Qatar and Saudi Arabia Enable Cross-Border Payment Connectivity

The Qatar Central Bank and the Saudi Central Bank (SAMA) announced a gradual expansion of cross-border payment connectivity during the Money20/20 Middle East 2026 conference in Riyadh. The agreement enables the acceptance of Qatar's HIMYAN cards in Saudi Arabia and Saudi Arabia's mada cards in Qatar.

Facilitated through the Gulf Payment Network (GCC-NET), the initiative follows the completion of technical and operational integration. The system allows GCC citizens and residents to use these national debit cards for point-of-sale transactions and ATM withdrawals in both countries, reducing costs and increasing payment efficiency.

Governors Sheikh Bandar bin Mohammed bin Saoud Al-Thani and Ayman bin Mohammed bin Saud Al Sayari attended the announcement ceremony. The move is part of a broader regional effort to develop shared payment infrastructure and accelerate the digital transformation of the financial sector across the Gulf Cooperation Council.