need broad distribution to move from policy projects into everyday financial infrastructure, and a large Islamic bank can extend adoption across a distinct segment of the market.
What changes for DIB customers?
Eligible DIB customers gain access to a debit card connected to the UAE’s national payment system. For domestic transactions, Jaywan is intended to support local processing and keep payment data within the UAE.
The announcement does not say that DIB will discontinue or replace its other debit cards. It also does not specify whether Jaywan cards will be issued automatically, offered as an opt-in product, or rolled out according to a separate timetable.
DIB has not disclosed fees, issuance charges, account minimums, merchant acceptance details, ATM coverage, international use, or online payment capabilities for the card. The announcement also does not confirm whether this particular debit card is standalone or co-badged with an international network.
Customers should therefore treat the launch as confirmation that DIB has joined the Jaywan rollout, rather than assume the card offers lower costs or broader functionality. If adoption continues across more banks, competition will increasingly depend on how each issuer packages the scheme, communicates its use cases, and handles the transition for existing customers.
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