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Dubai Islamic Bank detailed the launch of its new Jaywan Debit Card in a statement released Monday, making the product available to holders of its current and savings accounts. The card relies on infrastructure from Al Etihad Payments, a subsidiary of the Central Bank of the UAE, which oversees its development and daily operation. This collaboration localises all domestic debit card transactions while ensuring transaction data remains processed and protected entirely inside the country, the bank said in the announcement. The move directly supports the UAE’s national payments strategy aimed at reinforcing financial infrastructure and digital leadership.
Dr. Adnan Chilwan, chief executive officer at Dubai Islamic Bank, welcomed the introduction as a milestone for the country’s payments sector. “Jaywan represents a defining step in the UAE’s journey towards a more sovereign, resilient and future-ready payments ecosystem,” Chilwan said. He added that as the UAE’s largest Islamic bank, DIB bears responsibility to back initiatives that reinforce economic foundations and convert high-level strategies into everyday customer use. The CEO noted that the card equips users with a secure, efficient channel to engage in the nation’s advancing digital payments environment.
The launch aligns with efforts by the Central Bank of the UAE to promote homegrown solutions that reduce reliance on external networks for routine transactions. Al Etihad Payments was formed specifically to advance these national objectives through localised payment rails that prioritise data sovereignty and system robustness. Adoption of the Jaywan card allows DIB customers to contribute to and benefit from this transition toward strengthened domestic control over financial flows.
Dubai Islamic Bank has positioned the Jaywan Debit Card as one element in its broader alignment with UAE government strategies for economic diversification and technological advancement in banking. The bank’s statement underlined how the product addresses both immediate customer requirements for reliable payment tools and longer-term national priorities in the financial services domain. Previous digital innovations at DIB have similarly sought to integrate Islamic banking principles with evolving regulatory and market demands.
Central Bank of the UAE evaluations have repeatedly stressed the value of resilient local payment architectures in safeguarding economic stability against external shocks, a theme reflected throughout DIB’s announcement. Operation of the Jaywan network by the central bank subsidiary guarantees adherence to stringent local data protection and reliability standards. Account holders gain from improved transaction speeds and lower vulnerability to cross-border network disruptions under this domestically focused model.
In its announcement Dubai Islamic Bank voiced optimism that expanded uptake of the Jaywan card would hasten development of a fully cohesive digital payments environment across the UAE. The bank invited its customer base to begin using the new debit option to align personal transactions with prevailing national directives. This step forms part of ongoing industry coordination to elevate overall standards in secure, sovereign financial services.
