HIMYAN gains new Gulf payments foothold

Qatar Central Bank has expanded acceptance of its national payment card HIMYAN to Bahrain, allowing cardholders to make purchases and withdraw cash through point-of-sale terminals and ATMs across the kingdom as Doha pushes deeper into cross-border digital payments within the Gulf.

The move gives Qatar’s domestic card scheme a second overseas market after Kuwait, where acceptance was announced on 18 December 2025. It places HIMYAN within a wider Gulf effort to reduce friction in retail payments, support local card networks and strengthen financial links among GCC economies at a time when digital transactions, tourism flows and regional banking connectivity are all expanding.

QCB said the Bahrain rollout forms part of its Third Financial Sector Strategy, which seeks to build a secure, efficient and modern payments infrastructure while encouraging wider use of digital transactions. The central bank has framed HIMYAN as a national payment solution designed to keep more payment activity within a Qatari-controlled ecosystem, reduce reliance on international card rails for domestic and regional use, and support innovation in the financial sector.

HIMYAN, the first national payment card under a Qatari brand, is owned by QCB and was launched to serve citizens, residents and visitors through everyday transactions at merchants, ATMs and local e-commerce platforms. Banks in Qatar have issued the card in prepaid and debit formats, with features including contactless payments, cash withdrawals and digital wallet compatibility through selected banking channels.

The Bahrain acceptance arrangement means HIMYAN users travelling between Qatar and Bahrain can carry out retail spending and cash withdrawals without depending solely on global card networks. For merchants and acquiring banks, the expansion adds another domestic Gulf card scheme to payment acceptance channels, although the practical scale of adoption will depend on terminal readiness, customer awareness and the commercial terms applied by participating institutions.

Qatar’s decision follows a pattern across the Gulf in which central banks are using national payment infrastructure as a strategic tool. Domestic payment cards, instant payment systems, QR-code standards and mobile wallets are being developed alongside open banking rules and fintech licensing frameworks. These initiatives aim to improve resilience, lower transaction costs, widen financial inclusion and give regulators greater visibility over payment flows.

Bahrain is a logical next market for HIMYAN because of its mature payments environment and close financial links with Qatar. The kingdom has positioned itself as a fintech hub, supported by the Central Bank of Bahrain, open banking rules, digital wallet adoption and the BENEFIT Company’s national payments infrastructure. Its point-of-sale and ATM networks already support a range of domestic and international payment channels, creating the technical base for additional Gulf card acceptance.

The initiative also carries a regional integration message. GCC states have been working for years to improve payment interoperability, though progress has often moved through bilateral or platform-specific arrangements rather than a single fully unified retail payments system. HIMYAN’s move into Kuwait and Bahrain indicates that Qatar is taking a staged approach, extending acceptance country by country while keeping the card tied to QCB’s national payments agenda.

For consumers, the immediate benefit is convenience during travel. Bahrain is a regular destination for Gulf visitors, business travellers and residents with family or commercial ties across the region. The ability to use HIMYAN at shops and ATMs gives the card greater practical value beyond Qatar’s borders, particularly for users who prefer prepaid cards, want tighter spending control or do not rely heavily on international credit cards.

For Qatar’s banking sector, the expansion supports a broader shift from cash and legacy payment behaviour to digital channels. Local banks have promoted HIMYAN as a simple payment tool that can be issued without complex credit approval, especially in prepaid form. Some issuers also link the card to loyalty benefits, instant issuance and mobile banking services, helping build customer familiarity with a locally branded payments product.

The GCC payments market is being reshaped by high smartphone penetration, e-commerce growth, government digitisation and consumer demand for faster, cheaper and more secure transactions. Across the region, contactless cards, mobile wallets and instant transfers have moved from optional services to core banking infrastructure. Central banks are responding by tightening cybersecurity standards, encouraging interoperability and promoting domestic payment schemes that can operate alongside global networks.