About Network International
Network International is one of the largest payment companies in the Middle East and Africa. Founded in Dubai in 1994, it provides the technology behind a large share of card payments in the region, working for both merchants that accept payments and banks that issue cards.
Its business has two main sides. For merchants, Network International provides acquiring services: the card terminals, online payment gateways and processing that let shops, restaurants, hotels and e-commerce businesses accept Visa, Mastercard and other payment methods. Merchants range from small shops to large retail chains and airlines.
For banks and financial institutions, the company offers issuer processing, running the systems that manage card accounts, authorise transactions and handle fraud checks. Many banks across the Middle East and Africa outsource these functions to Network International rather than build their own infrastructure, which gives the company a very wide footprint across dozens of countries.
Technology has been central to its growth. The company has invested in modern processing platforms, digital onboarding for merchants, value-added services such as analytics and fraud management, and support for new payment methods like digital wallets.
Network International was listed on the London Stock Exchange in 2019, bringing a major Gulf payments business to international investors. In 2024 it was acquired by Brookfield, the global investment firm, and taken private.
Its home market, the UAE, has seen a rapid shift from cash to cards and digital payments, supported by government policy, high smartphone use and a strong retail and tourism sector. Across Africa, where card and digital payment adoption is growing from a lower base, the company sees long-term opportunities.
Competition has intensified with the arrival of global payment companies and regional fintechs, but Network International's long relationships with banks and merchants remain a significant advantage.
As the company behind a large share of the region's card transactions, Network International is a foundational name in Gulf payments, and Startups UAE includes it among the country's established fintech companies.
Its business has two main sides. For merchants, Network International provides acquiring services: the card terminals, online payment gateways and processing that let shops, restaurants, hotels and e-commerce businesses accept Visa, Mastercard and other payment methods. Merchants range from small shops to large retail chains and airlines.
For banks and financial institutions, the company offers issuer processing, running the systems that manage card accounts, authorise transactions and handle fraud checks. Many banks across the Middle East and Africa outsource these functions to Network International rather than build their own infrastructure, which gives the company a very wide footprint across dozens of countries.
Technology has been central to its growth. The company has invested in modern processing platforms, digital onboarding for merchants, value-added services such as analytics and fraud management, and support for new payment methods like digital wallets.
Network International was listed on the London Stock Exchange in 2019, bringing a major Gulf payments business to international investors. In 2024 it was acquired by Brookfield, the global investment firm, and taken private.
Its home market, the UAE, has seen a rapid shift from cash to cards and digital payments, supported by government policy, high smartphone use and a strong retail and tourism sector. Across Africa, where card and digital payment adoption is growing from a lower base, the company sees long-term opportunities.
Competition has intensified with the arrival of global payment companies and regional fintechs, but Network International's long relationships with banks and merchants remain a significant advantage.
As the company behind a large share of the region's card transactions, Network International is a foundational name in Gulf payments, and Startups UAE includes it among the country's established fintech companies.