News
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.
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.
News
Rabbit Expands Hyperlocal Delivery Service In Saudi Arabia
The e-commerce startup is aiming to tap into the Kingdom’s underdeveloped e-grocery sector with a tech-first, locally rooted strategy.
Rabbit, an Egyptian-born hyperlocal e-commerce startup, is expanding into the Saudi Arabian market, setting its sights on delivering 20 million items across major cities by 2026.
The company, founded in 2021, is already operational in the Kingdom, with its regional headquarters now open in Riyadh and an established network of strategically located fulfillment centers — commonly known as “dark stores” — across the capital.
The timing is strategic: Saudi Arabia’s online grocery transactions currently sit at 1.3%, notably behind the UAE (5.3%) and the United States (4.8%). With the Kingdom’s food and grocery market estimated at $60 billion, even a modest increase in online adoption could create a multi-billion-dollar opportunity.
Rabbit also sees a clear alignment between its business goals and Saudi Arabia’s Vision 2030, which aims to boost retail sector innovation, support small and medium-sized enterprises, attract foreign investment, and develop a robust digital economy.
The company’s e-commerce model is based on speed and efficiency. Delivery of anything from groceries and snacks to cosmetics and household staples is promised in 20 minutes or less, facilitated by a tightly optimized logistics system — a crucial component in a sector where profit margins and delivery expectations are razor-thin.
Despite the challenges, Rabbit has already found its stride in Egypt. In just over three years, the app has been used by 1.4 million customers to deliver more than 40 million items. Revenue has surged, growing more than eightfold in the past two years alone.
Also Read: Top E-Commerce Websites In The Middle East In 2025
CEO and Co-Founder Ahmad Yousry commented: “We are delighted to announce Rabbit’s expansion into the Kingdom. We pride ourselves on being a hyperlocal company, bringing our bleeding-edge tech and experience to transform the grocery shopping experience for Saudi households, and delivering the best products – especially local favorites, in just 20 minutes”.
The company’s growth strategy avoids the pitfalls of over-reliance on aggressive discounting. Instead, Rabbit leans on operational efficiency, customer retention, and smart scaling. The approach is paying off, having already attracted major investment from the likes of Lorax Capital Partners, Global Ventures, Raed Ventures, and Beltone Venture Capital, alongside earlier investors such as Global Founders Capital, Goodwater Capital, and Hub71.
Hyper-Personalization: How Far Is Too Far?
Rabbit Expands Hyperlocal Delivery Service In Saudi Arabia
Alienware Just Announced Six New Gaming Monitors
Infinite Reality Acquires Napster In $207 Million Deal
