In a pioneering move set to reshape fintech innovation in the UAE, Mawarid Finance and Arab Financial Services (AFS) today signed a strategic agreement to launch an integrated Fintech Enablement Hub, a unified platform designed to empower fintechs with seamless access to regulated infrastructure and next-generation digital capabilities.

This collaboration combines global technology leadership, BIN sponsorship, and advanced processing capabilities into one integrated framework. The initiative simplifies how fintechs bring card programs to market by merging scheme connectivity, issuing, processing, and enablement tools onto a single, frictionless platform.

The partnership leverages Mastercard Product Express, a platform designed for fintechs, enabling the innovation necessary to meet their customer needs, and helping reduce their time to market by providing them with the tools, resources and partners required to launch and scale. The Product Express platform allows fintechs to easily select the product that best meets their needs, choose plan-certified partners ready to implement, e.g. with live BINs and pre-approved card designs, and the ability to track progress in full transparency across all steps to be completed by all parties. This allows them to drastically reduce the time to market with the platform providing a way for fintechs to launch card programs in as fast as 15 days.

Rashid Al Qubaisi, Chief Executive Officer of Mawarid Finance, said, “This collaboration places Mawarid Finance at the core of a best-in-class fintech enablement model in the UAE. As BIN sponsor, we are proud to provide the regulatory and operational foundation that allows fintechs to move from concept to card issuance with speed, security, and full compliance. This partnership reflects our commitment to supporting national innovation goals by empowering new business models and creating real pathways for growth, scale, and market impact.”

Samer Soliman, Chief Executive Officer of AFS, remarked that: “'By leveraging our deep technological expertise, AFS delivers a unified, frictionless platform that dramatically accelerates time-to-market for card programs. This empowers the next wave of digital-first companies to build, launch, and scale their solutions with optimal agility and confidence”.

This collaboration marks a major step toward advancing digital enablement in the UAE, offering fintechs a clear, streamlined path to build and scale card products all within a single, unified experience.