Source: GlobalData
Saudi Arabia card payments to surpass $160 billion in 2025 amid digital shift and policy push, forecasts GlobalData
Posted in Banking
Saudi Arabia’s card payments market is projected to reach SAR615.5 billion ($164.1 billion) in 2025, driven by a growing shift toward digital transactions and declining cash usage. Strong government support, improved payment infrastructure, and increasing consumer preference for contactless and electronic payments are accelerating this transition, reinforcing the Kingdom’s broader goals of financial inclusion and reduced reliance on cash, according to GlobalData, a leading data and analytics company.
GlobalData’s report, “Saudi Arabia Cards and Payments: Opportunities and Risks to 2028,” reveals that the card payment value in the Saudi Arabia registered a growth of 10.1% in 2024 to reach SAR571.2 billion ($152.3 billion), driven by the rise in consumer spending.
However, the current global uncertainty because of latest US tariffs can pose a challenge for the Saudi Arabia’s overall economic growth, resulting in slowdown in the overall card payments value, which is expected to grow by 7.8% in 2025.
Ravi Sharma, Lead Banking and Payments Analyst at GlobalData, comments: “While cash has traditionally been the preferred method of payment in Saudi Arabia, it’s usage is on decline in line with the rising consumer preference for electronic payments. The country has a robust digital payment infrastructure, supported by a developing card market and well-established card acceptance infrastructure. The government is taking steps to enhance the infrastructure by encouraging merchants to adopt at least one electronic payment option apart from cash.”
Cash remains an integral part of the Saudi consumer payments landscape, particularly for lower-value transactions. However, there has been a consistent increase in electronic payment methods. The government aims to reduce the country’s dependence on cash, drive financial inclusion, promote electronic payments, and encourage payment innovation. The Kingdom’s Vision 2030 plan aims to reduce cash transactions and increase the share of electronic payments.
As of April 2025, seven banks in Saudi—Al Rajhi Bank, Riyad Bank, Arab National Bank, Banque Saudi Fransi, the Saudi Investment Bank (SAIB), Bank AlJazira, and Bank AlBilad—had obtained SAMA’s license to provide agent banking services.
The COVID-19 pandemic changed the way Saudi consumers make payments, with an increasing number of consumers preferring contactless payments supported by an improved payment infrastructure.
According to the country’s central bank, number of contactless card payments using mada cards increased from 3.1 billion in 2021 to 4.6 billion in 2024. In terms of value, SAR311.3 billion ($83.01 billion) worth of contactless card transactions were made in 2024 – up from SAR301.6 billion ($80.43 billion) in 2021.
Debit cards dominate the overall card payment space, accounting for 79.9% of the overall card payment value in 2024. The government’s financial inclusion initiatives, consumers’ preference for debt-free payments, and prudent consumer spending have resulted in their dominance. Credit and charge cards, on the other hand, are not very popular primarily due to a religious aversion towards debt.
Sharma concludes: “The Saudi Arabia payment card market is expected to continue grow supported by government initiatives, rising consumer preference for digital payments, and improving banking and payment infrastructure. The card payments value is expected to register a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 6.5% between 2025 to 2029 to reach SAR790.5 billion ($210.8 billion) in 2029.”