Dubai's nol Card Gets a National Payment Scheme: What the nol–Jaywan Pilot Means for Founders

DUBAI — The nol card that commuters tap on Dubai’s metro, buses and taxis is about to become a payment card too. Dubai’s Roads and Transport Authority (RTA) and Al Etihad Payments (AEP), a subsidiary of the Central Bank of the UAE, have signed an agreement to launch a next generation of nol–Jaywan cards, with a pilot starting this November, the Dubai Media Office announced on November 4.

The new cards bring together nol, Dubai’s transit fare system, and Jaywan, the UAE’s national card payment scheme. For founders, the story is not really about bus fares. It is about a card that commuters already carry gaining a domestic payment rail, and what that could mean for merchants, fintechs and anyone building around mobility.

What Was Announced

According to the RTA and Dubai Media Office statement:

• The cards will roll out in successive phases, starting with a pilot this month that covers RTA public transport, public and private transportation including taxis, and public parking.
• Holders will be able to use nol for travel while also “benefiting from payment services through Jaywan.”
• Cards can be activated and used through Android and iOS smartphones.
• They can be used on public and private transport and through online booking platforms for public transport services across the UAE.
• Cardholders get access to more than 120 promotional offers and exclusive discounts.

The agreement was signed by Mattar Al Tayer, RTA’s Director General, and Saif Humaid Al Dhaheri, the Central Bank’s Assistant Governor for Banking Operations and Support Services and Chairman of AEP. Al Dhaheri said: “We are not merely introducing a new payment method; we are establishing a flexible and secure financial environment that connects key sectors and helps accelerate the transition towards a sustainable digital economy.”

What Is Still Unknown

Several practical details have not been published. As Gulf News and Khaleej Times both noted, RTA has not specified the exact pilot start date, when the cards will be widely available, card pricing, or whether existing nol cardholders will need to replace their cards. The announcement also does not list which merchants will accept the card outside transport, or who is behind the 120-plus offers.

The Bigger Picture: nol’s Upgrade and Jaywan’s Rollout

The pilot is one step in two larger projects.

nol is moving to account-based ticketing. In July, RTA said it had completed 72% of a project to move nol from card-based to account-based ticketing, with all phases due by the end of the first quarter of 2027. The plan has three phases: QR-code tickets through digital channels; a new generation of nol cards compatible with bank card technology and linked to customer accounts; and finally acceptance of bank cards and digital wallets for fares. RTA also said customers will be able to use the new nol cards “for shopping across various digital channels and at retail outlets across the UAE, in the same way as bank cards.” nol itself launched on September 9, 2009, alongside Dubai Metro.

Jaywan is now in people’s wallets. UAE banks, financial institutions and exchange houses began issuing Jaywan debit and prepaid cards in July, The National reported, with First Abu Dhabi Bank and Commercial Bank of Dubai among the first. Payment processor Network International said Jaywan cards could be used across “thousands” of its online merchants “with no additional fees for merchants on Jaywan transactions processed through the gateway.” AEP describes Jaywan as a scheme that processes payments within the country, says it “reduces the cost of payment processing” for businesses, and lists partnerships with Visa, Mastercard, Discover and UnionPay for use abroad.

Putting a national scheme on a transit card that commuters already carry could bring Jaywan into everyday use well beyond bank customers who request a new card.

What Founders Should Take From It

This is our reading, not official guidance.

• Merchants: check your Jaywan acceptance now. If the nol–Jaywan card becomes a common way to pay, shops, cafés and online stores near transit will want to accept it. Ask your acquirer or payment gateway whether Jaywan is switched on and what it costs compared with international card schemes.
• Watch the offers programme. The 120-plus discounts suggest a merchant partnership channel. Consumer brands in food, retail and leisure should find out how to be included once details are published.
• Fintechs: the rails are being built. Account linking, auto top-up and digital wallets are all part of RTA’s roadmap. Startups in expense management, payroll cards, travel benefits or loyalty may find new integration points as the system opens up. Wait for published technical and commercial terms before building on it.
• Mobility and parking startups should plan for one card. With taxis and public parking in the first phase, operators of private transport, booking platforms and parking services should expect customers to ask whether the same card works with them.
• Employers: rethink transport benefits. A card that handles fares, parking and some everyday spending could simplify commuting allowances. Check how it fits your payroll and expense policies before changing anything.
• Do not overreact during a pilot. Timelines, pricing and replacement plans are not public. Treat this as a signal to prepare, not a deadline.

Details are from RTA, the Dubai Media Office, Al Etihad Payments, Gulf News, Khaleej Times and The National as of November 4, 2026. The pilot’s scope and timing may change. Check RTA’s official channels for updates.