The Saudi Arabian Monetary Authority ( Sama ), the kingdom’s central bank, and fintech Ant International, the sister company of the e-commerce giant Alibaba, will launch cross-border QR code payments between Saudi Arabia’s national payment scheme, Mada, and Ant International’s global wallet gateway Alipay+ during 2026 to drive digitization and inclusive growth for local merchants.

Through this collaboration, local merchants in Saudi Arabia, including small and medium-sized enterprises, will be able to accept cross-border QR payments from Alipay+ international payment partners. Alipay+ currently connects, Ant notes, more than 1.7 billion user accounts across 36 partners to more than 100 million merchants in 70 markets.

Introduced in 2016, Saudi Arabia’s Vision 2030 aims to transform its economy, creating a more diverse and vibrant environment for both local and international communities through innovation and sustainability.

Digital payments and tourism are central to these goals, including a target of 70% non-cash transactions by 2030, and attracting 150 million visitors to create new growth and job opportunities. In 2024, Saudi Arabia, according to its national tourism authority, surpassed 100 million domestic and international tourists ahead of schedule, and ranked first globally in tourism revenue growth.

In addition to Saudi Arabia, Alipay+ is also integrated to national payment schemes in Singapore, Malaysia, South Korea, Cambodia, Nepal and Sri Lanka.

“Tourism is a powerful force for economic growth and cultural connectivity,” says Douglas Feagin, Ant’s president. “Through such joint innovations across public and private sectors, we can unlock more opportunities and help local businesses and communities flourish, while creating a more seamless experience for global consumers.”