The Saudi Central Bank announced that Tap to Pay on iPhone would soon become available to merchants in Saudi Arabia. The service will allow compatible iPhones to accept contactless payments without a separate card terminal. SAMA said the supported methods would include mada, other contactless cards and digital wallets. The announcement described a forthcoming launch, not a service already available.
SAMA disclosed the plan at Money20/20 Middle East, which ran from 14 to 16 September. Fintech News UAE separately reported the announcement on 18 September. The service will use the iPhone’s near-field communication capability. SAMA linked the launch to Saudi Arabia’s SoftPOS infrastructure, introduced in 2021.
IPHONES WILL ACT AS PAYMENT TERMINALS
Tap to Pay is intended to let merchants accept eligible payments on the same device used to run their business applications. That can reduce the need for dedicated point-of-sale hardware. Actual availability will still depend on participating payment providers, compatible devices and their commercial terms.
The inclusion of mada connects the service with Saudi Arabia’s domestic card network. Support for other contactless cards and wallets broadens its potential use among residents and visitors. Neither the reviewed SAMA release nor the independent report gave a precise public-launch date.
PARTICIPATION DETAILS REMAIN PENDING
The development could expand acceptance among smaller merchants and mobile businesses. Its effect will depend on onboarding, fees, security controls and the number of payment providers that enable the feature. The announcement does not establish those commercial arrangements.
The next milestones will be SAMA’s launch confirmation and the identification of participating acquirers or payment applications. Merchants will also need the final eligibility and device requirements before adoption can be assessed. Until those details are published, the service should continue to be described as coming soon.