News
Areeba To Bring Biometric Payment Authentication To MENA
The service will let shoppers authenticate transactions using Face ID or fingerprints.
Areeba, the Middle East’s leading payment processing service provider, has introduced Out-of-Band authentication (OOB) in partnership with Swiss payment experts, Netcetera. The biometric and fingerprint-reading technology represents the most convenient method for cardholders to make secure and flawless e-commerce transactions.
Instead of entering a password or receiving confirmation via text message, cardholders can use fingerprints or facial recognition to authenticate payments, thus reducing fraud and enabling a smooth purchasing experience more aligned with modern shopping habits and lifestyles.
“Areeba is always an early adopter of cutting-edge technologies to provide its customers with the highest level of fraud protection. We are pleased to launch the OOB with Netcetera, a company that combines quality, reliability, service, and innovation,” says Maher Mikati, CEO of Areeba.
Also Read: Gen Z Spearheading Payment Innovation In The Middle East
According to Statista, in 2022, the biometric and digital identity sector was valued at 28 billion USD, and forecasted to exceed 70 billion USD by 2027.
The MENA region is a particularly strong market for the type of technology provided by Areeba, and with Netcetera’s expertise and technology, the new service is full of potential. According to Netcetera, their platform “provides continuous upgrades and updates to support all new trends and client requirements in the payment industry”, offering the best solutions to clients for improving conversion and helping to grow their fintech businesses.
News
Saudi Digital Payments Reach 80% As Cash Use Shrinks
Visa data shows cards and mobile wallets dominate spending, with smartphones now driving a growing share of daily transactions.
Digital payments now account for 80% of all transactions in Saudi Arabia, according to Visa’s latest Where Cash Hides report, another marker of how quickly the Kingdom is moving away from cash.
The share is up four percentage points from a year ago. Around 67% of consumers are now largely non-cash users, paying mainly with cards or mobile wallets. Smartphones are taking a bigger role, with mobile payments making up 16% of transactions.
Cash is retreating in routine spending. Eating out dropped 9%. Bill payments fell 8%, as shoppers opt for faster checkouts and app-based payments.
“The data shows a steady move toward digital payments in Saudi Arabia. Such progress is possible only because banks, fintechs, merchants, and technology partners are moving together in the same direction, in line with the Kingdom’s Vision 2030,” said Ali Bailoun, Visa’s Senior Vice President and Group Country Manager for Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, and Oman.
Also Read: UAE Users Sleep Less, But More Efficiently, ŌURA Data Reveals
Despite the recent findings, it’s important to note that cash hasn’t yet disappeared. It still shows up for tips (39%), peer-to-peer transfers (28%) and rent (14%).
Visa points to security features such as tokenization, along with rewards and cashback, as factors nudging more spending onto cards and phones — a shift that tracks with Saudi Arabia’s wider Vision 2030 push to digitize commerce.
Saudi Digital Payments Reach 80% As Cash Use Shrinks
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