Paymentology Releases Quick Start Guide to Decode Saudi Arabia’s Card Boom

The global issuer processor presents a hands-on guide to help banks and fintechs navigate Saudi Arabia’s burgeoning payments environment, laws, and operating models.

Paymentology, the top global issuer processor, has unveiled a new Quick Start Guide to assist banks, fintechs, and brands in planning, developing, and managing card programs in Saudi Arabia. The guide serves as a hands-on reference for teams seeking to comprehend the mechanics of issuing in the Kingdom, covering operating models, partner roles, regulations, and local payment systems.

The use of cards in Saudi Arabia is rising, bolstered by robust consumer acceptance and contemporary national systems. By 2025, there were approximately 57 million cards in the market, with over SAR 1.2 trillion in yearly expenditures. Debit transactions surpass seven billion annually, prepaid card issuance exceeds 21 million, and commercial card usage is increasing by about 10% each year, with average spending projected to exceed SAR 58,000 per card by 2026.

As this expansion persists, issuers coming into or broadening their presence in the country require a transparent understanding of how duties are allocated among issuers, license sponsors, program managers, and processors, as well as how mandates from the Saudi Central Bank (SAMA) and Capital Market Authority (CMA) influence compliance and operational frameworks.

The guide, created in partnership with Flagship Advisory Partners, outlines these roles and expectations while detailing how domestic rails like Mada, SADAD, and SARIE influence routing, settlement, and product design.

The release accompanies Paymentology's enhanced local presence in Riyadh, which was revealed in September, and is part of its broader assistance for the Kingdom’s Vision 2030 goals in digital payments.

Saudi Arabia has grown to be one of the most significant payments markets in the area thanks to its actual size, advanced infrastructure, and well-defined national objectives, according to Nauman Hassan, Regional Director MENA at Paymentology. Although it's not always clear how the market functions, many issuers are aware that they desire to expand here. This book puts together the main points: the regulations, the partners and the operating choices, so teams can move from a high-level idea to a plan they can implement.