UPFRONT Partners With Mastercard to Expand Digital Payment Options for UAE SMEs
Through the collaboration, UPFRONT plans to offer Mastercard commercial card capabilities into its platform, complementing its existing accounts receivable, accounts payable and cash flow management solutions.
UPFRONT, a financial operations platform serving small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) across MENA, has announced a collaboration with Mastercard to expand digital payment capabilities for SMEs and provide businesses with new ways to manage working capital and business expenses.
Through the collaboration, UPFRONT plans to offer Mastercard commercial card capabilities into its platform, complementing its existing accounts receivable, accounts payable and cash flow management solutions. The new capability will enable eligible SME customers to access approved financing through a commercial card and use it for business payments, including supplier and operational expenses.
The collaboration comes as SMEs across the UAE continue to prioritize growth. According to the Mastercard SME Confidence Index 2026, 74% of UAE business decision-makers remain confident about the year ahead, while 72% expect revenue growth. Digital payments remain central to this momentum, with 83% saying they are important to helping businesses grow faster and more efficiently.
By bringing card-based payments into UPFRONT’s existing platform, the collaboration aims to give SMEs greater flexibility in how they deploy working capital while improving visibility and control over business expenditure.
Under the proposed model, UPFRONT will continue to manage the financing relationship with its SME customers, while the Mastercard commercial card program will provide an additional digital payment mechanism through which approved funds can be used for business expenses.
The solution will support SMEs with:
- Greater payment flexibility: Eligible businesses will be able to use approved financing through a Mastercard commercial card for relevant business payments.
- Improved working capital management: Card-based payments will complement UPFRONT’s existing cash flow and financial operations capabilities, giving SMEs additional flexibility in managing the timing of business payments.
- Digital business payments: The collaboration will support the transition from manual and fragmented payment processes towards more efficient digital payment experiences.
- Enhanced visibility and control: Integration of payment activity into UPFRONT’s platform is intended to provide businesses with a more consolidated view of their financial operations.
“The next evolution in SME finance operations is moving from simply seeing cash flow to putting it to work. By combining real-time cash-flow intelligence, payments control and embedded financing in a single AI-powered, closed-loop platform, UPFRONT gives businesses the ability to turn their everyday transactions into purchasing power. Our partnership with Mastercard is an important step towards making business finance more responsive, giving SMEs the ability to move faster, manage liquidity smarter and capture opportunities as they arise.”
– Anas Qudah, CEO and Founder, UPFRONT
“Small businesses are vital engines of economic growth, and the right digital tools can help them manage cash flow and scale with confidence. Through our collaboration with UPFRONT, we are combining fintech innovation with secure commercial payment capabilities to give SMEs greater control over their business payments and open up new opportunities. Mastercard remains committed to equipping small businesses with the partnerships and practical solutions they need to move forward.”
– Onur Kursun, Executive Vice President, Commercial and New Payment Flows, EEMEA, Mastercard
The initial rollout is expected to focus on UPFRONT’s SME customers in the UAE, with further expansion subject to the final program structure, regulatory requirements and market readiness.
Mastercard’s support for the SME ecosystem includes Built Small. Moving Strong., a platform developed in response to the pressures small businesses have faced amid recent disruption. It brings together fintechs, financial institutions and other partners to help SMEs access practical tools, digital payment solutions and working capital support, strengthening their resilience and helping them participate more fully in the digital economy. The initiative contributes to Mastercard’s global commitment to bring 500 million people and small businesses into the digital economy by 2030.
