The Saudi Central Bank (SAMA) signed an agreement with Ant International to enable acceptance of Alipay+ payments in Saudi Arabia through the National Payment System (mada) by 2026. The announcement was made at the Money20/20 Middle East conference in Riyadh. The integration is positioned as part of SAMA’s efforts to develop Saudi Arabia’s digital payments ecosystem in line with the Financial Sector Development Program under Saudi Vision 2030, including the move toward a less cash-dependent economy and the authorization of advanced digital payment solutions aligned with international standards. Once enabled, visitors to Saudi Arabia and users of global digital wallets linked to Alipay+ will be able to make payments at participating merchants.
Saudi Arabian Monetary Authority 2025-09-15
Saudi Central Bank signs agreement with Ant International to enable Alipay+ acceptance via mada by 2026
The Saudi Central Bank (SAMA) has partnered with Ant International to enable Alipay+ payments in Saudi Arabia via the National Payment System (mada) by 2026. Announced at the Money20/20 Middle East conference, this initiative supports SAMA's goal to enhance the digital payments ecosystem under Saudi Vision 2030, promoting a shift towards a less cash-dependent economy. The integration will allow visitors and global digital wallet users to transact with participating merchants.