Ant International and the Saudi Central Bank have agreed to launch cross-border QR payments linking Alipay+ and mada during 2026.
The Saudi Central Bank (SAMA) and Ant International will connect the Kingdom's national payment scheme, mada, with Alipay+, Ant International's global wallet gateway, to enable cross-border QR code payments. The initiative, scheduled for 2026, is intended to support digitisation and extend payment access to local merchants, including small and medium-sized enterprises.
Cross-border acceptance for local merchants
Under the arrangement, merchants operating in Saudi Arabia will be able to accept QR code payments from international users connected to Alipay+. Alipay+ links more than 1.7 billion user accounts across 36 partners to more than 100 million merchants across 70 markets. Saudi Arabia joins a group of markets where Alipay+ is integrated with national payment schemes, alongside Singapore, Malaysia, South Korea, Cambodia, Nepal, and Sri Lanka.
Ant International president Douglas Feagin said the agreement was designed to build on SAMA's digital infrastructure and to support Saudi Arabia's positioning as a tourism destination. He added that the collaboration was intended to create opportunities for local businesses while offering a more consistent payment experience for international visitors.
In addition, the initiative is linked to Saudi Arabia's Vision 2030 programme, introduced in 2016, which sets out plans to diversify the country's economy and expand its tourism sector. The programme includes a target of 70% non-cash transactions by 2030, alongside a goal of attracting 150 million visitors annually. In 2024, Saudi Arabia recorded more than 100 million domestic and international tourists, reaching this milestone ahead of schedule, and ranked first globally in tourism revenue growth that year.
Feagin said the agreement reflected Ant International's continued commitment to Saudi Arabia and its plans to support the growth of QR-based payments in the local market.
Recent developments in the Kingdom
The planned launch follows other developments for Ant International in Saudi Arabia during 2025. Antom, the company's merchant payment solution, received a payment technology service provider (PTSP) certificate from SAMA, and Ant International opened its first Middle East office in Riyadh.
The cross-border QR payment connection between mada and Alipay+ is expected to give Saudi merchants access to a wider base of international consumers, while providing visitors with a familiar payment method during their stay in the country. The move also extends Alipay+'s footprint in the Gulf region, adding to its existing integrations across Asia.
