Built here · UAE
Botim says it has launched the first fintech-issued Jaywan prepaid card in the UAE
Botim says its Botim One Jaywan Prepaid Card is the first Jaywan prepaid card issued by a fintech. The first phase is expected to reach more than 200,000 workers, according to the company.
What Botim announced
Botim says it has launched the Botim One Jaywan Prepaid Card. According to the company, it is the first prepaid card issued by a fintech platform under Jaywan, the UAE's national card scheme. بوابة التكنولوجيا المالية reported the launch on 28 October 2026.1,2,3,4,5
An executive of the scheme operator backs the wording. Al Etihad Payments' chief products officer called the launch the first Jaywan prepaid card by a fintech.2,3,4,5
Who runs Jaywan, and who issues the card
Botim does not run Jaywan. It is operated by Al Etihad Payments, a subsidiary of the Central Bank of the UAE. The scheme works at point-of-sale terminals and online, and domestic transactions are processed inside the UAE. Botim issues this card on the scheme.1,2,3,4,5
Al Etihad Payments launched Jaywan as the country's domestic card scheme, to give a homegrown payment option. As a domestic scheme, it offers a local alternative to internationally issued debit and prepaid cards. The scheme lists prepaid cards among its card types, as they are designed for budgeting and controlled spending.6
How salaries reach the card
Botim is accredited by the Ministry of Human Resources and Emiratisation to provide Wages Protection System services, which let employers pay salaries digitally. Workers paid through Botim's payroll can use the card in shops and online.1,2,3,4,5
The first phase is expected to reach more than 200,000 workers through corporate payroll relationships and exchange house partnerships. That figure is a plan. Botim also says it aims to extend the card to up to 4 million workers across the UAE over time, with no date given.1,2,3,4,5
Botim says it has more than 8.5 million users in the UAE. It also says about 65% of its fintech users are blue-collar workers and a further 31% are gray-collar workers.1,2,3,4,5
What cardholders get
Botim says cardholders can access its services, including money transfers to more than 170 destinations, over 125 dining and lifestyle offers, fractional gold and silver investment from AED 10, and credit for eligible users.1,2,3,4,5
The company says it offers multilingual digital onboarding with no minimum salary and no minimum balance requirement. According to the announcement, the rollout supports the UAE's Financial Infrastructure Transformation Programme, the National Digital Economy Strategy and We the UAE 2031.1,2,3,4,5
What could not be verified
- How many cards have been issued or activated so far.
- Whether the first phase will reach more than 200,000 workers. This is a plan, not a delivered figure.
- Whether the aim of up to 4 million workers will be met. No timeline is given.
- Fees, limits and card terms, which are not disclosed.
- Whether the card is available now to all payroll workers or only gradually.
Sources
- Gulf News, 29 Oct 2026
- بوابة التكنولوجيا المالية, 28 Oct 2026
- Zawya, 28 Oct 2026
- Gulf Daily News, 28 Oct 2026
- Menafn, 28 Oct 2026
- Al Etihad Payments