Google Pay Now Available for Mastercard Cardholders in Saudi Arabia
Android users in Saudi can now tap to pay in-store with Google Pay using Mastercard cards, with tokenisation and device authentication.
Mastercard and Google have launched Google Pay for Mastercard cardholders in Saudi Arabia, enabling contactless in-store payments on Android devices through near field communication technology.
The rollout allows users to add eligible Mastercard credit or debit cards to Google Pay and complete transactions at compatible point-of-sale terminals. Payments can be authenticated using device biometrics or passcodes.
Google Pay operates through tokenisation, replacing actual card details with device-specific digital tokens and generating dynamic transaction codes for each purchase. Transactions continue to run over established card networks while adding a layer of security at the device level.
The integration is compatible with existing contactless merchant infrastructure across the Kingdom, meaning payments can be processed through terminals already deployed in retail locations.
Contactless transactions have increased in recent years alongside high smartphone penetration and broader digital infrastructure development. Saudi Arabia is among the fastest-growing fintech markets in the Middle East, with partnerships between card networks and technology platforms playing a central role in expanding interoperable payment ecosystems for domestic and international transactions.
