Mastercard Says 77% Of Saudi SMEs Accept Online Payments
Mastercard research says 75% of Saudi SME leaders remain confident despite a fall from a 92% benchmark, while 77% accept online payments and the Saudi sample size is not disclosed.
Seventy-five percent of small and medium business leaders in Saudi Arabia are confident about their business outlook over the next 12 months, according to Mastercard research.
That remains a strong result, but it is below the 92 percent pre-conflict benchmark as businesses respond to regional instability and wider macroeconomic pressure.
The 2026 Mastercard SME Confidence Index included a sentiment pulse survey focused specifically on how Saudi SMEs are managing those immediate challenges.
The findings point to digital payments as one of the main operating tools businesses are using to improve efficiency and pursue growth while maintaining resilience.
Confidence after regional tensions
Sixty-seven percent of surveyed SMEs reported revenue growth during the past 12 months.
Expectations for the next year were more cautious: 49 percent expected revenues to continue growing, while 61 percent identified maintaining and growing the business as their primary focus.
The survey also found that 18 percent of SMEs had sought external funding during the previous 12 months.
Looking ahead, 22 percent said they were seeking credit to support future growth, and 16 percent were seeking funding to maintain operations.
Onur Kursun, Mastercard’s executive vice president for Commercial and New Payment Flows in EEMEA, said digital capabilities and financial access were helping businesses absorb short-term pressure and find new paths to growth.
Digital payments as operating infrastructure
Among the SMEs surveyed, 77 percent accepted online payments, 67 percent accepted card payments and 54 percent accepted mobile payments.
More than seven in ten business owners viewed digital payments as important for growing better and faster.
Businesses identified simple, seamless and user-friendly payment methods as the area with the greatest potential to support future growth, at 73 percent.
Fifty-eight percent cited accepting digital payments across multiple channels, while 49 percent pointed to safe and secure payment processing.
The survey also identified physical and digital security, team support and upskilling, online sales and digital payment acceptance as areas where additional assistance could accelerate growth.
Revenue, funding and business support
The results connect payment adoption with a broader effort to modernize operations under Saudi Arabia’s Vision 2030 programme.
Mastercard said seamless payment experiences, omnichannel acceptance and secure transactions can help SMEs strengthen competitiveness and operational efficiency.
The Small and Medium Enterprises General Authority, known as Monsha’at, said SMEs contribute to innovation, job creation and private-sector growth as the Kingdom continues its economic transformation.
Mastercard’s resilience programme
Mastercard said its Built Small.
Moving Strong. initiative brings together partners across Saudi Arabia to provide SMEs with tools, resources and support.
Adam Jones, Mastercard’s executive vice president and division president for West Arabia, said the programme is intended to provide liquidity, tools and backing as businesses navigate uncertainty.
The company has also launched a Cyber Resilience Center in Riyadh to support organizations across the Kingdom with cybersecurity capabilities and strengthen trust in the digital economy.
Together, the initiatives place payment access, security and operational support at the center of the surveyed businesses’ plans for sustaining growth.
