Dubai Economy has announced the launch of the Unified Payments Network (UPN), an inclusive platform that will bring together all payment service providers, and unbanked as well as underbanked merchants, to facilitate cashless transactions. Launched at the Gitex Technology Week currently under way in Dubai, the platform is a subsidiary of the flagship ‘EngageDXB’ initiative of Dubai Economy to promote engagement between the private and public sectors, and aims to empower the existing players in the payment ecosystem to accelerate the transition towards a cashless society.

UPN is an infrastructure solution that will enhance the current service offerings for all local wallets and payment service providers. The platform offers zero onboarding cost to encourage merchant adoption, while providing an end-to-end digital payment acceptance solution, capable of processing any digital payment, including micropayments, from cards to wallet, locally or internationally issued.

UPN will boost the growth of digital payment and ensure that no merchant or individual is left behind in the race towards a cashless society. Merchants will be able to join the platform seamlessly; they will have the choice to configure the payment acceptance channels on the go. The UPN Digital Settlement Account provided will also enable merchants to accept all types of payments in one digital account that supports their business at zero adoption cost. UPN allows all payment service providers to offer their service through its network, and empower the merchant with the ability to choose the right provider, based on their fee structure.

UPN is also hosting services by all local and international payment cards, Wallet Payment service providers, payment acquirers, banks, exchange as well as remittance houses, including Mashreq Bank, First Abu Dhabi Bank, Royal Cloud Payments, Network International, Etisalat, Al Fardan Exchange, InstantCash (WSE), PaySky, and PayBy.

Commented His Excellency Sami Al Qamzi, Director General of Dubai Economy: “We are pleased to launch UPN on behalf of the Government of Dubai, particularly for the benefit of the under-served merchants and individuals, while also empowering the existing players in the digital payments ecosystem. UPN will enable and accelerate the digital and cashless initiatives aimed to enhance the competitiveness of Dubai and UAE in the digital transformation race globally. UPN will help achieve the secure and seamless transition of Dubai towards a cashless society in line with the vision of the government and the strategic plans of the Cashless Dubai Working Group constituted recently.”

Mohammed Shael Al Saadi, CEO of the Corporate Strategic Affairs sector in Dubai Economy, remarked: “UPN will further reduce the time, efforts and the investment to market and promote new payment products and services. This platform will encourage payment service providers to focus on their offerings and to onboard more users, without investing further on the traditional acceptance network. It’s indeed a win-win situation for payment service providers, merchants and individuals.”

With UPN offering an affordable and seamless platform, Dubai Economy will seek to accelerate financial inclusion rate in the UAE by empowering local wallets to onboard and encouraging every payment service provider to be part of the network, contributing towards the goal of the UAE to be among the top 10 cashless economies in the world. For more details on UPN and onboarding, please refer to website www.UPN.ae