Middle East & Africa Digital Payment Market Outlook, 2029

The Middle East and Africa digital payment market is expanding rapidly, driven by a variety of causes. With a growing young population, increasing smartphone usage, and increased internet connectivity, the region is ripe for digital payment acceptance. Countries like the United Arab Emirates (UAE), Saudi Arabia, Kenya, Nigeria, and South Africa are leading the way in digital payment innovation and adoption. Furthermore, the COVID-19 pandemic has expedited the transition to digital payments in the Middle East & Africa area. Social distancing tactics and lockdowns have driven consumers to embrace contactless payment alternatives, resulting in the widespread use of mobile wallets, QR code payments, and online banking services.

Governments and regulatory bodies have also pushed the use of digital payments to avoid physical touch and prevent the spread of the virus. The Middle East & Africa digital payment market is characterized by a diverse ecosystem of players, including traditional banks, fintech startups, technology companies, and mobile network operators. These players are collaborating to develop innovative payment solutions tailored to the unique needs of Middle East & Africa consumers and businesses. Technological innovation is propelling the Middle East & Africa digital payment market forward, with an emphasis on improving security, the user experience, and expanding access to financial services. Mobile payments, biometric authentication, blockchain technology, and artificial intelligence are some of the significant developments that are altering the region's digital payment ecosystem. Mobile payments are especially popular in Middle East & Africa nations, where smartphone ownership is common. Mobile wallets and payment apps enable users to perform transactions, transfer money, and pay bills with their cellphones, making them a handy and secure alternative to traditional banking services. Biometric identification methods, such as fingerprint and facial recognition, are increasingly gaining popularity, providing greater security and fraud prevention in digital payments.

According to the research report 'Middle East & Africa Digital Payment Market Outlook, 2029,' the Middle East & Africa Digital Payment market is predicted to reach market size of more than USD 15 Billion by 2029. Mobile phones are prevalent throughout the Middle East and Africa, and the region has one of the highest rates of mobile penetration in the world. This broad usage of mobile devices has prepared the path for the rapid expansion of mobile payment solutions, which allow consumers to execute financial transactions conveniently on their cellphones. Africa has led the mobile money revolution, with pioneering programs such as M-Pesa in Kenya changing the way individuals access financial services.

Mobile money platforms enable users to send and receive money, pay bills, and access other financial services via their mobile phones, especially in areas with limited access to traditional banking infrastructure. Governments in the Middle East and Africa are aggressively supporting digital payments as part of their attempts to modernize their economies and enhance financial inclusion. National strategies, regulatory reforms, and public-private partnerships are driving the adoption of digital payment solutions, with countries like the UAE, Saudi Arabia, and Kenya leading the way in digital transformation.

The Middle East and Africa region has a diverse economic landscape, ranging from oil-rich Gulf countries to rising economies in Sub-Saharan Africa. This economic diversity influences digital payment acceptance trends, with established economies frequently leading the way in technology innovation and digital infrastructure development, while emerging nations confront distinct hurdles in terms of financial inclusion and transformation. Every year, millions of travelers visit the Middle East to see its iconic landmarks, cultural legacy, and luxury shopping spots. Digital payment solutions targeted to tourist needs, such as multi-currency wallets, contactless payment choices, and mobile payment apps with language translation tools, improve the visitor experience and help boost the region's tourism business.

Major Drivers

Government initiatives and regulations: Governments around the Middle East and Africa are progressively emphasizing the relevance of digital payments in promoting economic growth, financial inclusion, and combating cash-based transactions. Regulatory frameworks encouraging electronic payments, such as open banking efforts and e-payment rules, are pushing the use of digital payment solutions.

Mobile wallet adoption: Mobile wallets have gained popularity in the Middle East & Africa region due to their convenience and accessibility, particularly among the unbanked and underbanked. The growth of mobile money services, backed by telecom carriers and fintech firms, is accelerating the acceptance of digital payments, particularly in remote locations with limited access to traditional banking.

Major Challenges

Security concerns: with the expansion of digital financial transactions, the Middle East & Africa region faces increased cybersecurity concerns such as fraud, data breaches, and identity theft. Addressing these security concerns is crucial for increasing customer trust and encouraging widespread usage of digital payment alternatives.

Based on offering segment market is segmented into solution and services. Solutions offering segment is predicted to dominate the Middle East & Africa digital payment market. Based on transaction type segment market includes domestic and cross border. Cross border transaction type is projected to grow at fastest rate in Middle East & Africa digital payment market.

The Middle East & Africa region includes a varied range of countries with varying economic landscapes, cultural preferences, and technical infrastructure. Solutions providing a variety of payment choices, such as mobile wallets, digital banking platforms, point-of-sale (POS) systems, and payment gateways, meet the different payment needs of businesses and consumers throughout the region. The Middle East & Africa region has seen substantial fintech innovation, fueled by a growing young population, increased smartphone usage, and favorable regulatory conditions.

Fintech startups and established players are building novel digital payment solutions customized to the Middle East & Africa market's individual demands and preferences, which is encouraging regional acceptance of solution offerings. Governments across the Middle East & Africa region are aggressively pushing digitization and financial inclusion through a variety of initiatives. These activities include developing digital payment channels, promoting electronic payment acceptance among merchants, and implementing regulatory reforms to support the growth of digital payment solutions. The Middle East & Africa region is becoming more linked to the global economy, with more commercial linkages and cross-border business operations.

As organizations expand their operations abroad and engage in cross-border commerce, the demand for fast and cost-effective cross-border payment solutions increases, propelling the expansion of this transaction type. Cross-border e-commerce is on the rise in the Middle East and North Africa, with more people shopping from foreign online shops. Cross-border payment systems allow businesses to accept payments from clients in multiple countries, facilitating cross-border e-commerce transactions. The convenience and accessibility of internet shopping help drive the expansion of cross-border digital payments.

Based on payment mode segment market is segmented into cards, ACH transfer, digital wallet, and other payment modes. Cards payment mode is expected to dominate the Middle East & Africa digital payment market. Based on end user industry segment market is divided into BFSI, healthcare, IT & telecom, media & entertainment, retail & e-commerce, transportation and others. BFSI industry is expected to remain major revenue source for digital payment in Middle East & Africa digital payment market.

Card payments are becoming increasingly popular among Middle East & Africa consumers due to their convenience and security benefits. With the rise of e-commerce and the digitization of traditional retail, customers are increasingly adopting cards as a handy and widely recognized payment mechanism for both online and offline transactions. Banking penetration has increased significantly across the Middle East & Africa region, prompting financial institutions to issue more debit and credit cards. As more people acquire access to banking services, they are given cards that are used to make a digital payment, which drives the use of card payment methods.

Merchants in the Middle East & Africa region, both online and offline, are rapidly taking card payments to meet consumer demands and improve the shopping experience. The proliferation of point-of-sale (POS) terminals and online payment gateways has made it easier for merchants to accept card payments, further fueling the dominance of cards in the digital payment market. The BFSI business in Middle East & Africa is undergoing fast digital change, owing to technical improvements, shifting consumer tastes, and competitive pressure.

Banks, insurance firms, and other financial institutions are increasingly turning to digital payment solutions to streamline operations, improve client experiences, and remain competitive in the market. Banking penetration has increased significantly across the Middle East & Africa area, allowing more individuals and organizations to access formal financial services. As banking penetration grows, so does the demand for digital payment solutions provided by BFSI institutions, such as internet banking, mobile banking, and digital wallets.

Based on report market includes three major countries including United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia and South Africa. United Arab Emirates is expected to play crucial role in Middle East & Africa digital payment market.

The United Arab Emirates has modern infrastructure, such as reliable internet connectivity and extensive smartphone adoption. This foundation lays the groundwork for the widespread adoption of digital payment systems, which will enable frictionless transactions and improve the user experience. The United Arab Emirates government has been engaged in promoting digital transformation and creating an atmosphere suitable for fintech innovation. Initiatives like Dubai's Smart City initiative and the United Arab Emirates Vision 2021 emphasize digitization and technology adoption, particularly digital payments, as critical components of economic development.

The United Arab Emirates has seen the growth of a vibrant fintech ecosystem, fueled by a favorable regulatory framework and initiatives such as the Dubai International Financial Centre (DIFC) and Abu Dhabi Global Market (ADGM), which provide regulatory sandboxes and incubation programs for fintech businesses. This ecosystem cultivates creativity and draws investment, driving the growth of digital payment solutions. As a regional business hub, the United Arab Emirates acts as a gateway to the larger Middle East & Africa market.

Its strategic location, great connectivity, and strong trade relations make it an appealing destination for foreign businesses wishing to extend their presence in the region, supporting the spread of digital payment technology throughout the Middle East & Africa region. Residents of the United Arab Emirates are highly likely to adopt digital technology, especially digital payments. The convenience, security, and efficiency provided by digital payment solutions appeal to the tech-savvy populace, resulting in rising adoption and acceptance of digital payment methods across multiple sectors.

Some of the key players in the mobile payment technology market are MasterCard, Visa, PayPal, Google, Amazon, Alipay, among others. These companies are contributing majorly in this market by adopting strategies such as collaborations and partnerships to provide digital payment solutions across the regions. Furthermore, the players are highly investing in customizing their products as per the demands of the market; the digital payment market forecast states. These advancements are executed keeping in mind the current payment devices so that the cost is not high for the provider adopting the new technology.

For instance, MasterCard and Eventim, a UK based events and ticket agent and one of the major subsidiary of Europe’s largest retailer CTS Eventim, entered into a marketing and technology partnership to launch contactless payment on-site at various music events and venues. In the U.K., people prominently adopted MasterCard payments and mobile wallets. Also, to encourage the users to adopt digital payments, they were offered a discount on the total beverages they bought using MasterCard payment. Guests at the festival were also given live-demos of the digital payment system. This on-site marketing helped MasterCard to drive technological innovation and shape customer behavior, which would help the company to strengthen the customer base.

Recent Developments

Considered in this report

• Historic year: 2018
• Base year: 2023
• Estimated year: 2024
• Forecast year: 2029

Aspects covered in this report

• Digital Payment market Outlook with its value and forecast along with its segments
• Various drivers and challenges
• On-going trends and developments
• Top profiled companies
• Strategic recommendation

By Offering

• Solutions
• Services

By Transaction type

• Domestic
• Cross Border

By Payment Type

• Cards
• ACH Transfer
• Digital Wallet
• Other Payment Modes

By Vertical

• BFSI
• Healthcare
• IT & Telecom
• Media & Entertainment
• Retail & E-commerce
• Transportation
• Others

The approach of the report:

This report consists of a combined approach of primary and secondary research. Initially, secondary research was used to get an understanding of the market and list the companies that are present in it. The secondary research consists of third-party sources such as press releases, annual reports of companies, and government-generated reports and databases.

After gathering the data from secondary sources, primary research was conducted by conducting telephone interviews with the leading players about how the market is functioning and then conducting trade calls with dealers and distributors of the market. Post this; we have started making primary calls to consumers by equally segmenting them in regional aspects, tier aspects, age group, and gender. Once we have primary data with us, we can start verifying the details obtained from secondary sources.

Intended audience

This report can be useful to industry consultants, manufacturers, suppliers, associations, and organizations related to the Digital Payment industry, government bodies, and other stakeholders to align their market-centric strategies. In addition to marketing and presentations, it will also increase competitive knowledge about the industry.


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