Yes, Shopify Payments is available in the UAE. Shopify lists the United Arab Emirates among its Shopify Payments countries (checked Oct 2026). To qualify you need a UAE LLC, Free Zone LLC, Sole Establishment or Free Zone Sole Establishment with a company registration number, and an AED checking account at a UAE bank. Payouts arrive in AED, with a minimum settlement time of 5 business days. Many UAE stores add Tabby or Tamara for instalments alongside it.
Is Shopify Payments available in the UAE?
Yes. The United Arab Emirates is on Shopify’s list of Shopify Payments countries (Shopify Help Center, checked Oct 2026). Some older Shopify Community threads still say it is not available; Shopify’s own list is the one to trust. Shopify’s UAE pages set out who can use it:
| What Shopify requires or offers in the UAE | |
|---|---|
| Business type | LLC, Free Zone LLC, Sole Establishment or Free Zone Sole Establishment. Other business types and non-profits are not eligible yet |
| Registration | A company registration number (CRN), plus a trade licence (or freelancer permit for sole establishments) |
| Identity | Passport and Emirates ID for UAE residents (and a residence visa for foreign nationals); passport for people living outside the UAE |
| Bank account | A checking account at a UAE bank, in AED, with an IBAN starting AE. Business account for LLCs, personal account for sole establishments |
| Payment methods | Visa, Mastercard and Maestro, plus Apple Pay, Google Pay and Shop Pay |
| Payouts | In AED on all plans. Minimum settlement time is 5 business days, and payments captured Friday to Sunday are paid out together |
Sources: requirements, payment methods and payouts on the Shopify Help Center, checked Oct 2026. Processing rates depend on your Shopify plan.
If your business is set up outside the UAE, or as a type Shopify does not list, Shopify Payments is not open to it in the UAE. Use one of the providers below instead.
Other payment gateways and BNPL on Shopify in the UAE
| Provider | What it adds | How it connects to Shopify |
|---|---|---|
| Tabby | Buy now, pay later. Accepts orders only for billing addresses in the UAE and Saudi Arabia, in AED or SAR | Tabby Payment app, with live keys and Shopify webhooks (Tabby docs) |
| Tamara | Buy now, pay later, as “Tamara Split Payments”. The app is free; Tamara FZE is regulated by the Central Bank of the UAE | Payment app under Settings > Payments, with your public key and a webhook (Tamara docs, Tamara UAE) |
| Telr | Card gateway (Visa, Mastercard, American Express) from a Dubai-based provider | Free app on the Shopify App Store |
| Checkout.com | Cards, Apple Pay and Google Pay, with a UAE Central Bank acquiring licence (Checkout.com) | Onsite payments app. You must be onboarded to Checkout.com first and use Shopify’s new checkout (Checkout.com docs) |
| Network International | N-Genius Online card acceptance from the UAE acquirer | N-Genius Online app by Network International LLC |
Most UAE stores run one card provider (Shopify Payments or a local gateway) and add one or both BNPL options. Both Tabby and Tamara ask for webhooks so order numbers match in their dashboards, so set those up before your first live order.
Checked on each provider’s own page in October 2026. Fees and approval criteria are set by each provider and change, so ask them directly.
Cash on delivery in the UAE
Cash on delivery is set up the same way as anywhere on Shopify: activate the cash on delivery manual payment method in Settings > Payments (Shopify Help Center). Orders stay Pending until you mark them paid.
COD carries the same risk in Dubai as in Cairo: a refused parcel costs you a round trip. A WhatsApp confirmation about an hour after the order, with Confirm, Edit and Cancel buttons, catches most of it. See COD order confirmation on WhatsApp.
VAT and pricing in AED
The UAE standard VAT rate is 5% (Federal Tax Authority, checked Oct 2026). If your business is VAT-registered, set the 5% rate in Shopify’s tax settings and decide whether your prices include tax. Most UAE shoppers expect the price they see to be the price they pay, so prices shown with VAT included avoid surprises at checkout.
Price in AED, and if you also sell to Saudi Arabia, remember Tabby accepts only AED or SAR matched to the billing address. Check with your accountant on registration and zero-rated goods; this guide does not cover tax advice.
Couriers with Shopify integrations in the UAE
| Courier | Integration | What it says it does |
|---|---|---|
| Aramex | Aramex shipping app, by Aramex International | Shipment creation, pickups, labels, tracking and shipping rates at checkout. Shipping is billed to your Aramex account |
| Quiqup | Shopify app and API integration (Quiqup) | Order sync from Shopify, shipment creation and tracking pushed back to Shopify, same-day delivery in key areas depending on the model |
Ask any courier how they handle COD collection and how quickly they transfer it, and whether tracking updates come back into Shopify. That is what lets your shipping messages carry the right link.
WhatsApp for order updates and abandoned carts
Shopify sends its notifications by email, and some by SMS. UAE customers, in Arabic and English, read WhatsApp first. The four messages most stores switch on first:
- Order confirmation with Confirm and Cancel buttons, which matters most for COD orders.
- Abandoned checkout reminder linking back to the same cart. See the abandoned cart flow.
- Shipping updates with the courier and tracking link.
- Cancellation save that asks why in one tap.
Nonito connects to Shopify when you approve it in your Shopify admin, and those events start WhatsApp flows in English or Arabic. Meta bills WhatsApp in the UAE in dirhams: our WhatsApp pricing page for the UAE has the AED rates, and WhatsApp marketing in the UAE covers the flows UAE brands start with. SMS to UAE numbers is available on request, with no published rate: we register your sender ID with you first (SMS in the UAE). Nonito’s plan and WhatsApp prices exclude VAT.
A setup order that works
- Check your licence and bank account against Shopify Payments’ UAE requirements, and apply if you qualify.
- Add a BNPL option (Tabby or Tamara) and set up its webhooks.
- Set the 5% VAT rate if you are registered, and price in AED.
- Turn on cash on delivery only if you will confirm COD orders before shipping them.
- Connect your courier, then WhatsApp: order confirmation first, then abandoned cart and shipping updates.
Frequently asked questions
Is Shopify Payments available in the UAE?
Yes. Shopify lists the UAE among its Shopify Payments countries (checked October 2026). It is open to UAE LLCs, Free Zone LLCs, Sole Establishments and Free Zone Sole Establishments with a company registration number and an AED checking account at a UAE bank.
Which payment gateways work with Shopify in the UAE?
Besides Shopify Payments, Telr, Checkout.com and Network International (N-Genius Online) have Shopify payment apps for cards, and Tabby and Tamara add buy now, pay later. Fees and approval criteria are set by each provider.
How long do Shopify Payments payouts take in the UAE?
The minimum settlement time is 5 business days, in AED, and payments captured Friday to Sunday are combined into one payout. New stores can wait longer at first, according to Shopify.
Do I charge VAT on my Shopify store in the UAE?
The UAE standard VAT rate is 5%. If your business is VAT-registered, set the rate in Shopify’s tax settings. Ask your accountant about registration and zero-rated goods.
Can I send Shopify order updates on WhatsApp in the UAE?
Yes, with an app. Nonito connects to your Shopify store and sends order confirmations, abandoned cart reminders and shipping updates on WhatsApp in English or Arabic. SMS to UAE numbers is available on request.
Sources
- Shopify Help Center: Shopify Payments supported countries (checked Oct 2026)
- Shopify Help Center: Shopify Payments requirements in the UAE (checked Oct 2026)
- Shopify Help Center: Shopify Payments payment methods in the UAE (checked Oct 2026)
- Shopify Help Center: Shopify Payments payouts in the UAE (checked Oct 2026)
- Tabby docs: Shopify integration (checked Oct 2026)
- Tamara docs: Shopify configuration (checked Oct 2026)
- Tamara UAE: Shopify extension (checked Oct 2026)
- Shopify App Store: Telr (checked Oct 2026)
- Checkout.com docs: Shopify onsite payments app (checked Oct 2026)
- Checkout.com: UAE Central Bank acquiring licence (checked Oct 2026)
- Shopify App Store: N-Genius Online by Network (checked Oct 2026)
- Shopify Help Center: Manual payment methods, including cash on delivery (checked Oct 2026)
- Shopify App Store: Aramex shipping app (checked Oct 2026)
- Quiqup: Shopify delivery service in the UAE (checked Oct 2026)
- UAE Federal Tax Authority: VAT (checked Oct 2026)