Payment technology company Mastercard and the UAE Cyber Security Council (CSC) have signed a memorandum of understanding aimed at strengthening trust and resilience across the country’s digital ecosystem through enhanced cybersecurity collaboration.
The partnership will focus on sharing global best practices, supporting the development of forward-looking cybersecurity policies, and strengthening national cyber resilience through closer public-private cooperation. As part of the collaboration, both entities are also launching the UAE Cyber Threat Insights Report, which highlights the growing complexity of cyber threats targeting organisations, critical sectors, and high-value national assets.
The report notes an increasing sophistication among threat actors and underscores ongoing government efforts to enhance preparedness through coordinated cybersecurity initiatives. Mastercard said the collaboration will allow it to apply its global expertise in cybercrime prevention and fraud detection to support the UAE’s cybersecurity strategy. The company has invested $10.7 billion in cybersecurity-related acquisitions and solutions since 2018, and its AI-driven tools have prevented fraudulent transactions worth $70 billion globally over the past decade.
The agreement comes as cyber risks continue to escalate globally, with Cybersecurity Ventures estimating that cybercrime could cost the global economy $15.6 trillion by 2029. UAE authorities have previously indicated that the country faces more than 200,000 cyberattacks daily, with a significant portion targeting government entities.
