The United Arab Emirates Central Bank has granted Global payment service provider Checkout.com a Retail Payment Services license. The recent press release by the platform notes that Checkout.com is “the first global payments provider to be granted an acquiring license in the country”, and the announcement strengthens its position as a leader across the MENA region.

Now that Checkout.com has secured an acquiring license, the company can unlock its full proposition for UAE merchants, including card acquiring, payment aggregation, and cross-border fund transfers. Most importantly, Checkout.com’s new acquiring license gives the company greater control over the entire payment processing mechanism and enables best-in-class payment acceptance rates for merchants.

“Our thanks to the Central Bank of the UAE for their approval. The issuance of this license shows the level of trust, commitment, and strength of the relationship we continue to have in serving both domestic and international brands to expand in the UAE. We’re proud of the small part we’ve played to increase the trust in digital payments and allow businesses in the digital economy to thrive,” says CEO and Founder of Checkout.com, Guillaume Pousaz.

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The UAE has recently witnessed an explosive eCommerce growth trajectory. It is forecast to reach a Compound Annual Growth Rate (CAGR) of 11%, increasing the eCommerce market size to $17Bn by 2025. 91% of consumers in the UAE now favor making their purchases online, and Checkout.com already supports some of the country’s top brand names, including Cafu, Washmen, Shahid, Qlub, Carrefour, Namshi, Mamo, MakeMyTrip, and The Entertainer.