29 October 2026
UAE fintech platform Botim has launched the Botim One Jaywan Prepaid Card, the first prepaid card under Jaywan, the UAE national card scheme, issued by a fintech company rather than a bank. The launch was announced on 29 October 2026. The card is distributed through Botim’s corporate payroll network and partnerships with exchange houses: the first phase is expected to reach more than 200,000 workers, and the long-term target is up to 4 million. Workers paid through Botim’s payroll solution can spend their salary in shops and online, send money abroad and invest from AED 10, with no minimum salary and no minimum balance, according to the company.
What Botim launched
Botim, which has more than 8.5 million users in the UAE, issues the new card itself under the Jaywan scheme. Jaywan is operated by Al Etihad Payments, a subsidiary of the Central Bank of the UAE. Cards on the scheme work at point of sale terminals and on online shopping platforms, and domestic transactions are processed within the country.
The new product builds on an earlier step. In May 2025, Botim partnered with Al Maryah Community Bank (Mbank) to offer a Jaywan prepaid card inside its app, with the bank as partner. The October 2026 card is described by Botim and Gulf News as the first Jaywan prepaid card issued by a fintech company.
The launch was presented jointly by the two sides. Dr Tariq BinHendi, chief executive of Botim, said Jaywan is an important step towards a more resilient domestic payments system and that Botim aims to bring the scheme to workforce communities. Andrea Cianchetti, chief products officer at Al Etihad Payments, said the launch helps Jaywan reach more customer groups and that participation of fintech companies, banks and other regulated financial institutions increases the use of UAE issued payment cards.
How the card links salaries with everyday payments
The distribution model is based on payroll. Botim is accredited by the Ministry of Human Resources and Emiratisation (MoHRE) to provide services under the Wages Protection System (WPS), the system through which employers pay salaries electronically. Under the new arrangement, a worker who receives a salary through Botim’s payroll solution can use the prepaid card to pay in shops and online, instead of withdrawing the salary in cash.
The card also opens access to Botim’s other financial services:
- international money transfers to more than 170 destinations;
- dining and lifestyle offers across more than 125 outlets and services;
- investments in fractional gold and silver from AED 10;
- credit products for eligible users.
Registration is digital and available in several languages. Botim says users do not need to meet a minimum salary threshold or keep a minimum account balance. According to the company, around 65% of its fintech users are blue-collar workers and another 31% work in grey-collar professions, many of whom have limited access to traditional bank accounts.
Key facts at a glance
| Item | Detail |
|---|---|
| Product | Botim One Jaywan Prepaid Card |
| Issuer | Botim (fintech company) |
| Card scheme | Jaywan, operated by Al Etihad Payments (Central Bank of the UAE subsidiary) |
| Announced | 29 October 2026 |
| Distribution | Botim corporate payroll network (WPS), exchange house partnerships |
| First phase | More than 200,000 workers |
| Long-term target | Up to 4 million workers |
| Botim users in the UAE | More than 8.5 million |
| Minimum salary or balance | None, according to Botim |
| Transfers abroad | More than 170 destinations |
| Gold and silver investment | From AED 10 |
Where Jaywan stands in 2026
Jaywan is the UAE domestic card scheme, built so that payments made with UAE issued cards inside the country are processed locally. Banks started issuing Jaywan cards first, and during 2026 acceptance has been extended step by step. We covered the earlier stages in our articles on the rollout of Jaywan cards through UAE banks and wider Jaywan acceptance at hotels and tourist attractions.
The Botim card adds a different channel. Instead of reaching customers through bank branches and bank apps, it reaches workers through the payroll system their employer already uses. Botim and Al Etihad Payments link the launch to the UAE Financial Infrastructure Transformation Programme, the National Digital Economy Strategy and the We the UAE 2031 vision.
What it means for employers in the UAE
The launch does not change WPS rules. Employers registered with MoHRE continue to pay salaries through WPS via an approved agent, such as a bank, an exchange house or an accredited financial institution. What changes is the choice of products available to workers who receive their salary through Botim: a Jaywan prepaid card that can be used for purchases, transfers and small investments without a traditional bank account.
For a company with a large blue-collar or grey-collar workforce, the practical questions are about payroll set-up:
- Payroll agent. Check which WPS agent the company uses today and whether that agent offers a card product to employees.
- Employee access. Workers without bank accounts can receive and spend their salary digitally, which reduces cash withdrawals on payday.
- Onboarding. Registration is digital and multilingual, which matters for teams where many employees do not read English or Arabic.
- Payday deadlines. WPS deadlines and penalties stay the same whatever card a worker holds. Our article on the 2026 WPS salary rule explains the current timing.
- Company accounts. A prepaid card for employees does not replace a corporate bank account. The company still needs its own account to fund payroll, pay suppliers and receive revenue.
For the corporate side of the payroll chain, our guide to opening a bank account in the UAE sets out the documents, compliance questions and typical timelines for companies.
How Atlant Capital can help
Atlant Capital helps founders set up the structure that payroll depends on. We support company setup in the UAE, from choosing the licence and activities to registering the company with the authorities, and corporate bank account opening, including preparing the KYC file for the bank’s compliance team. For companies hiring staff, we coordinate work permits and residence visas so that employees are registered correctly before their first salary goes through WPS.
Conclusion
On 29 October 2026, Botim launched the first Jaywan prepaid card issued by a fintech company in the UAE. The card reaches more than 200,000 workers in its first phase through Botim’s WPS payroll network and exchange house partners, with a long-term target of up to 4 million. It links digital salary payments with purchases, transfers to more than 170 destinations and investments from AED 10, with no minimum salary or balance. WPS rules for employers stay unchanged; the new element is a card option for workers paid through Botim.
Source: Gulf News.
FAQ
What is the Botim One Jaywan Prepaid Card?
It is a prepaid card on Jaywan, the UAE national card scheme operated by Al Etihad Payments, a subsidiary of the Central Bank of the UAE. Botim launched it on 29 October 2026 as the first Jaywan prepaid card issued by a fintech company rather than a bank. It can be used in shops, online and for Botim services such as transfers abroad.
Who can get the Botim Jaywan card?
The card is distributed through Botim’s corporate payroll network under the Wages Protection System and through exchange house partners. The first phase is expected to reach more than 200,000 workers, with a long-term target of up to 4 million. Botim says there is no minimum salary and no minimum balance requirement.
Does the card replace a bank account for salary payments under WPS?
For the worker, it allows a salary paid through Botim’s WPS payroll solution to be spent digitally without a traditional bank account. For the employer, WPS rules do not change: salaries are still paid through an approved WPS agent, and the company still needs its own corporate bank account to fund payroll.
What else can Jaywan card holders do through Botim?
Botim lists international money transfers to more than 170 destinations, dining and lifestyle offers at more than 125 outlets, investments in fractional gold and silver from AED 10, and credit products for eligible users. Registration is digital and available in several languages.
