Direct Answer
AFS Pro corporate cards are a new business payment solution from Arab Financial Services and Mastercard, launched in the UAE in August 2026. The cards combine corporate credit and prepaid card functionality with digital spending controls, real-time transaction monitoring and business payment tools through the AFS Pro platform. Unlike a conventional card application, the solution is designed to be offered to businesses through banks and financial institutions that deploy AFS Pro.
The broader proposition is designed to bring corporate cards, spending visibility and payment operations together, making it an integrated spend-management ecosystem rather than just a standalone payment card.
Sources: Arab Financial Services (AFS) and Mastercard announcements; Central Bank of the UAE licensing information.
The UAE’s corporate payments market is becoming increasingly competitive as banks, fintechs and payment companies introduce digital-first tools for business spending and expense management.
The latest development comes from Arab Financial Services (AFS) and Mastercard. On 5 August 2026, the companies announced a partnership to introduce corporate credit and prepaid cards integrated with AFS Pro in the UAE and Egypt. The UAE is the first market for the rollout, with Egypt planned to follow.
For UAE companies, the important point is that AFS Pro is more than a corporate card. It combines card management with payment acceptance and business financial-management features.
What Is AFS Pro in the UAE?
AFS Pro is a business payments platform from Arab Financial Services that combines corporate card management, payment acceptance, transaction monitoring and other merchant tools in one digital environment.
AFS originally positioned AFS Pro as an all-in-one merchant platform for small and medium-sized businesses. Its existing capabilities include payment acceptance, transaction information, self-service features, card controls and a B2B marketplace.
The latest Mastercard partnership adds corporate credit and prepaid cards to that ecosystem.
Under the new proposition, businesses can use AFS Pro to manage corporate cards, apply spending controls, monitor transactions and streamline expense management. Mastercard provides the card network and its associated acceptance and security infrastructure.
This makes AFS Pro different from a traditional business credit card that primarily provides a payment facility.
The broader proposition is designed to bring corporate cards, spending visibility and payment operations together.
Are AFS Pro Business Credit Cards Available in the UAE?
Yes. Mastercard and AFS have announced the launch of corporate credit and prepaid cards integrated with AFS Pro in the UAE, with the UAE rollout taking place before Egypt.
The announcement was made on 5 August 2026. Mastercard said the products are being introduced in the UAE and Egypt, with AFS Pro providing the digital platform through which businesses can manage their cards and related payment activities.
However, businesses should not interpret the launch as a conventional direct-to-consumer card application.
AFS Pro is positioned as a solution that banks and financial institutions can deploy for their customers. This means the availability of the cards to a particular UAE business can depend on which financial institution offers the AFS Pro-powered proposition.
At launch, AFS and Mastercard had not publicly identified a specific issuing bank for all UAE businesses, nor had they published detailed pricing or card fees.
How Do AFS Pro Corporate Cards Work?
AFS Pro corporate cards help businesses manage company spending digitally, with real-time transaction visibility and configurable spending controls.
The basic model involves several layers:
- AFS: Provides the payments technology and AFS Pro platform.
- Mastercard: Provides the card network and related payment infrastructure.
- Banks and financial institutions: Deploy the solution to their business customers.
- Businesses: Use the resulting corporate cards and AFS Pro tools to manage spending and payments.
This bank-distribution model is one of the most important aspects of the launch. Instead of requiring every business to establish a separate relationship with a standalone fintech card provider, AFS is offering financial institutions a ready-made corporate payments proposition.
That could make the product particularly relevant to banks looking to modernise their SME and corporate banking services.
What Features Do AFS Pro Corporate Cards Offer?
AFS Pro combines corporate card management with spending controls, real-time transaction monitoring, payment acceptance and digital expense-management capabilities. According to Mastercard and AFS, the proposition includes several key features:
Corporate Credit and Prepaid Cards
Businesses can access corporate credit and prepaid card products through the AFS Pro ecosystem. The availability of a prepaid option is important because prepaid cards and credit cards serve different business needs. A prepaid card generally relies on funds loaded or made available to the card account, while a credit card involves an approved credit facility and repayment terms.
Spending Controls
Businesses can use AFS Pro to establish greater control over corporate spending and monitor how company funds are being used. Digital spending controls can help finance teams manage employee expenditure and create clearer boundaries around business purchases. This can be particularly useful for companies with multiple employees, departments or operational locations.
Real-Time Transaction Monitoring
AFS Pro provides businesses with real-time visibility into transactions, helping finance teams monitor corporate spending more closely. Real-time transaction information can reduce reliance on manual expense tracking and give businesses a more current view of card activity. For growing companies, this can help finance teams identify unusual transactions, track expenditure and improve internal reporting.
Expense Management
The AFS Pro proposition is designed to simplify corporate expense management by bringing card activity and spending information into a digital platform. Instead of treating the card as a standalone payment instrument, the platform connects card usage with wider business-payment processes. This is part of the broader shift towards integrated spend-management solutions in the UAE.
SoftPOS and Tap-to-Phone
AFS Pro also supports SoftPOS capabilities that allow compatible smartphones to accept contactless payments without requiring a traditional physical payment terminal. AFS Pro also supports Tap to Pay on iPhone in the UAE, allowing merchants to accept contactless card and digital wallet payments directly through a compatible iPhone, subject to applicable terms and requirements. This means the AFS Pro ecosystem is not limited to outgoing business expenditure. It also includes tools for businesses that need to accept payments from customers.
Pay-by-Link
AFS Pro includes Pay-by-Link functionality for businesses that need to collect payments remotely. Payment links can support remote and e-commerce transactions, giving businesses another way to collect customer payments without requiring a physical point-of-sale terminal. Mastercard specifically identified Pay-by-Link as one of the capabilities available within the wider AFS Pro ecosystem.
Can UAE Businesses Apply Directly for an AFS Pro Card?
Not necessarily. AFS Pro’s corporate card proposition is designed to be distributed through participating banks and financial institutions rather than through a universal direct-to-business application.
This is one of the most important points for UAE companies considering the product. AFS Pro is effectively a technology and payments platform that financial institutions can deploy.
Important
A company should not assume that downloading the AFS Pro app automatically means it can obtain an AFS Pro corporate credit card. The actual availability of a card will depend on the financial institution offering the product, its eligibility criteria and the terms of the relevant card programme.
At launch, no universal direct application route for all UAE businesses was announced.
Who Can Benefit From AFS Pro Corporate Cards?
AFS Pro corporate cards are particularly relevant to UAE SMEs and larger businesses looking for better control over employee spending, business expenses and payment operations. Potential users include:
- SMEs with multiple employees.
- Companies managing employee expenses.
- Businesses with recurring operational purchases.
- Companies with multiple branches or teams.
- Businesses seeking digital corporate payment controls.
- Companies that also need payment acceptance tools.
- Finance teams looking for real-time transaction visibility.
The proposition may be especially useful where businesses want to combine corporate spending and payment acceptance rather than operate several disconnected financial platforms.
However, eligibility should not be assumed. Each issuing institution can apply its own onboarding, credit assessment, KYC and commercial requirements.
Is AFS Pro a Bank?
No. AFS Pro is a payments and business-finance platform operated by Arab Financial Services, not a conventional UAE bank.
Arab Financial Services is a Bahrain-based digital payments and fintech company. The company’s UAE entity, Arab Financial Services L.L.C., appears on the Central Bank of the UAE’s licensing information under Retail Payment Services. The CBUAE describes Retail Payment Services as covering regulated activities including payment account issuance, payment instrument issuance, merchant acquiring and other payment services.
This distinction matters because the availability and structure of a corporate credit product can depend on the licensed financial institution involved in issuing or providing the relevant service.
Businesses should therefore distinguish between:
- AFS: The payments and fintech provider.
- AFS Pro: The business payments platform.
- Mastercard: The card network supporting the new corporate card proposition.
- Issuing financial institution: The bank or financial institution through which the solution may be offered to its business customers.
What Is Mastercard’s Role in AFS Pro?
Mastercard provides the global card network and associated payment capabilities for the new AFS Pro corporate card proposition.
The partnership gives businesses access to Mastercard-powered corporate credit and prepaid cards while AFS provides the technology and business payments infrastructure.
According to Mastercard, the collaboration is intended to provide businesses with a digital-first corporate payments and expense-management solution.
The partnership also means that AFS Pro is not simply adding another card product. It is combining card functionality with a wider digital payments environment.
Why Is AFS Pro Important for the UAE Corporate Card Market?
AFS Pro adds another bank-distributed corporate card and expense-management proposition to an increasingly competitive UAE business payments market.
The UAE has seen growing activity in corporate cards and digital spend-management solutions during 2026. AFS Pro enters a market where businesses can already access solutions from banks and fintech companies focused on corporate spending, expense management and business payments.
The key difference is the distribution strategy. Some fintech platforms build direct relationships with businesses. AFS Pro is designed to allow banks and financial institutions to deploy a ready-made corporate payments platform for their customers.
This could allow financial institutions to expand their business-card offering without having to build every component of the infrastructure internally.
What Makes AFS Pro Different From a Traditional UAE Business Credit Card?
The main difference is that AFS Pro combines a corporate card with a wider business payments platform instead of treating the card as a standalone financial product.
A traditional business credit card may primarily focus on credit access, purchases, rewards, payment periods and statements. AFS Pro adds a wider operational layer around the card. That includes:
- Spending controls
- Transaction monitoring
- Digital expense management
- Payment acceptance
- SoftPOS
- Pay-by-Link
- Business payment tracking
What Has AFS Said About the Launch?
AFS describes the Mastercard partnership as part of its expansion into the UAE and Egypt and as a way to give businesses greater efficiency, visibility and control over corporate spending.
AFS Group CEO Dr Samer Soliman said the collaboration supports the company’s expansion into the two markets and is intended to improve corporate spending management. Mastercard also described the solution as a scalable, digital-first corporate payments proposition.
AFS’s own announcement confirms that the business-card offering is integrated with AFS Pro and forms part of a broader business payments ecosystem.
What Does the AFS Pro Launch Mean for UAE SMEs?
For UAE SMEs, AFS Pro could make corporate spending easier to control by combining card payments, transaction visibility and expense-management tools within one digital platform.
The potential benefit is not simply access to another corporate card. For growing SMEs, finance teams need clear visibility into key aspects of business spending, including:
- Who made the purchase?
- How much was spent?
- When was it spent?
- Which business activity was it related to?
- Can employee spending be controlled?
- Can incoming customer payments be tracked?
- Can payment acceptance and business spending be managed through connected tools?
A platform that brings these functions closer together can reduce administrative complexity. However, the actual benefits will depend on the bank or financial institution offering the solution, its product configuration and the commercial terms available to the business.
Is AFS Pro Available to Every UAE Business?
No. The launch does not mean every UAE business automatically qualifies for an AFS Pro corporate card.
Businesses will still need to satisfy the requirements of the relevant financial institution and card programme. Eligibility can depend on factors such as:
- Business registration
- KYC requirements
- Ownership information
- Financial information
- Credit assessment for credit products
- Business banking relationship
- Internal approval criteria
- Card programme availability
The Mastercard and AFS announcement does not state that every UAE company is automatically eligible. Therefore, businesses should check directly with the participating financial institution when the product becomes available to them.
Has AFS Pro Disclosed Its UAE Card Fees and Limits?
No comprehensive UAE fee schedule, credit limits or universal pricing structure was disclosed in the 5 August 2026 Mastercard announcement. This is an important limitation when comparing AFS Pro with other UAE corporate cards.
Businesses should avoid relying on generic claims about:
- Annual fees
- Interest rates
- Credit limits
- Foreign transaction charges
- Cash withdrawal fees
- Rewards
- Late-payment charges
These terms can vary according to the issuing institution and specific card product. A comparison should therefore be made only after the actual UAE card programme and its terms are available.
AFS Pro vs Traditional Business Credit Cards
| Feature | AFS Pro corporate card proposition | Traditional business credit card |
|---|---|---|
| Corporate card | Yes | Yes |
| Credit option | Yes, subject to product and issuer | Usually |
| Prepaid option | Yes | Not always |
| Spending controls | Yes | Depends on issuer |
| Real-time monitoring | Yes | Depends on issuer |
| Expense-management tools | Integrated into platform | Often separate |
| SoftPOS | Available through AFS Pro ecosystem | Usually separate |
| Pay-by-Link | Available through AFS Pro ecosystem | Usually separate |
| Bank distribution | Designed for financial institutions | Common |
| Mastercard network | Yes for the announced proposition | Depends on card |
The biggest distinction is therefore integration. AFS Pro attempts to connect corporate card management with the wider payment lifecycle.
What Should UAE Businesses Check Before Getting an AFS Pro Card?
Businesses should compare the actual card terms offered by the issuing bank or financial institution before choosing an AFS Pro-powered corporate card. Key questions include:
-
1
What is the credit limit? If the product is a credit card, confirm the approved credit limit and how it is determined.
-
2
What are the fees? Check annual fees, transaction charges, foreign exchange charges, cash withdrawal fees and any other applicable costs.
-
3
What are the repayment terms? Businesses should understand the statement cycle, payment deadline, interest or finance charges and consequences of late payment.
-
4
Are employee cards available? Companies with multiple employees should check whether supplementary or employee cards can be issued and controlled separately.
-
5
What spending controls are available? Ask whether limits can be configured by employee, card, transaction type or other parameters.
-
6
What reporting is provided? Finance teams should examine whether transaction data and reporting meet their accounting and internal-control requirements.
-
7
Is the card accepted internationally? The Mastercard network provides broad international acceptance, but businesses should still review the specific product’s international transaction terms and fees.
-
8
Who actually issues the card? This is particularly important for AFS Pro because the platform and the issuing financial institution are not necessarily the same entity.
Why the Bank Distribution Model Matters
AFS Pro’s bank-distribution model could allow UAE financial institutions to offer modern corporate card and payment-management services without developing the entire technology stack themselves.
This is arguably the most significant strategic element of the announcement. AFS is positioning its platform as infrastructure that financial institutions can deploy. For banks, this can potentially reduce the time and complexity involved in developing:
- Corporate card infrastructure
- Spending controls
- Transaction dashboards
- Expense-management functionality
- Merchant payment acceptance
- Digital onboarding
- Payment-link capabilities
For businesses, the result could be access to more sophisticated corporate payment tools through an existing banking relationship.
Is AFS Pro the First Corporate Card Product in the UAE?
No. AFS Pro is not the first corporate card solution in the UAE, but it is a new entrant in the country’s rapidly developing digital corporate payments market.
The UAE already has corporate card products offered by banks and fintech companies. Mastercard itself has announced other corporate-card partnerships in the UAE during 2026, including a commercial card suite with First Abu Dhabi Bank and a corporate card initiative involving KamelPay.
AFS Pro therefore enters an existing market rather than creating the UAE’s first business credit card category. Its differentiator is the combination of bank distribution, corporate cards and a broader business payments platform.
What Happens Next for AFS Pro in the UAE?
The next important stage will be the rollout of AFS Pro through participating banks and financial institutions and the disclosure of specific card terms for businesses.
The initial Mastercard announcement confirms the UAE and Egypt launch but does not provide a universal list of UAE issuing banks, customer numbers, transaction volumes or a detailed Egypt rollout schedule.
That means businesses should watch for announcements from UAE banks and financial institutions that adopt AFS Pro. The practical availability of the corporate cards will become clearer as those institutions launch their individual propositions.
Should UAE Businesses Pay Attention to AFS Pro?
Yes. AFS Pro is a significant new development in the UAE corporate payments market, but businesses should view it as a platform-enabled corporate card proposition rather than simply another standalone business credit card. The Mastercard and AFS partnership combines:
- Corporate credit cards
- Prepaid cards
- Spending controls
- Real-time transaction monitoring
- Expense-management capabilities
- SoftPOS
- Pay-by-Link
- Broader business payment tools
The UAE launch is genuine and backed by official announcements from both Mastercard and AFS. The CBUAE also lists Arab Financial Services L.L.C. under Retail Payment Services licensing. However, businesses should not assume that AFS Pro cards are available through a universal direct application. The model is designed around banks and financial institutions deploying the AFS Pro platform to their business customers. Product availability, eligibility, fees, credit limits and repayment terms will depend on the relevant issuing institution.
For UAE SMEs and corporate finance teams, the most important development is therefore not simply the arrival of another business card. It is the move towards integrated corporate payment infrastructure that combines spending, card management and payment acceptance in one ecosystem.
Frequently Asked Questions
Optimize Your UAE Business Payments
Need guidance on corporate payments, bookkeeping, and cash flow management in the UAE? IncHub supports businesses with corporate banking setups, payment system selection, and local compliance requirements.
Speak to a corporate payment advisorSources and References
- 1
- 2
- 3
