Overview
Northbay Payments is a high-risk acquiring specialist focused on the regulated end of the UAE market: SCA, ADGM FSRA and DIFC DFSA licensed brokerages, VARA-licensed virtual asset businesses, and subscription platforms billing internationally. Their underwriting team reads the licence and the compliance file directly rather than declining on the merchant category code, which is what makes them workable for businesses that mainstream acquirers turn away on policy.
They operate through a licensed local partner rather than holding a CBUAE licence themselves, and they are straightforward about that when asked — worth confirming in writing, because it determines who your regulatory counterparty actually is. Pricing is quoted interchange-plus for most merchants, so processing costs move with your real card mix instead of sitting inside an opaque tiered bucket.
Merchants who have been terminated before are reviewed case by case. Northbay will ask for the closure letter and the underlying chargeback data rather than treating a prior termination as an automatic decline.
What they accept
- Forex and CFD brokerages holding SCA, ADGM FSRA or DIFC DFSA permission
- Virtual asset businesses licensed by VARA or ADGM FSRA
- Subscription and SaaS platforms billing in multiple currencies
- Online education and training providers
- UAE mainland and free zone incorporated entities
Pricing & terms
| Pricing model | Interchange-plus |
|---|---|
| Rolling reserve | Assessed at underwriting — not published |
| Contract length | 12 months, month-to-month thereafter |
| Early termination fee | None disclosed — confirm directly |
Figures above are the provider’s published or stated terms at the time of review. Final pricing, reserve percentage and hold period are set at underwriting and depend on your volume, ticket size and chargeback history.
Standout feature
Native AED settlement alongside USD, EUR and GBP, which is unusual at this end of the market and removes a conversion spread that most competitors quietly pass through.
Watch-outs
Reserve terms are assessed case by case and are not published upfront, so the true working-capital cost only becomes clear once you have an offer. They are not CBUAE-licensed themselves — confirm the partner arrangement in writing before funds move.
Bottom line
A strong first call if you are properly licensed and your problem is compliance complexity rather than dispute history. Get the reserve percentage, hold period and the FX margin in writing before you compare their rate against anyone else's.
Get matched with Northbay Payments
Frequently asked questions
Case by case. They will ask for the closure letter from the previous acquirer and the underlying chargeback or dispute data, and decide from there. A listing is not an automatic decline, but it will shape the reserve terms you are offered.
Yes — AED settlement is available alongside USD, EUR and GBP. That matters more than it sounds: if you sell in dirhams and your provider settles in dollars, you absorb a conversion spread on every transaction. Confirm the FX margin on any currency they do not settle natively.
