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Botim, the UAE’s homegrown communications and fintech platform, and Mastercard have launched Mastercard One Credential in the UAE, giving eligible Botim cardholders the ability to switch between prepaid balances and credit funding on a single card, rather than juggling separate cards for each. The launch, announced 10 August 2026, marks the first rollout of Mastercard’s One Credential technology anywhere in the UAE and across the wider Eastern Europe, Middle East and Africa (EEMEA) region, part of a broader wave of new fintech payment solutions UAE cardholders are gaining access to this year.
What One Credential actually changes for cardholders
| Feature | What it means |
|---|---|
| Single-card flexibility | Switch between prepaid balance and credit funding without holding separate cards |
| Multi-currency access | Access funds across multiple currencies on the same card |
| Flexible instalments | Convert eligible purchases into instalments directly, increasing effective purchasing power |
| Regional first | First UAE and EEMEA-wide rollout of Mastercard One Credential technology |
“At Botim, we believe financial services should improve how people access and manage everyday financial lives. Our work with Mastercard reflects a shared commitment to fostering greater choice, transparency, and confidence in digital payments,” said H.E. Dr. Tariq BinHendi, CEO of Botim.
Mastercard’s SVP and Country Manager for UAE and Oman, Gina Petersen-Skyrme, added: “Consumers increasingly expect payment experiences that are secure, simple, and embedded in their everyday digital lives. By combining Mastercard’s One Credential technology with Botim’s digital platform, we are simplifying how cardholders access and manage different payment methods through one scalable solution.”
Mastercard’s own global consumer research found 83% of UAE consumers surveyed said they would use card instalments through One Credential.
Why it matters
For UAE consumers managing everyday spending
The practical shift is fewer cards, not new money. Consumers who currently carry a prepaid card for budgeting discipline and a separate credit card for larger purchases or instalments can now run both funding types through one card. That’s a real reduction in friction for a market where prepaid and credit products have typically sat in separate product lines.
For Botim’s broader fintech ambitions
This is Botim’s first announced move into card-based credit and instalment functionality, layered on top of its existing communications-app-turned-fintech-platform positioning. The companies describe this as the first milestone in a broader collaboration, with further card propositions and payment use cases still to come, suggesting this launch is a foothold rather than the finished roadmap.
FAQs
What is Mastercard One Credential?
A Mastercard technology that links one physical or digital card to multiple funding sources, letting a cardholder switch between prepaid balance and credit funding, and access multiple currencies, without needing separate cards for each.
Is this the first time Mastercard One Credential has launched in the UAE?
Yes. Botim’s launch marks the first rollout of Mastercard One Credential technology in the UAE and across the wider Eastern Europe, Middle East and Africa (EEMEA) region.
Which Botim cardholders can use One Credential?
The companies describe it as available to “eligible” Botim cardholders; specific eligibility criteria haven’t been publicly detailed.
Can I convert purchases into instalments with this card?
Yes, the One Credential card lets cardholders convert eligible purchases into flexible instalments directly on the card, without needing a separate instalment product.
Is Botim a bank?
No. Botim is a UAE-based communications and fintech platform; this card product is delivered in partnership with Mastercard rather than through a banking licence held by Botim itself.
Editor’s Take: The instalment statistic here, 83% of UAE consumers surveyed say they’d use card instalments, is doing a lot of work in this announcement without much backing it up. It’s Mastercard’s own commissioned research being used to justify a Mastercard product launch. Instalment and BNPL-adjacent spending has genuinely grown across the UAE, but it’s worth reading that number as directional marketing input rather than independently verified market research.