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Google Pay To Arrive In Saudi Arabia In 2025

The debut aligns with the Kingdom’s Vision 2030 and supports the country’s push towards a cashless economy and rapid digital growth.

Published

1 month ago

January 20, 2025

Nour Nasir

google pay to arrive in saudi arabia in 2025

Google Pay will officially debut in Saudi Arabia in 2025, thanks to a new agreement between the Saudi Central Bank (SAMA) and Google. The digital wallet will seamlessly integrate with mada, the Kingdom’s national payment network.

This move ties into SAMA’s broader push to enhance Saudi Arabia’s digital payments landscape, a cornerstone of Vision 2030 — an ambitious initiative aimed at reducing the economy’s reliance on oil. By introducing secure, world-class digital payment systems, the central bank aims to lower cash usage and build a more robust digital payments infrastructure.

Once launched, Google Pay will offer Saudi users a streamlined way to shop in-store, online, and through apps, while also letting them manage their cards via Google Wallet. The growing popularity of card payments in the Kingdom reflects the government’s ongoing efforts to encourage a cashless society through advanced electronic payment solutions.

Saudi Arabia has set an ambitious target of reaching 70% non-cash transactions by 2030, with programs like SARIE playing a vital role in this transformation. Such initiatives, backed by government support and private partnerships, are helping drive the Kingdom toward greater adoption of digital payments.

Also Read: A Guide To Digital Payment Methods In The Middle East

The country’s digital payments market is projected to grow by 6.96% annually from 2025 to 2028, reaching $87.14 billion by 2028, according to Statista.

Progress is already evident: SAMA reports that by 2023, 70% of all retail consumer payments were made electronically, a jump from 62% in 2022. This milestone also serves as a key performance indicator (KPI) for the Financial Sector Development Program (FSDP), which aims to modernize the Kingdom’s financial system.

Related Topics:FinTech Google Google Pay Saudi Arabia

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Foodics Acquires Online-Ordering Specialist & Invests In 3 Startups

The deal with UK-based Solo Venture was made at LEAP 2025, and will help create a seamless, all-in-one SaaS ecosystem for restaurants.

Published

3 days ago

February 19, 2025

Nour Nasir

foodics acquires online-ordering specialist and invests in 3 startups

MENA-based restaurant and payments technology provider Foodics has fully acquired Solo Venture, a UK-based company specializing in self-ordering kiosks and white-label online ordering solutions. The deal was reached at this year’s LEAP 2025 event in Riyadh and is part of Foodics’ strategy to create a seamless, all-in-one SaaS ecosystem for restaurants and catering firms.

Solo’s technology includes AI-driven self-service solutions, simplifying ordering and increasing profit margins. By integrating Solo into its platform, Foodics will soon be able to offer restaurants a comprehensive suite of tools covering everything from dine-in management to payments and analytics.

Ahmad Al-Zaini, CEO and Co-Founder of Foodics explained: “This acquisition is a significant step in our mission to build the most comprehensive restaurant management platform in MENA and beyond. To further support our ecosystem and the future of tech in the F&B sector, we are allocating $100M in strategic acquisitions and investments in Fintech, AI, and other transformative technologies over the coming three years”.

Beyond the Solo acquisition, Foodics is also backing three startups as part of its wider expansion plan:

Norma: A Greek AI-powered data analytics firm that enables business professionals to generate insights instantly, eliminating the need for technical expertise.
Add: A specialized accounting platform designed for small and medium-sized restaurants to simplify financial reporting and payroll management.
Arzaq Plus: A smart food and beverage supply chain platform that optimizes sourcing and logistics while introducing a “Buy Now, Pay Later” feature to the Foodics platform.

Also Read: Taager Secures $6.75M To Expand Social eCommerce In MENA

Anas Alghanim, Foodics’ Director of Corporate Development, emphasized, “At Foodics, every investment we make is aimed at creating valuable solutions that drive growth and deliver tangible success, ensuring that we empower our partners and customers to shape the future of the industry”.

The LEAP 2025 announcement coincides with the celebration of Foodics’ 10th anniversary. After supporting over 30,000 food and beverage businesses across 30 countries, Foodics continues to push the boundaries of restaurant management technology, helping companies streamline operations and enhance customer experience.