Dubai First

What Dubai First does

Dubai First is a credit card and consumer finance brand operating in the United Arab Emirates, wholly owned by First Abu Dhabi Bank (FAB) PJSC, the largest bank in the UAE. Founded in 2007 and headquartered in Dubai, the company issues Mastercard-branded credit cards targeting UAE resident consumers across three primary segments: everyday spenders seeking cashback rewards, lifestyle-focused consumers, and credit card switchers attracted by balance transfer offers. Its core product line includes Cashback, Platinum, and Low-Rate credit card variants, with a tiered cashback structure (5% on supermarket/fuel/dining, 0.50% on other shopping, 0.15% on government services and utilities) and an interest-free credit period of up to 56 days. The company also distributes a BNPL sub-brand (SlicePay Card) and offers supplementary insurance products including Credit Shield.

The technology platform is mobile-first, built around the Dubai First mobile app which enables instant credit card applications using only Emirates ID and IBAN, eliminating paperwork and in-person meetings. Proprietary features include in-app push-notification payment approval (replacing OTP), face recognition for supplementary card issuance, and an AI-powered Virtual Agent for telephone banking that combines machine learning, natural language understanding, and voice biometric authentication. The backend integrates with UAE Central Bank payment infrastructure (UAEPGS, UAEFTS), SWIFT, and FAB's 130+ Cash Deposit Machines, alongside partnerships with four exchange houses for cash bill payments. Apple Pay, Google Pay, and Samsung Pay wallet integrations extend the digital payment surface.

Dubai First monetizes through four primary revenue streams: credit card interchange fees shared partially with customers via cashback, interest on revolving balances beyond the 56-day interest-free period, transaction fees on Easy Instalment Plans and Balance Transfers (minimum AED 500), and recurring subscription revenue from Credit Shield and supplementary insurance products. Distribution is hybrid: digital self-serve through the mobile app for consumer acquisition, FAB's physical branch network for enterprise and in-person service, and an extensive merchant partnership network (Amazon.ae, Noon, Careem, VOX Cinemas, Wild Wadi, Cleartrip, Avis, Booking.com, Lulu Hypermarket) driving card usage across e-commerce, entertainment, travel, food delivery, and grocery categories.

Name

Dubai First

Legal name

First Abu Dhabi Bank PJSC

Website

https://dubaifirst.com

Company type

Public

Founded year

2007

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

501–1,000 employees

Short description

Dubai First is a UAE-based credit card and consumer finance brand, wholly owned by First Abu Dhabi Bank, issuing mobile-first Mastercard credit cards with tiered cashback, balance transfer, and BNPL offerings to UAE resident consumers across everyday, lifestyle, and switcher segments.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Consumer Credit Cards

NAICS

Credit Card Issuing (522210)

SIC

Personal Credit Institutions (6141)

akta.pro primary industry

Virtual / Digital-First Credit Cards (FSAKABAK)

akta.pro secondary industries

Card Issuing & Virtual Cards (lodge cards, single-use, tokenization) (THALAHAB), BNPL Card / Virtual Card Programs (FSAKACAC)

Keywords

• Consumer credit cards
• Cashback rewards
• Mobile banking
• Balance transfers
• Instalment plans

Headquarters

HQ city

Dubai

HQ country

United Arab Emirates

HQ region

Middle East

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Operations, Personnel, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Credit Card Interchange Fees: Revenue generated from merchant transactions when cardholders make purchases using Dubai First credit cards. Cashback rates (5% on supermarket/fuel/dining, 0.50% on international and other shopping, 0.15% on government services) indicate a portion of interchange revenue is shared with customers.
2. Interest on Credit Balances: Revenue from interest charged on outstanding credit card balances beyond the interest-free period. Website mentions interest-free credit period of up to 56 days and low-interest loans against credit limits.
3. Easy Instalment Plans and Balance Transfers: Fees associated with converting purchases to instalment plans (minimum AED 500) and balance transfers. Welcome offer of 0% interest Balance Transfers and Quick Cash for new customers.
4. Credit Shield and Insurance Products: Revenue from supplementary insurance and protection products including Credit Shield, Accident Shield, and Life Insurance offered to credit card holders.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

Dubai First is a credit card and consumer finance brand that issues Mastercard-branded credit cards (Cashback, Platinum, Low-Rate variants) directly to UAE consumers through a mobile-first application process. The company also provides a SlicePay buy-now-pay-later card, balance transfers, easy instalment plans, quick cash loans against credit limits, and optional Credit Shield insurance. Cardholders earn tiered cashback (up to 5% on supermarket/fuel/dining) and access lifestyle discounts at partner merchants including Amazon.ae, Noon, VOX Cinemas, Careem, and travel platforms.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• SlicePay Card: A buy now, pay later (BNPL) card offering flexible payment solutions

Products and services

• Dubai First Credit Cards
• SlicePay Card
• Credit Shield

Quantifiable outcome

• Up to 5% cashback on supermarket, fuel, and dining purchases
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers10 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration18 records

AI capability5 records

Feature4 records

Partnerships

Ten partnerships are on record, tiered core, major and minor.

• First Abu Dhabi Bank PJSC (FAB)coreOthersDubai First is a trademark and brand owned by First Abu Dhabi Bank PJSC. FAB provides the banking infrastructure, regulatory compliance, brand backing, and operational support including branches, CDMs, and digital banking platform.
• MastercardcoreTechnology or IntegrationDubai First credit cards are issued on the Mastercard network, providing global acceptance and access to Mastercard benefits including Priceless Cities experiences, Buy 1 Get 1 offers, and Travel Pass lounge access.
• FAB Cash Deposit MachinescoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorOver 130 FAB CDMs across the UAE enable 24/7 credit card bill payments and cash deposits for Dubai First customers.
• Exchange House PartnersmajorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorPartner exchange houses including Al Ansari Exchange, Al Fardan Exchange, Al Ghurair Exchange, and Redha Al Ansari Exchange provide bill payment services across their UAE branch networks.
• Amazon.aemajorGTM or Marketing PartnerE-commerce partner offering exclusive year-round deals for Dubai First cardholders, driving card usage and customer acquisition.
• VOX CinemasmajorGTM or Marketing PartnerMovie tickets from AED 20 with 20% discount on food and beverage for Dubai First cardholders. Partnership drives card engagement in entertainment category.
• CareemmajorGTM or Marketing PartnerCareem Food, Quik, and DineOut offers for Dubai First cardholders, covering food delivery and restaurant dining experiences.
• CleartripminorGTM or Marketing PartnerUp to 8% discount on travel bookings using Platinum Mastercard through Cleartrip platform.
• AvisminorGTM or Marketing PartnerUp to 20% off car rental worldwide with complimentary upgrade for Dubai First Mastercard holders.
• Booking.comminorGTM or Marketing PartnerUp to 10% back on bookings for Dubai First Mastercard holders traveling through the platform.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Direct peers

• RAKBANK: UAE retail-focused bank with a particularly strong credit card franchise (World, Platinum, Cashback cards) known for agile product launches and reward programs — a direct mid-tier competitor to Dubai First's cashback-led positioning.
• Emirates NBD: Largest UAE bank by assets and the leading credit card issuer in the country with a comparable rewards/cashback-led portfolio (e.g., Skywards, Plus) and a major mobile-first push (Liv.). Directly competes with Dubai First for UAE residents' primary card spend.
• Mashreq Bank: UAE-headquartered bank with a strong consumer cards franchise (Mashreq Platinum, Cashback cards) and an aggressive digital roadmap (Mashreq Neo); competes head-to-head with Dubai First for lifestyle and rewards-driven UAE cardholders.
• Abu Dhabi Commercial Bank (ADCB): Major UAE bank issuing TouchPoints and other credit card products with comparable cashback/rewards economics and a government-bill-payment presence; directly competes for UAE resident wallets including in Abu Dhabi.
• Commercial Bank of Dubai (CBD): Dubai-headquartered retail and commercial bank with a credit card portfolio targeting the same UAE resident and lifestyle-spender segments as Dubai First, with similar merchant benefit programs.
• Dubai Islamic Bank (DIB): Largest Islamic bank in the UAE with Sharia-compliant card products and a comparable rewards/cashback positioning; competes for the same UAE resident base that prefers structured, rewards-linked credit facilities.

Emerging players

• Tabby: Leading MENA BNPL provider that has rolled out a Tabby Card product; directly competes with Dubai First's SlicePay BNPL sub-brand at the intersection of instalment financing and card-based checkout in the UAE.
• Spotii: UAE- and Saudi-focused BNPL fintech offering interest-free instalments via card and checkout integrations; competes with SlicePay for share of BNPL-driven retail spend among UAE consumers.

Broad incumbents

• HSBC UAE: Global incumbent with a sizable UAE credit card portfolio (Premier, Advance, Cashback) targeting both residents and cross-border travelers; overlaps with Dubai First on travel-card and lifestyle benefits but operates as part of a much wider retail-banking franchise.
• Standard Chartered UAE: International bank with a UAE retail-banking and credit card presence focused on affluent and cross-border customers; comparable to Dubai First on travel-card value and cashback, but a much broader portfolio.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks7 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/dubaifirst
• Facebookfacebook.com/DubaiFirstUAE
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/dubai-first-p-j-s-c
• Instagraminstagram.com/dubaifirstuae

Compliance2 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Dubai First