AFS Brings Tabby Installment Payments to UAE Store Checkouts

The partnership adds consumer financing to AFS's merchant network as the company expands its UAE payment acceptance business.

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Installment payments give shoppers time to spread purchase costs. For retailers, offering them at the counter means connecting customer financing with the systems used to process a sale.

Arab Financial Services (AFS) has partnered with Tabby to offer installment payments through AFS point-of-sale terminals in the UAE. The service is available to merchants in the country, and expansion to other markets is planned.

The integration gives participating retailers another payment option within their AFS checkout setup. Eligible customers can spread the cost of an in-store purchase easily. The partnership is intended to support sales and larger baskets, keeping checkout straightforward.

Zarik Nabi, Chief Commercial Officer at Tabby, said in the announcement:

"Partnering with AFS puts flexible payments right where customers are ready to buy, at the register."

Connecting credit with payment acceptance

AFS provides merchant acquiring, card processing and payment technology to businesses and banks. Merchant acquiring covers the services that allow a retailer to accept and process electronic payments. Tabby supplies the installment product, with shoppers managing repayments through its app.

Under Tabby's general merchant model, retailers receive payment upfront rather than waiting for every customer installment. Merchants pay a fee when the service is used. This separates a retailer's collection of sale proceeds from the shopper's repayment schedule.

Tabby already supports physical-store payments through payment links. Merchants can generate these in its dashboard or business app and send them by SMS or email. The AFS agreement adds another distribution route through the payment provider's terminals.

Mahmoud Ismail, AFS's Group Head of Acquiring Products, said in the announcement:

"Our partnership with Tabby brings flexible payment options directly to the AFS POS experience, giving merchants another way to serve their customers while maintaining a simple and seamless checkout journey."

Building AFS's UAE business

AFS began UAE merchant acquiring in 2025. In that first year, the market contributed 14% of its total acquiring revenue, according to Bank ABC's 2025 annual report. The figure shows that the UAE had already become a meaningful part of this business before the Tabby integration.

Tabby brings an established customer and merchant network. In September 2026, it reported 25 million registered users, 70,000 business partners and more than $18 billion in annualized transaction volume. Those figures cover its wider business rather than the UAE alone.

Payment terms still matter

For shoppers, availability does not guarantee approval or the same plan at every store. Tabby says its approval decisions consider payment history, outstanding balances and the purchase amount. Its app displays upcoming payments and sends reminders.

Tabby's general UAE eligibility criteria require customers to be at least 18 and hold a valid national ID. They must also link a valid debit or credit card and have a good credit history. An existing credit card is therefore not a prerequisite. Available spending limits can vary by store and with a customer's purchase and repayment history.

Tabby's standard Pay in 4 product divides purchases into four monthly payments. The first is collected at checkout. It is without interest or extra charges when payments are made on time.

The company also offers longer payment plans of up to 12 months, which can carry service fees. Overdue UAE payments may attract collection charges and affect a customer's credit record.

The partnership adds financing to a growing payment acceptance business. Its practical value is being able to choose installments at participating stores. The benefit will depend on merchant availability, customer approval and the terms offered for each purchase.