Dubai, UAE — Sept. 2026 — The Saudi Central Bank announced, in cooperation with the Qatar Central Bank, the start of a phased rollout allowing Saudi Arabia’s national payment network card “Mada” to be accepted in Qatar, alongside Qatar’s national payment card “Himyan” being accepted in Saudi Arabia.
The move marks a further step in the growing cooperation and payment integration between Saudi Arabia and Qatar, and reflects joint Gulf efforts to develop the region’s shared payments infrastructure.
It also expands the acceptance of national Gulf payment cards across borders, in line with strategic goals under the broader economic and financial integration drive among Gulf Cooperation Council member states.
The initiative builds on the GCC’s shared payments network, which is considered one of the key strategic pillars enabling citizens and residents of Gulf countries to withdraw cash from ATMs and make purchases using direct debit cards through point-of-sale systems across the region.
Officials say the expanded network enhances convenience, efficiency, and cost savings for consumers, while helping raise the overall quality of financial services available to citizens and residents throughout the GCC.
The phased implementation is expected to further strengthen financial connectivity between the two countries as part of the wider push toward a unified Gulf payments ecosystem.
