In another significant step to drive cashless payments in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, Saudi Post, the Kingdom’s public postal services entity, and Mastercard, a leading technology company in the global payments industry, have announced a collaboration aimed at driving and enabling card payment acceptance for Saudi Post customers across physical in-store as well as online channels. As part of the collaboration, Mastercard’s professional services arm — Mastercard Advisors — will provide consultation services to Saudi Post.
Dr. Usamah Altaf, Acting President and CEO, Saudi Post, said that the recent surge in e-commerce transactions in the Kingdom makes the collaboration a vital and timely move. “The payment landscape in the Kingdom is witnessing a strong increase in e-commerce transactions, driven by the vast growth of e-government and e-commerce initiative. A growing number of customers now prefer to have their items shipped from other parts of the world, and many prefer paying by card. Our collaboration with Mastercard Advisors will help us strengthen our cashless infrastructure and stay at pace with this rapidly evolving segment of e-commerce and electronic payments.”
This will, in turn, contribute to the efficiency of our operational model and help us enhance the overall customer experience.”
Khalid Elgibali, Division President for Middle East and North Africa, Mastercard, said: “Mastercard is committed to working closely with key partners in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia to drive cash displacement and expedite the adoption of cashless transactions across all payment channels. Mastercard Advisors has a proven record in helping organizations optimize transaction data, deepen their understanding of consumer behavior and boost business growth. We are excited to leverage the market insights and intelligence of Mastercard Advisors to crystallize opportunities in electronic payments and thereby enhance customer satisfaction for Saudi Post customers.”
Mastercard is committed to empowering organizations by harnessing its innovative technology, and achieving shared goals of driving greater economic value and customer satisfaction. It continues to look for new opportunities in the region where its deep expertise and informed advice can expedite companies in their journey towards a 'World Beyond Cash'.
Saudi Post join hands with Mastercard for in-store and online card acceptance
Saudi Post join hands with Mastercard for in-store and online card acceptance
Saudi Awwal Bank becomes first Middle East bank to earn 7-star CinOrg innovation accreditation
Saudi Awwal Bank has become the first bank in the Middle East to receive a 7‑star Certified Innovative Organization rating from the Global Innovation Institute, the highest recognition awarded by the institute.
The accreditation marks a significant step in SAB’s innovation strategy and follows an innovation maturity assessment conducted by the institute in December 2025. The review, which built on an earlier assessment in December 2023, raised the bank’s maturity level from “Champion” to “Leader.” The new rating reflects SAB’s institutionalized approach to innovation, its enterprise-wide impact and its ability to consistently deliver measurable results.
With the 7‑star rating, SAB becomes the first bank in the region to reach the highest innovation maturity level, strengthening its position as a regional reference point for innovation-led and future-ready banking.
In 2025, the bank opened its flagship Innovation Centre and secured six internationally recognized innovation awards, along with a lab accreditation. The centre has supported SAB’s efforts to accelerate the adoption of advanced technologies, encourage cross-functional collaboration and reinforce its standing as a regional leader in financial innovation.
Saeed Assiri, chief innovation banking officer at SAB, said the recognition reflects years of focused work to build a sustainable innovation ecosystem.
“By investing in SAB’s culture, governance and talent, innovation enables the bank to remain future-ready,” he said. “This milestone reinforces our role in accelerating financial innovation in Saudi Arabia and delivering long-term value for our customers.”
The certification adds to SAB’s broader efforts to strengthen its innovation capabilities as the Kingdom’s banking sector continues to evolve.









