For two decades, The Card & Payments Awards has stood as the premier networking event for the UK and Irish card and payments industry. Each year, over 1100 professionals from more than 300 companies, supported by leading blue-chip sponsors, gather for this landmark occasion. The event was founded 20 years ago by Michael Harty.

Building on this legacy of success, 2025 marked an exciting expansion with the inaugural Card & Payments Awards Middle East. Hosted in Dubai on April 17th, 2025, at the prestigious Ritz-Carlton, DIFC, this highly successful event celebrated best practice, innovation, and excellence within the region's dynamic card and payments sector. It provided an invaluable networking platform, connecting key players and fostering new partnerships and collaborations to drive continued innovation across diverse verticals.

The Card & Payments Awards Middle East welcomes entries from credit, debit, prepaid, and charge card issuers, co-brands, merchant acquirers, payment processors, retailers, and other payments companies worldwide offering programs or initiatives within the Middle East. With a range of categories covering essential disciplines, the awards offer organizations a significant opportunity to showcase their achievements and contribute to a vital industry platform that recognizes and rewards the best in the Middle East.