Apple Pay, Samsung Pay & UAE Wallets: What Actually Works

For two years I resisted digital wallets. "What's the point?" I thought. "My card works fine." Then I forgot my wallet at home one day, had my phone, and discovered that Apple Pay worked at literally every place I needed that day - coffee shop, supermarket, petrol station, even the parking machine.

I haven't carried my physical cards daily since. They live in my laptop bag for emergencies. Here's what I've learned about mobile payments in UAE.

The Big Three: Apple Pay, Samsung Pay, Google Pay

Apple Pay in UAE

If you have an iPhone and a UAE bank card, Apple Pay works beautifully here. Setup takes five minutes, and acceptance is almost universal. I've used it at Carrefour, Spinneys, Costa Coffee, fuel stations, the metro, pharmacies, restaurants - basically everywhere contactless is accepted.

Most major UAE banks support Apple Pay:

• Emirates NBD
• ADCB
• FAB (First Abu Dhabi Bank)
• Mashreq
• DIB (Dubai Islamic Bank)
• RAKBank
• HSBC UAE

International cards on Apple Pay also work, though you might encounter the same foreign transaction fees as using the physical card. The Apple Pay UAE page has the full list of supported banks.

Samsung Pay in UAE

Samsung Pay has one major advantage: MST technology. In addition to NFC (contactless), it can emulate the magnetic stripe of a card. This means it works on some older terminals that don't support contactless.

In practice, I've found this matters less in UAE since most terminals are modern. But if you have a Samsung phone, it's worth setting up. Bank support is similar to Apple Pay.

Google Pay in UAE

Google Pay (now Google Wallet) works in UAE but with fewer bank partnerships than Apple Pay. As of early 2025, it's supported by Emirates NBD, ADCB, FAB, and a few others. Check the Google Wallet supported banks list for current availability.

If your bank supports it, Google Pay works identically to Apple Pay - tap your phone, authenticate with fingerprint or PIN, done.

UAE-Specific Digital Wallets Worth Knowing

Payit by FAB

Payit is First Abu Dhabi Bank's digital wallet, and it's genuinely useful even if you don't bank with FAB. You can:

• Send money instantly to other Payit users
• Pay bills (DEWA, Etisalat, du, Salik)
• Top up your phone
• Pay at NFC-enabled terminals
• Request money from friends

I use Payit mainly for splitting bills with friends. It's faster than bank transfers for small amounts between UAE residents.

Botim Pay

Botim started as a video calling app (the one that works in UAE unlike FaceTime audio/WhatsApp calls). They've added a payment feature that's becoming more popular. It's useful for:

• Paying friends who also use Botim
• Some utility payments
• Mobile top-ups

NOL Pay (RTA)

If you use Dubai public transport, NOL Pay lets you pay fares directly from your phone. No need for the physical NOL card. This is genuinely useful - I lost my NOL card twice before switching to NOL Pay.

Setup through the RTA Dubai app is straightforward. You link a card, and your phone becomes your transit pass. Works on metro, bus, tram, and water bus.

Where Digital Wallets Work Best

In my experience, mobile payments work flawlessly at:

• All major retailers - Carrefour, Spinneys, Lulu, Waitrose, etc.
• Chain restaurants and cafes - Starbucks, Costa, McDonald's, Tim Hortons, etc.
• Malls - Every store I've tried in Dubai Mall, Mall of the Emirates, etc.
• Petrol stations - ADNOC, ENOC, both the pump and the shop
• Pharmacies - Boots, Life Pharmacy, Aster
• Public transport - Metro, tram (with NOL Pay)
• Most restaurants - Even independent ones

Where They Don't Work (Yet)

Here's the reality check. Digital wallets won't help you at:

• Cash-only places - Obviously. See my cash guide for the full list.
• Some government services - Certain fees still require specific payment methods
• Older parking machines - The ones that only take coins
• Some taxis - Though this is improving with the RTA app

The weird gap: some places accept cards but not mobile wallets. I've encountered this at a few independent restaurants where their terminal is slightly older. It's rare but happens.

Security: Why I Actually Trust Mobile Payments More Than Cards

This surprised me, but mobile payments are arguably more secure than physical cards:

• Tokenization - Your real card number is never transmitted. The terminal gets a one-time token.
• Biometric authentication - Someone would need your face/fingerprint AND your phone to use it.
• No card skimming - Your physical card can be skimmed. Your phone can't.
• Instant disable - If your phone is lost, disable the wallet remotely. Try doing that with a lost card at midnight.

I've had a card cloned once in Dubai (still don't know where). Since switching primarily to Apple Pay, no issues. Correlation isn't causation, but I feel safer.

Setting Up: Quick Guides

Apple Pay with UAE Bank Card

1. Open Wallet app on iPhone
2. Tap the + button
3. Select "Debit or Credit Card"
4. Scan your card or enter details manually
5. Verify via your bank's app or SMS code
6. Done. Double-click side button to pay.

Samsung Pay with UAE Bank Card

1. Open Samsung Pay app
2. Register your Samsung account
3. Add card by scanning or typing
4. Verify through your bank
5. Swipe up from bottom of screen to pay

Google Wallet with UAE Bank Card

1. Download Google Wallet from Play Store
2. Sign in with Google account
3. Tap "Add to Wallet" then "Payment card"
4. Scan or enter card details
5. Complete bank verification
6. Wake phone and hold near terminal to pay

My Current Mobile Payment Setup

Here's exactly what I have configured:

• Apple Pay - Emirates NBD debit as default, credit card as backup. This handles 95% of my payments.
• NOL Pay - For metro rides when I don't want to dig out my NOL card.
• Payit - For quick transfers to friends.
• Wise app - For online purchases from international sites.

I don't use Samsung Pay or Google Pay since I'm on iPhone, but friends who use them report similar experiences.

The day I realized I'd gone a full week without touching my physical wallet was the day I became a true believer in mobile payments. UAE is genuinely ready for this.

The One Thing That Doesn't Work

ATM withdrawals. You cannot use Apple Pay, Samsung Pay, or Google Pay to withdraw cash from an ATM in UAE. Some countries have this, UAE doesn't yet. If you need physical cash, you need a physical card.

This is the only reason I still carry a card in my laptop bag. For the rare occasions I need to withdraw cash, I need that plastic rectangle.

Related Reading

For the complete picture, check out my guides on credit and debit cards in UAE and when you still need cash. Together, these three articles cover everything you need to know about paying for things in the Emirates.