The Saudi Central Bank (SAMA) and Ant International signed an agreement on 15 September 2025 at the Money20/20 Middle East Conference to enable Alipay+ payments via the national payment system, mada, starting in 2026.
Local merchants, including small and medium enterprises, will be able to accept cross-border QR code payments from international wallets linked to Alipay+.
Alipay+ currently connects more than 1.7 billion user accounts across 36 partners and over 100 million merchants in 70 markets.
The deal supports Saudi Vision 2030 goals around financial inclusion, digital payments expansion, and boosting non-cash transactions. SAMA said the move aligns with its Financial Sector Development Program.
This initiative builds on the growth of the fintech sector in Saudi Arabia, which has expanded from 82 companies at the end of 2022 to approximately 281 in August 2025.
