Maaal: «Riyadh»
Published: 24 January 2026
Digital payments continue to reshape consumer behavior in Saudi Arabia, with more people embracing faster and more secure ways to pay. Visa’s third edition of Where Cash Hides reveals that 67 percent of consumers in the Kingdom are now largely non-cash users, relying primarily on cards and mobile devices. This marks a four percent increase year-on-year, underscoring a clear shift away from cash.
The report shows that cash usage is declining even in everyday spending categories. Nearly one in four consumers still use cash for daily purchases, but its appeal is falling across areas traditionally dominated by physical money, including eating out, where usage dropped by nine percent, and bill payments, down by eight percent.
For routine spending such as dining, utility payments, and in-store groceries, digital methods increasingly dominate. However, cash remains prevalent in certain peer-to-peer scenarios. Tips are still paid in cash by 39 percent of consumers, making it the most common remaining use of physical money. Cash is also used for peer-to-peer services by 28 percent of respondents and for property rent payments by 14 percent.
“The data shows a steady move toward digital payments in Saudi Arabia,” said Ali Bailoun, Visa’s Senior Vice President and Group Country Manager for Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, and Oman. “Such progress is possible only because banks, fintechs, merchants and technology partners are pushing together in the same direction, in line with the Kingdom’s Vision 2030. As more people try mobile and card payments in their daily lives, their expectations evolve. Consumers want payment options that are quick, convenient, and safe. When digital solutions meet these expectations, they naturally become the preferred choice.”
Visa’s findings point to growing reliance on digital payments due to their convenience, security, and added value. Compared with cash, debit and credit cards offer greater protection, eliminate the risks of carrying physical money, and provide instant transaction records for better budgeting. Mobile payments further enhance security through tokenization, replacing sensitive card details with unique digital identifiers so actual card numbers are never shared.
Credit cards also deliver rewards, cashback, and travel or lifestyle benefits, reinforcing consumer preference for digital payment methods both domestically and abroad.
