UAE: Dubai’s nol Transit Card to Double as Jaywan Payment Card, Pilot Starts in November
Dubai’s nol card, the smart card millions of riders tap on the Metro, buses and taxis, is about to double as a national payment card. The Roads and Transport Authority (RTA) has signed an agreement with Al Etihad Payments, a subsidiary of the Central Bank of the UAE, to launch combined nol–Jaywan cards, with a pilot starting this month.
Key facts
- The RTA and Al Etihad Payments (AEP) announced the strategic agreement on 4 November 2026.
- The new card links nol, Dubai’s transport payment system, with Jaywan, the UAE’s own domestic card scheme.
- A pilot begins in November 2026; the first phase covers RTA public transport, taxis and public parking.
- Cards can be activated and managed on Android and iOS phones, and holders get access to more than 120 promotional offers and discounts.
- The project is part of the RTA’s upgrade of nol to account-based ticketing.
What is changing
Today, a nol card is a stored-value transit card: riders load money onto it and tap it at gates and in taxis. The new nol–Jaywan card keeps that role but adds the functions of a regular payment card. According to the RTA, holders will be able to use the Jaywan side for everyday purchases and online transactions, while the nol side keeps handling fares.
The RTA also said the card is designed to work beyond Dubai’s own network, including on public and private transport and on online booking platforms for public transport across the UAE. The rollout will happen in successive phases, but the authority has not yet given an exact pilot date, said when the card will be widely available, or said whether existing nol cardholders will need to swap their cards. No fees have been announced.
The move ties in with a bigger technical shift. Under account-based ticketing, the fare balance and trip history sit in a central account rather than on the card’s chip. The card, or a phone, simply acts as a key to that account, which makes it easier to link transit with other payment services and to manage everything in an app.
Why it matters
Jaywan is the UAE’s first national card scheme, a locally run alternative to international networks such as Visa and Mastercard. It was developed by AEP with NPCI International, the overseas arm of the National Payments Corporation of India, and draws on technology behind India’s RuPay cards. Nationwide issuance of Jaywan debit and prepaid cards through banks and licensed firms began in July 2026.
A new card scheme lives or dies by how often people use it. Putting Jaywan on the card commuters already tap every day gives it a ready-made path into wallets, rather than waiting for people to apply for a new bank card. It follows other steps to widen acceptance: Etihad Airways began taking Jaywan for online flight bookings in August, and Emirates followed in September.
AEP chairman Saif Humaid Al Dhaheri, who is also the central bank’s Assistant Governor for Banking Operations and Support Services, said Jaywan acceptance will expand gradually inside the UAE and internationally, framing it as support for financial inclusion. RTA Director General Mattar Al Tayer said the partnership should make public transport more attractive and support Dubai’s push toward digital payments.
For the wider region, the deal is another example of a trend seen from Japan to Southeast Asia: transport cards turning into general payment tools, and national payment schemes using everyday services such as transit to build scale.
What to watch
- The exact pilot launch date, who can join it, and any card fees.
- Whether existing nol cards can be upgraded or must be replaced, and when the card reaches all riders.
- Which merchants and online platforms accept the Jaywan side, and how quickly acceptance spreads outside Dubai.
Related on FinDeskAsia: Japan Will Let Drivers and Cyclists Pay Traffic Fines by Card and App · How Malaysia’s payment system works
Sources: Khaleej Times (November 2026), Gulf News (November 2026), ARN News Centre (November 2026)
