Payment providers like Stripe that could offer fast onboarding
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Signing up with a new payment partner isn’t always as quick and easy as business owners would like. When you're ready to start accepting payments, having to wait days (or even weeks) for your payment processor to approve your account can be really frustrating.
To counter this, many businesses in the UAE look for payment providers with fast, simple onboarding processes that don’t take too long to complete.
Local platforms such as Ziina offer a streamlined registration process designed for UAE businesses. Ziina is licensed by the Central Bank of the UAE and is subject to applicable local regulatory and verification requirements.
In this piece, we explain what to consider when comparing the onboarding experience offered by Ziina, Stripe, and other payment providers.
Why onboarding times vary between payment providers
Onboarding times vary between providers and individual applications. Factors can include the business activity, ownership structure, requested payment features, expected transaction activity, documents provided, and whether additional verification is required.
A provider may allow a business to register or access certain features quickly while continuing to complete other verification checks. Businesses should therefore distinguish between creating an account, submitting an application, becoming approved and being fully activated to accept payments and withdraw funds.
If you sell internationally or have a more complex business model, the review process might take longer because of this as well.
Mistakes to avoid when choosing the right provider
When you’re looking for a payment provider that promises fast onboarding, it's easy to overlook other factors that have the potential to cause problems later.
For instance, here are some common mistakes to avoid:
- Assuming "instant" onboarding means you’re fully approved. Many payment providers let eligible businesses start accepting payments quickly while completing additional verification checks required by UAE regulations. To avoid delays, make sure you complete all onboarding and verification steps as soon as possible, and have key business documents such as your trade license, Emirates ID, shareholder documents (where applicable), and any other requested information ready before you apply.
- Not researching other features. If you sell across multiple channels or sell internationally, you may need a provider that accommodates that.
- Choosing an international provider over a local one. This isn't necessarily a mistake, but local providers often have a better understanding of regional regulations, customer preferences, and payment habits. If your customers are primarily based in the UAE, choosing a local provider will likely give your customers a smoother payment experience.
- Not checking payout speeds. Getting approved quickly doesn't always mean you'll receive your funds quickly. Before choosing a provider, check how long payouts take and whether faster settlement options are available.
- Overlooking the total cost of pricing. Always review the full pricing structure before signing up. Look beyond the transaction fee and check for subscription costs, setup fees, payout fees, chargeback fees, or any other charges that could affect your costs over time.
How Ziina approaches onboarding
Since we’re writing this article, we’ll introduce you to Ziina, our UAE payments app that allows you to get signed up in minutes.
Verification requirements depend on your business, use case, and risk level, so exact timing can vary. But our onboarding is designed to be quick – which is how Stretch It Out started accepting payments with Ziina in 48 hours.
“Ziina enabled me to launch my business in record time. It’s fast, user-friendly, and local—a perfect solution for small businesses like mine,” the Founder and CEO, Dina Zoa, said.
Similarly to Stripe, Ziina helps you accept payments across several channels without needing to set up new integrations each time. For example, you can:
- Send payment links: Create a single link that you can share through all social media channels (including Facebook posts or Instagram stories) that allow your customers to pay you.
- Add a payment gateway to your website: Using our pre-built APIs, you can add an online checkout to your WooCommerce, Shopify, WordPress or custom website and start accepting local, regional, and global payments within minutes. It’s a simple, straightforward integration that doesn’t require a developer or complex technical knowledge.
- Create QR codes: Generating QR codes allows you to get paid at in-person events (like pop-up shows) or when you’re away from a physical storefront. Customers just have to scan the code and pay on their phone, either through Google Pay / Apple Pay or by entering their card details.
- Generate invoices: If you’re a freelancer, you can create branded, professional invoices within seconds from the Ziina app. You can even include a payment link at the bottom of your invoice to offer a faster payment option than a bank wire transfer.
- Enable Tap to Pay on your phone: You can turn your phone into a POS machine and accept in-person payments without renting or buying any physical POS hardware.
Funds will arrive in your Ziina account in AED, and you’ll be able to cash them out to a linked bank account in just 1 - 2 business days for amounts under 25K AED (subject to bank processing times). Eligible users can access instant withdrawal options.
Disclaimer: Availability of Ziina products and features is subject to eligibility, successful verification, device compatibility, applicable transaction limits, Ziina’s terms and conditions, and regulatory requirements. Customers are responsible for ensuring they hold any trade license, permit, tax registration, or other approval required for their business activities. Fees, limits, payout timelines, and product features may vary and are subject to change. Please refer to Ziina’s latest terms and pricing for full details.
Information about third-party payment providers in this article was collected from publicly available sources as of June 2026 and may change without notice. Ziina does not guarantee that this information is complete, accurate or current. Please refer to each provider’s official website for the latest information.
This article was published in July 2026.