Adyen has secured a Retail Payment Services Category II licence from the Central Bank of the UAE (CBUAE), allowing the global payments company to manage direct local settlements through its own infrastructure.
The approval means Adyen can oversee settlement operations, payment processing and regulatory compliance directly within the UAE rather than depending on third-party providers. The company said the licence will also support continued investment in fraud prevention, alternative payment methods and unified commerce services for merchants operating in the country.
Adyen has operated in the UAE since 2020 and provides payment infrastructure for businesses including Careem, Noon and Ziina.
UAE payment licence gives Adyen direct local settlement capabilities
The new licence changes how Adyen operates in the UAE by allowing it to process local settlements internally.
Previously, parts of the settlement process relied on external infrastructure. With regulatory approval now in place, Adyen can manage payment flows, compliance requirements and settlement operations through its own local platform. The company also gains greater flexibility to introduce payment features and operational updates without depending on intermediary providers.
Local merchants gain access to Adyen’s licensed payment infrastructure
The approval gives businesses operating in the UAE access to payment processing and settlement services through Adyen’s local operations.
According to the company, the licence supports a wider range of merchant services, including fraud prevention tools, local payment methods and unified commerce capabilities that combine online and in-store payment experiences through a single platform.
UAE becomes a larger part of Adyen’s regional strategy
The UAE has become one of Adyen’s established markets since the company entered the country in 2020.
Its customer base spans sectors including mobility, e-commerce and financial services, with Careem, Noon and Ziina among the businesses using its payment platform. The new licence expands Adyen’s local operating model as demand for digital payment services continues to increase across the Middle East.
The approval also adds Adyen to the growing number of international payment companies that have obtained local regulatory licences in the UAE instead of operating solely through cross-border payment arrangements.
CBUAE continues to expand its regulated payments framework
The Retail Payment Services licensing framework forms part of the Central Bank of the UAE’s approach to regulating payment providers operating in the country.
The framework allows licensed firms to operate local payment infrastructure under the central bank’s supervision while meeting regulatory requirements for settlement, compliance and consumer protection.
As more international payment companies establish licensed operations in the UAE, the local payments market continues to shift towards domestically regulated infrastructure, giving merchants access to locally managed payment and settlement services.
