Saudi Arabia to Accept Alipay+ and Tap to Pay on iPhone

Saudi Central Bank has announced two steps to expand cashless payments in the Kingdom: the acceptance of Alipay+ payments through the national payment system mada during 2026, and the upcoming launch of Tap to Pay on iPhone for merchants.

Under an agreement with Ant International, Alipay+ acceptance will be enabled via mada in 2026, targeting cross-border QR-code payments. International visitors will be able to pay at local merchants — including small and medium enterprises — using their existing Alipay+-linked digital wallets. The integration focuses on in-store QR acceptance at point of sale across the Kingdom.

Separately, Tap to Pay on iPhone will launch soon in Saudi Arabia, allowing merchants to turn a compatible iPhone into a contactless point-of-sale terminal without any additional hardware. Using Near Field Communication (NFC), businesses will be able to accept mada cards, other contactless-enabled cards, and supported digital wallets — including iPhone and Apple Watch wallets — simply by having customers tap their card or device on the merchant's iPhone.

The move is aimed at increasing the variety and ease of accepting electronic payments, especially for shops and establishments that prefer not to use separate POS terminals. Both services are being managed through the Saudi Central Bank and the mada scheme, and there is no indication that merchants or customers need to activate them via any government platform.

As of mid-September 2026, no official figures have been released for merchant fees, per-transaction charges, discount rates, or consumer pricing for either service, and no fee tables, caps, or incentive schedules have been publicly issued. For residents and visitors, the changes point toward more payment choices and faster, hardware-free acceptance as the Kingdom continues its shift toward a cashless economy.

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