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🚀 7 Payment Trends Reshaping MENA's Digital Commerce in 2025

michaeltomlins


The MENA payments landscape is undergoing rapid transformation. Here are the key trends shaping digital commerce in 2025:

 

1. Open Banking Revolution

The region is embracing open banking with Saudi Arabia and UAE leading regulatory frameworks. Forecasts show 47% of MENA banks will implement open banking by 2025, unlocking $3.1 billion in new revenue opportunities. A2A payments are expected to grow 320% compared to 2023 levels, revolutionizing how consumers pay and businesses transact with organisations like @LeanTech leading the way.

 

2. Real-Time Payment Networks

National instant payment schemes are transforming transaction speeds. UAE's IPP and Saudi's SARIE processed over $175 billion in 2024, with volumes projected to triple by 2025. 89% of MENA banks are prioritizing real-time payment capabilities to meet growing consumer demand for instant transfers.

 

3. Cross-Border Commerce Expansion

Cross-border ecommerce in MENA is projected to reach $50 billion in 2025. Regional payment schemes and harmonization efforts are reducing transaction costs by up to 60%. Key corridors like UAE-Saudi Arabia are seeing 40% year-over-year growth in digital payment flows. We expect to see transactions backed by stablecoins to account for an increasing proportion of these transactions. @transfi are well positioned in the region to support this activity.  

 

4. Digital Wallet Dominance

Mobile wallets will account for 42% of regional ecommerce transactions by 2025, up from 27% in 2023. Super apps combining payments, loyalty and lifestyle services are seeing 85% annual user growth. Over 70% of MENA consumers now prefer digital wallets for daily transactions.

 

5. AI-Powered Fraud Prevention

As digital payments grow, fraud prevention becomes critical. AI-powered systems reduced fraud rates by 73% in early adopter banks. Real-time transaction monitoring will analyze over 1,000 data points per payment in 2025, compared to just 50 in 2023. Global market leaders @sift, @seon and @kount are all active in the MENA region.

 

6. Local Payment Method Growth

Market-specific payment methods will process over $100 billion in 2025. BNPL (e.g. @Tabby, @Tamara) is growing at 95% annually in MENA, while cash on delivery is expected to drop below 15% of ecommerce transactions. Regional payment schemes have expanded acceptance to over 850,000 merchants.

 

7. Payment Analytics & Optimization

Data-driven payment strategies will unlock $7.2 billion in additional merchant revenue by 2025. Advanced routing optimization reduces transaction costs by up to 35%. Real-time analytics help merchants achieve 96%+ authorization rates through smart payment orchestration as provided by @apaya.

 

These trends highlight how payment innovation is accelerating digital commerce growth across MENA. Success in 2025 will depend on embracing new payment technologies while optimizing existing operations. Please reach out for a demo of how Apaya can help you utilise these new technologies to accelerate your growth, in just a few clicks.

 

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