Visa joins KAFD in digital payment access boost

KAFD announced the news in a post on X.
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Updated 25 January 2024
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Visa joins KAFD in digital payment access boost

RIYADH: Businesses in King Abdullah Financial District are poised for advanced digital payment access with card service provider Visa joining the Riyadh economic hub, reinforcing global economic connections. 

Visa is an internationally recognized compay in the sector, facilitating transactions between consumers, merchants, financial institutions and government entities across numerous countries and territories. 

KAFD announced the news in a post on X saying: “We’re happy to welcome Visa to our financial district as part of the KAFD business community, as it helps power the global economy by connecting businesses, banks and governments in more than 200 countries and territories worldwide.” 

Following its acquisition by Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund, the district has evolved to become a prime business and lifestyle destination capturing the core values of Vision 2030.  

KAFD provides businesses access to advanced office infrastructure and sustainable smart city solutions, while simultaneously offering leisure and retail facilities. 

The deal with Visa is the latest collaboration between Saudi Arabia and the company, with past agreements including the establishment a first-of-its-kind tourism data lab in May 2023 to provide travel trends insights. 

The Saudi Tourism Authority inked a memorandum of understanding with the financial services company to explore innovative ways to enhance the visitor experience and advance the Kingdom’s hospitality industry.  

The partnership was supported by the payment database VisaNet, which delivers a variety of data on incoming tourists and substantial information on how governments can maximize their cashless approach, a press release noted at that time.  

The collaboration is in line with Saudi Arabia’s National Tourism Strategy, which seeks to attract 150 million visitors by 2030. 


Saudi Arabia opens real estate market to foreign buyers

Updated 5 sec ago
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Saudi Arabia opens real estate market to foreign buyers

RIYADH: Saudi Arabia’s Real Estate General Authority has announced that the regulatory system governing property ownership by foreigners officially came into effect on Jan. 22, with all provisions now enforceable under the national real estate framework.

The authority said applications for property ownership by non-Saudis can be submitted through the official digital platform, Saudi Arabia Real Estate. The system applies to residents and non-residents, as well as foreign companies and entities, in accordance with established legal procedures.

According to the authority, the application process varies by ownership category. Foreign residents in Saudi Arabia may apply directly through the portal using their residence permit, with legal requirements verified automatically and the process completed electronically.

Non-residents are required to initiate their applications through Saudi embassies and consulates abroad to obtain a digital identification number, which enables them to finalize the process via the platform.

Foreign companies and entities without a presence in the Kingdom must first register with the Ministry of Investment through the “Invest Saudi” platform and obtain a unified registration number (700) before completing ownership procedures electronically.

The authority confirmed that the system allows foreign individuals, companies, and entities to own property across Saudi Arabia, with ownership permitted in major cities including Riyadh and Jeddah.

However, property ownership in Makkah and Madinah remains restricted to Saudi companies and Muslim individuals, in line with a regulatory framework based on the Geographic Zones document, which is scheduled to be announced in the first quarter of 2026.

The authority noted that the Saudi Arabia Real Estate portal serves as the official digital gateway for all ownership procedures, ensuring regulatory compliance and direct integration with the national real estate registry to enhance transparency and protect property rights.

It added that the new system is expected to improve the quality of real estate projects by attracting international developers and specialized firms, stimulating growth in the residential, commercial, industrial, and tourism sectors, and creating employment opportunities for Saudi citizens.

The initiative is also expected to strengthen the real estate sector’s sustainable contribution to the Kingdom’s non-oil gross domestic product.