From July 2026, every installment you pay through Tabby or Tamara starts showing up on your official Etihad Credit Bureau (ECB) file. The federal credit information agency has confirmed that buy-now-pay-later (BNPL) data from both fintechs is now folded into UAE credit reports — for existing and new customers alike, with relevant historical transactions included.
What changed: BNPL is now on your credit file
BNPL activity used to sit outside the formal credit system. Not anymore. Under the new arrangement with ECB, every purchase you split into installments through Tabby or Tamara — every on-time payment, every missed one — is reported to the bureau and becomes part of the record banks pull when they underwrite you.
The scope is broad. It covers customers already on the platforms, not just fresh sign-ups, and pulls in historical transactions the fintechs consider relevant. So if you have been paying Tabby off on time for a year, that history can start working in your favour the moment your bank orders a fresh report.
What each side is saying
ECB frames the move as a natural next step for the country's credit reporting system. Marwan Ahmad Lutfi, Director General of Etihad Credit Bureau, put it this way:
"At Etihad Credit Bureau, we remain committed to strengthening the UAE's credit reporting ecosystem by continuously enhancing the quality, depth, and relevance of the information available through our products and services. As financial services evolve and new forms of consumer financing gain wider adoption, it is important that credit reports provide a broad view of an individual's financial commitments."
Tabby, one of the region's largest BNPL players, sees a fairness dividend for its disciplined users. Hosam Arab, Chief Executive and Co-founder of Tabby, said:
"Responsible lending starts with a clear view of a person's finances, and we have always underwritten in real time to make credit more accessible. For the millions of customers who use Tabby responsibly, this means their track record can now contribute to their broader financial standing."
Tamara struck a similar note. Sagar Shah, General Manager, UAE, at Tamara, added:
"As a fintech platform serving millions across the region, trust is at the core of everything we do at Tamara. This initiative reinforces our commitment by supporting greater transparency and creating more opportunities for people to participate in the financial system."
What this means for expats and SMEs in the UAE
If you plan to apply for a mortgage in Dubai, refinance an auto loan in Abu Dhabi, or open a line of credit for your SME, your BNPL discipline now speaks up in the room. Banks reading your ECB report will see a fuller picture — and price your risk accordingly.
Two practical shifts follow. First, first-time borrowers — including many expats without a formal loan history in the UAE — can build a credit trail through everyday BNPL purchases instead of waiting years for a bank product. Second, late or missed BNPL payments now carry weight beyond the fintech app itself: they can dent the same score a mortgage underwriter reads.
SMEs feel it too. Owners frequently borrow against their personal credit standing to fund working capital or equipment. A cleaner personal file supports better terms on facilities tied to UAE business regulation in 2026, and can smooth the path when you open or upgrade a UAE corporate bank account.
Context: ECB's expanding data footprint
The BNPL feed is the latest in a series of enrichments. ECB has already folded in pension data from the General Pension and Social Security Authority (GPSSA) and income records tied to the Nafis programme for Emirati talent. The strategic direction is consistent: pull more data sources — banks, fintechs, microfinance lenders — into a single, higher-fidelity credit picture.
For consumers and businesses, fewer blind spots when a lender assesses you. For lenders, sharper underwriting and, in principle, more inclusive credit decisions. BNPL simply happens to be one of the fastest-growing categories the bureau could not afford to leave off the file.
What to do now
A few practical moves, whether you already use BNPL or plan to:
- Pull your ECB report. Order a fresh copy from aecb.gov.ae and see what is already on file, including any pension or Nafis entries.
- Audit your Tabby and Tamara activity. Reconcile every open installment plan against your salary date. Set autopay wherever the app allows it.
- Clear or restructure late installments before your next big application. A missed BNPL payment cured today looks better than one still open when the bank runs your file.
- If you are a first-time borrower, use BNPL deliberately. Small, planned purchases paid on schedule now build the record banks will read tomorrow.
- If you run an SME, brief your co-founders and personal guarantors. Their personal BNPL habits will show up on the reports underwriters use for facilities they back.
Primary source: Etihad Credit Bureau; reported by Gulf News, 27 July 2026.
