Abu Dhabi: Al Etihad Payments (AEP), the owner and operator of the UAE's national switch and the Jaywan domestic card scheme, has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with UnionPay International to enable the global acceptance of Jaywan mono-badged cards through UnionPay's international network. The MoU was signed at UnionPay International's headquarters in Shanghai by Saif Humaid Al Dhaheri, Chairman of Al Etihad Payments, and Dong Junfeng, Chairman of China UnionPay and UnionPay International. Under the agreement, UnionPay will route transactions made by Jaywan cardholders outside the UAE through the UAE National Switch operated by Al Etihad Payments. The latest agreement builds on the existing cooperation between Al Etihad Payments and UnionPay, which already enables UAE financial institutions to issue co-badged Jaywan-UnionPay cards. Under that arrangement, domestic transactions are processed through the Jaywan network, while international transactions are processed via UnionPay International.