Google Pay and Google Wallet Officially Launch in Saudi Arabia.

Google has officially announced the launch of Google Pay and Google Wallet in Saudi Arabia, bringing a new era of simple and secure payments to the region. The service, which will be rolled out to all users in the coming weeks, is set to transform how people pay for goods and services using their Android phones.

The rollout is a significant step for the tech giant in the Middle East, with the service initially partnering with the national payment system, mada, as well as major financial institutions Al Rajhi Bank and Riyad Bank. More banks are expected to join the service over time.

How It Works

At its core, the service provides a secure "Tap to Pay" experience in stores, enabling users to add and manage their Mada cards, Visa, and Mastercard credit cards directly within the Google Wallet app. The platform uses industry-standard tokenization, a security measure that replaces a user's actual card number with a device-specific virtual number, or token, during transactions. This ensures that a user's sensitive payment information is never shared with the merchant.

In addition to in-store payments, Google Pay will also be integrated into apps and on the web, offering a seamless and secure checkout process. Beyond payments, the Google Wallet app provides a convenient way for users to securely store and access digital items such as loyalty cards, boarding passes, and event tickets.