Arabian Post Staff -Dubai
The growth reflects stronger demand from consumers and financial institutions for faster domestic and cross-border payments, particularly remittances, as Saudi Arabia’s payments market continues shifting towards digital channels. Visa said the expansion of its money-movement network is being supported by banks, fintech companies and other payment providers seeking broader access to cards, accounts and digital wallets.
The company’s latest Saudi data comes against a backdrop of rapidly increasing electronic payment usage. The Saudi Central Bank said electronic payments accounted for 85 per cent of all retail payments in 2025, up from 79 per cent a year earlier. The number of electronic transactions rose to 14.6 billion from 12.6 billion, driven by higher activity across the mada network and other national payment systems.
Visa Direct is designed to move funds between eligible cards, bank accounts and digital wallets, covering person-to-person transfers, business payments, disbursements and remittances. Visa says its global platform can reach more than 195 countries and territories, handle more than 150 currencies and connect to billions of eligible endpoint...