Payment methods in United Arab Emirates
The average online shopper in the UAE spends US$1,189 a year, rising to US$1,505 by the year 2027.
Market takeaways
- The average online shopper in the UAE spends US$1,189 a year, rising to US$1,505 by the year 2027.
- In 2023, the e-commerce market in the UAE was worth US$12 billion. By 2027, this will have increased to US$16 billion.
- In the UAE, shoppers complete more than 60% of all online purchases using a mobile device - such as a smartphone or tablet.
- Almost 40% of the items UAE shoppers buy online come from merchants based overseas - a volume of commerce worth over US$4 billion a year.
- Online shoppers in the UAE use cash and digital payment methods, rather than cards, to pay for almost half of all e-commerce purchases.
Population
10.1M
Online population
10.0M
B2C e-commerce
$11.2B
Banked population
96%
Credit card population
49%
E-commerce of total retail
15%
Payment method breakdown
- Card52%
- Cash7%
- Bank Transfer11%
- E-Wallet24%
- Other6%
Card scheme breakdown
- Visa56%
- Mastercard39%
- American Express4%
- Local schemes0%
- Other1%
Cross-border e-commerce
Cross-border shoppers
61%
Share of e-commerce
37%
Cross-border value (est.)
$4.1B
Featured payment methods in United Arab Emirates
Popular options based on coverage and prominence in this market.
Apple Pay/Google Pay/Samsung Wallet
International wallets widely used; nearly 90% of retail transactions are contactless or wallet-based
Tabby/Tamara/Cashew
BNPL providers offering installment payments at online checkout
Careem Pay/e& money
Local wallets allowing P2P transfers, bill payments, money transfers and QR-code payments
All payment methods in United Arab Emirates
Discover 3 payment methods from around the world
Featured banks in United Arab Emirates
Major institutions operating in this market.
HSBC Holdings
London, United Kingdom
HSBC is one of the world's largest banks by assets, headquartered in London with a dominant presence in Asia. It offers retail, commercial, and investment banking in over 60 countries.
Citigroup (Citi)
New York, United States
Citigroup (Citi) is a global diversified financial services holding company, operating in 160+ countries. It is known for its institutional banking, treasury services, and consumer banking across emerging markets.
Intesa Sanpaolo
Turin, Italy
Intesa Sanpaolo is Italy's largest bank and one of the Eurozone's leading financial institutions, providing retail, corporate, and investment banking in Italy and across Eastern Europe, the Middle East, and Africa.
First Abu Dhabi Bank (FAB)
Abu Dhabi, UAE
FAB (First Abu Dhabi Bank) is the UAE's largest bank and one of the largest in the Middle East, formed from the 2017 merger of FGB and NBAD.
ICICI Bank
Mumbai, India
ICICI Bank is India's second-largest private sector bank, offering retail, SME, corporate, and investment banking services.
Emirates NBD
Dubai, UAE
Emirates NBD is Dubai's largest bank, offering retail, SME, corporate, and private banking with a strong regional and global presence.
All banks in United Arab Emirates
Showing 17 of 17 banks
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