Network International has launched a new suite of business card products in the United Arab Emirates, targeting a persistent concern for smaller companies: how quickly sales revenue becomes available for everyday expenses.
The payments company said its new Network MAX offering combines two digital-first solutions aimed at different parts of the small and medium-sized enterprise market. The products are designed to accelerate access to settlement funds while giving businesses more control over company and employee spending.
Developed in partnership with Mastercard, the suite separates the needs of micro and small merchants from those of more established SMEs. Network MAX focuses on merchants seeking faster access to money generated through their sales, while Network MAX Business provides broader tools for companies managing increasingly complex expenditure.
Turning Settlements Into Working Capital
Cash received from customers does not necessarily become immediately available cash for a merchant. The time between accepting a payment and receiving the settlement can affect when a smaller business is able to replenish inventory, meet supplier obligations or cover other operating expenses.
Network MAX is designed to shorten that gap. Eligible merchants can gain instant access to settlement funds through the My Network business app rather than waiting for the money to arrive through the usual settlement process.
The accompanying Network MAX Prepaid Card is available to UAE-based sole proprietorships and single-owner limited liability company SMEs that have an acquiring relationship with Network International, subject to onboarding and know-your-customer and know-your-business requirements. Network describes the card as pre-funded rather than credit-based.
Settlement funds can be paid to the card either daily or instantly. Once funded, the card can be used for online and in-store purchases as well as approved business expenses such as subscriptions, fuel, utilities and travel bookings. It can also be used internationally for purchases and ATM withdrawals.
Businesses can earn up to 0.5% cashback on eligible everyday spending, subject to terms and conditions. Network says the card carries no interest fees or minimum-balance requirement, characteristics that distinguish the product from a conventional business credit facility.
Extending Control Beyond the Card
Larger SMEs face a somewhat different set of administrative issues. As employee numbers and purchasing activity increase, tracking who is spending company money, where it is being spent and how those transactions fit into wider financial operations can become more difficult.
Network MAX Business addresses that part of the market by allowing companies to digitize business expenditure, oversee employee spending and centralize elements of expense management. Rather than positioning the suite solely as another payment card, Network is tying the products into services already operating across its merchant ecosystem.
The company said Network MAX users can access additional benefits including educational resources, accounting solutions and shipping support. The suite also connects with Network International’s remittance services and its lending platform, through which point-of-sale-based financing is facilitated in partnership with UAE banks.
The launch builds on an existing commercial-payments relationship between Network International and Mastercard. In July 2024, the two companies announced Business Payment Solutions for the UAE, covering areas including business cards, expense management and virtual-card technology. That collaboration was intended to help corporate clients digitize expenses and improve the management of payables, receivables and cash flow.
Network and Mastercard have since worked together on other payment infrastructure projects in the region, including the introduction of Mastercard Move capabilities and other digital-payment services. Network MAX brings the partnership specifically into day-to-day SME spending and settlement management.
A Focus on Access and Financial Visibility
The mechanics of settlement can be particularly relevant to businesses operating with limited working-capital buffers. A merchant may have completed a sale, but until those proceeds are accessible, the money cannot be redeployed toward stock, suppliers or other immediate expenses.
Görkem Köseoğlu, Network International’s Group Chief Customer and AI Officer, said: “For an SME, the speed at which revenue becomes usable working capital can directly influence its ability to restock, pay suppliers and pursue the next opportunity. Serving businesses across more than 50 countries, we see how access to funds and greater control over spending can shape a company’s ability to grow. Network MAX is the innovative solution built around that need. By bringing settlements, payments, and business spend management together in a single digital experience, we are helping SMEs operate more efficiently and focus on growing their businesses.”
Mastercard is providing the card and payments component through its partnership with Network.
Mete Guney, executive vice president for Market Development in Eastern Europe, the Middle East and Africa at Mastercard, said: “Our goal at Mastercard is to help merchants of all sizes thrive in a fast-changing digital economy. This collaboration with Network International marks another important milestone in our efforts to expand our reach and support the growth of SMEs in the UAE and beyond. These solutions not only address a critical pain point by providing faster access to settlement funds but also reward business owners on everyday spend with built-in security and convenience.”
The latest product also sits within a much broader merchant network. Network International says it works with more than 240,000 merchants and over 250 financial institutions across more than 50 countries. Its operations span payment acceptance, processing, cards and a range of value-added financial services.
