Perfumed Islamic Bank Cards Target Women’s Rising Clout

Islamic banks are going to new lengths to grab the market share offered by an increasing number of working women in the Gulf region.

Al Hilal Bank PJSC, a Shariah-compliant lender owned by the Abu Dhabi government, has been marketing a perfumed credit card since last month to lure the rising number of women in employment in the United Arab Emirates. The Laha card, whose Arabic name means “for her,” comes with a bottle of perfume and has a special section to hold the fragrance. Oman’s Bank Nizwa SAOG began specialized financial services for women in October, while Abu Dhabi Islamic Bank PJSC created its own women’s credit card in June.