RIYADH — Saudi Arabia’s e-commerce sales using Mada cards soared by 57 percent in April compared to the same month last year, reaching SR23.27 billion ($6.2 billion), according to data from the Saudi Central Bank (SAMA). Online transactions through Mada surpassed 132 million, up 40.75 percent year-on-year, reflecting a strong rise in consumer shopping through websites and mobile apps.
Mada, the Kingdom’s national electronic payment system connecting all ATMs and point-of-sale (POS) terminals, facilitates secure debit and prepaid card payments directly from bank accounts, both in-store and online. Utilizing near-field communication (NFC) technology, Mada enables contactless “tap-and-go” payments via cards, smartphones, and wearables.
Despite the e-commerce boom, in-store POS purchases experienced a slight decline. The total value of POS transactions dropped by 1.38 percent year-on-year to SR52.22 billion in April. However, the number of POS transactions increased by 11.6 percent to 891.5 million, indicating consumers are making more frequent but smaller purchases at physical outlets.
SAMA reports over 2 million POS terminals deployed nationwide—a 16.37 percent increase from last year—highlighting Saudi Arabia’s ongoing push to expand electronic payment adoption across businesses. The trend toward contactless payments is evident, with 94 percent of in-store card transactions now completed via NFC technology.
The timing of Ramadan and Eid Al-Fitr influenced retail spending patterns. Ramadan and Eid fell mostly in April 2024, boosting sales during that month, while in 2025, Ramadan occurred primarily in March, which saw SR66 billion in POS sales, reducing the holiday-driven spending boost in April 2025.
Food & beverages and dining remained the top POS spending categories in April, each accounting for around SR7.7 billion, although growth was likely affected by the shift in holiday timing.
Fintech innovation continues to fuel digital payment adoption. In April, SAMA signed an agreement with Google to launch Google Pay in Saudi Arabia, integrating Mada’s payment infrastructure. Expected later in 2025, this will enable Mada-linked debit cards to be added to Google Wallet for tap-to-phone payments and online shopping. This follows prior launches of Apple Pay and local mobile wallets, providing Saudi consumers with a wide range of smartphone payment options.
These developments promote cashless spending convenience and encourage adoption among tech-savvy demographics favoring mobile and wearable payments.
