Mastercard Strengthens Middle East Presence with Expanded Partnerships
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Mastercard has deepened its footprint in the Middle East through two key partnerships—one with Emirates NBD, a leading banking group in the MENAT (Middle East, North Africa, and Türkiye) region, and another with Checkout.com in the United Arab Emirates (UAE). These collaborations aim to enhance digital payment solutions and streamline financial transactions across the region.
In a groundbreaking move, Emirates NBD will incorporate Mastercard Gateway within its Emirates NBD Pay platform. This integration will bolster regional transactions while positioning the bank as the first global acquiring bank to deploy Mastercard’s Brighterion AI technology for advanced fraud detection and security.
“The integration of this cutting-edge platform in the bank’s systems will simplify payment processes for online merchants, allowing them to offer their customers a faster, more secure, and seamless transaction experience,” said Gina Petersen-Skyrme, Mastercard’s Country Manager for the UAE and Oman.
The Mastercard Gateway simplifies payment processing by offering businesses a single connection to a global gateway, while Brighterion AI enhances security by detecting and preventing fraudulent activities in real time.
Checkout.com Taps Into Mastercard Move for Seamless Money Transfers
Meanwhile, Checkout.com has joined forces with Mastercard Move, a money movement solution that allows individuals and businesses in the UAE to send funds directly to Mastercard cards. This collaboration will facilitate a range of transactions, including:
- Insurance disbursements
- Wallet cashouts
- Refunds
- Business and personal payments
“Together, we will set a new standard for payment technologies in the region, enabling faster, more secure payment flows that meet the evolving needs of our customers,” said Mete Guney, Executive Vice President, Commercial and New Payment Flows at Mastercard.
Mastercard’s Growth and Future Outlook
Mastercard’s latest expansion aligns with its global growth trajectory. In Q4 2024, the company reported:
- $2.6 trillion in gross dollar volumes (GDV), marking a 12% year-over-year increase
- A 6% rise in the number of Mastercard-issued cards, totaling 3.5 billion worldwide
- A 40% jump in Mastercard Move transactions
As digital payments continue to gain traction in the Middle East, Mastercard’s strategic collaborations with Emirates NBD and Checkout.com reinforce its commitment to innovation, security, and financial inclusion in the region.
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