Big week ahead for Apple Pay

Apple Pay is set to launch this week in the UAE.

On an earnings call with analysts earlier this year, Apple said that the mobile payments service would go live in the UAE, Denmark, Finland and Sweden before the end of this calendar year. All four launches are due to happen this week. Last month, it was announced that Emirates NBD, the largest bank in Dubai, would offer Apple Pay. Other participating banks in the UAE will include Mashreq Bank, Emirates Islamic Bank, Rakbank, Standard Chartered, and HSBC. Mastercard and Visa credit and debit cards will be supported.

Apple will, however, face stiff competition, with the UAE Banks Federation (UBF) set to introduce the Emirates Digital Wallet in the near future.