Saudi Central Bank (SAMA) and Qatar Central Bank have started the gradual acceptance of Saudi Arabia’s Mada cards in Qatar and Qatar’s Himyan cards in Saudi Arabia.
The announcement was made during Money20/20 Middle East 2026 in Riyadh, as the two countries deepen cooperation between their national payment systems. The initiative is also part of wider Gulf efforts to strengthen shared payment infrastructure and expand the use of national cards across GCC markets.
According to the central banks, the rollout is intended to allow citizens and residents to withdraw cash from ATMs and make payments through points-of-sale terminals using the two national cards. The initiative is expected to improve payment convenience and efficiency while helping reduce transaction costs for customers.
Qatar Central Bank said the gradual launch is taking place as technical and operational integration work continues. Card use and related payment services will become available after the approved connectivity stages are completed.
The move builds on the Gulf Payments Network, which supports cross-border financial activity and card-based payments across the region. The central banks said the cooperation will contribute to more integrated national payment systems and support the digital development of financial services.
Source: Jawlah
