Mawarid Finance PJSC and Liabify today announced that the Central Bank of the UAE (CBUAE) has issued a no-objection to Mawarid Finance to provide financing facilities to micro, small and medium-sized enterprises (MSMEs) in collaboration with Liabify. The development marks a significant step towards expanding access to payroll-connected financing and earned wage access solutions for employees across the UAE.
The regulatory milestone supports the rollout of LiaPay, Liabify’s AI-powered financial wellness platform, which is designed to help employers provide employees with greater flexibility in managing their finances. Following the CBUAE’s no-objection for prepaid cards, participating employers will be able to facilitate access to eligible financing and earned wage access solutions through prepaid Mastercard cards, subject to applicable regulatory requirements and eligibility criteria.
The collaboration addresses a key financial challenge faced by employees and businesses alike: the gap between when financial needs arise and when salaries are paid. By connecting financial services with employment and payroll, LiaPay aims to provide employees with greater flexibility in accessing funds while helping MSMEs strengthen employee support and manage their financial resources more effectively.
For businesses, payroll-connected financial solutions can offer an additional way to support workforce wellbeing without losing sight of operational priorities. Liabify’s approach focuses on enabling more efficient use of existing capital, supported by responsible financing practices, technology-driven processes and disciplined risk management. The objective is to improve employees’ financial resilience while allowing businesses to maintain the liquidity needed for day-to-day operations and sustainable growth.
Dr. Allan Villegas, Co-founder and Chief Executive Officer of Liabify, said: “This development brings us closer to making financial wellness part of everyday working life in the UAE. Together with Mawarid Finance, we aim to help MSMEs support their employees through responsible access to liquidity. Our vision is to make existing capital work more effectively for businesses and their people, with technology, compliance and sound risk management working together.”
The collaboration combines Mawarid Finance’s regulated financial services expertise with Liabify’s technology platform and employer engagement capabilities, alongside Mastercard’s global payment network. Under the arrangement, Mawarid Finance will provide financing facilities and prepaid cards in accordance with its regulatory framework and applicable CBUAE requirements. The initiative will place emphasis on consumer protection, responsible financing and Sharia compliance.
The milestone reflects the partners’ shared focus on developing accessible, technology-enabled financial solutions for the UAE’s business community. By extending payroll-connected financial services to the MSME sector, the collaboration aims to support employers in strengthening their employee offering while contributing to a more flexible and inclusive financial ecosystem.
For Mawarid Finance and Liabify, the CBUAE no-objection represents an important step towards expanding access to financial wellness solutions across the UAE workforce. Implementation will proceed in line with the conditions of the no-objection, applicable regulatory requirements and relevant eligibility criteria.
