CBUAE and Mercury Join Forces to Launch ‘Unitey’ – A Strategic Leap for UAE’s Financial Infrastructure
by Abu Dhabi: In a significant step toward digital financial transformation, the Central Bank of the United Arab Emirates (CBUAE) has partnered with leading payments infrastructure provider Mercury to establish a joint venture company — Unitey Business Services. This strategic collaboration is designed to support CBUAE’s ambitious Financial Infrastructure Transformation (FIT) programme.
Unitey aims to strengthen the UAE’s national financial market infrastructure by ensuring it meets global standards of efficiency, resiliency, and business continuity. It marks a powerful public-private partnership that combines CBUAE’s strategic regulatory vision with Mercury’s deep-rooted expertise in payment technologies and services.
A Strategic Vision for a Future-Ready UAE
The formal launch of the joint venture was marked by a signing ceremony attended by prominent leaders, including His Excellency Khaled Mohamed Balama, Governor of the CBUAE, Mr. Muzaffar Khokhar, Executive Chairman of Mercury, and His Excellency Saif Humaid Al Dhaheri, Assistant Governor for Banking Operations and Support Services at CBUAE.
The agreement was officially signed by His Excellency Ebrahim Obaid Al Zaabi, Assistant Governor for Monetary Policy and Financial Stability at CBUAE, and Mr. Muzaffer Hamid, CEO of Mercury.
Leadership Speaks: Future-Focused & Inclusive
HE Ebrahim Obaid Al Zaabi highlighted the core objective of the venture, saying:
“This joint venture reflects our ambition to build a future-focused payments infrastructure that is both innovative and resilient, and promotes financial inclusion across the UAE. Our partnership with Mercury enables us to harness global best practices and capabilities as we drive the digital transformation of the UAE’s financial ecosystem.”
Echoing this vision, Mr. Muzaffar Khokhar emphasized Mercury’s commitment to national progress:
“We are honoured to partner with the Central Bank of the UAE in this strategic venture which plays a central role in advancing the vision of CBUAE’s FIT programme and highlights our mutual dedication to creating a secure, inclusive, and future-ready payments infrastructure for the nation.”
What Unitey Means for the UAE
This initiative not only boosts the UAE’s capacity to manage its own sovereign financial systems, but also aligns with the broader goals of enhancing digital infrastructure, fostering innovation, and ensuring financial inclusion.
By creating Unitey, CBUAE and Mercury are reinforcing the UAE’s position as a regional leader in digital finance and regulatory modernization — a move that will have long-lasting impacts on the country’s economy and financial services landscape.
