Arab Financial Services has partnered with Tabby to let customers of its UAE merchants pay in instalments at AFS point-of-sale terminals.
The integration brings Tabby’s flexible payment option to AFS point-of-sale (POS) terminals in the UAE, allowing shoppers to spread the cost of in-store purchases. According to the companies, it gives merchants a way to increase sales and basket sizes without adding complexity at checkout. The service is available to AFS merchants in the UAE, with plans to extend it to other AFS markets.
Instalments at the point of sale
Mahmoud Ismail, Group Head of Acquiring Products at AFS, stated that consumers increasingly want more choice in how they pay, and merchants need payment solutions that let them respond simply. According to Ismail, the partnership brings flexible payment options directly into the AFS POS experience, giving merchants another way to serve customers while keeping checkout simple.
Zarik Nabi, Chief Commercial Officer at Tabby, stated that the partnership places flexible payments at the register, where customers are ready to buy. According to Nabi, it gives shoppers the same control over how they pay in store as they already have online, and extends that option to more merchants across the UAE.
Expanding acceptance in the UAE
Bahrain-based AFS was formed in 1984 and has offices and data centres in Bahrain, Egypt, Oman, and the UAE. Its UAE subsidiary obtained a Retail Payment Services Licence (Category II) from the Central Bank of the UAE, which allowed AFS to expand into the country in January 2025. AFS has also worked with Mawarid Finance to launch smart POS terminals in the UAE.
Tabby has been expanding its in-store and payments presence across the region. In Bahrain, EazyPay has added Tabby to its POS terminal network, and in the UAE, the Ministry of Finance offers Tabby as an option for paying federal government service fees and fines in instalments, with Tabby paying the full amount upfront and customers repaying it over time.
