The Saudi Arabian Monetary Authority "SAMA" has asserted that banks and payment service providers operating in the Kingdom must complete their readiness to provide electronic payment means for personal services activities. This comes in line with the instruction to merchants working in those activities to provide electronic payment methods, starting from the date of 8 / 8/1441 AH, corresponding to 1/4/2020 AD.

                SAMA clarified that the step comes in order to promote payment systems aimed at promoting electronic payment and reducing cash handling, and as a continuation of SAMA's efforts in support of activating the use of electronic channels by implementing an integrated digital payments strategy program to upgrade the level of electronic services provided. In addition to the efforts of the national program to combat the commercial concealment that aims at gradually obliging the retail sector to provide electronic payment methods.

                In a circular addressed to banks and payment service providers, SAMA stated that the National Program for Combating Commercial Concealment, in cooperation with SAMA, the Ministry of Municipal and Rural Affairs and the Ministry of Commerce, obligated all personal service activities in the Kingdom to provide electronic payment methods, starting from 8/8/1441 AH corresponding to 1/4/2020 AD, and with the aim of the success of the special efforts to activate this decision, and to ensure full readiness.

                Banks and payment service providers are required to be ready to receive requests for the opening of bank accounts and e-wallets for merchants working in personal service activities, as well as to provide electronic payment methods authorized by SAMA (POS devices, or the QR code) and to respond to them through all different channels. It also affirmed that banks and payment service providers are obligated when providing a means of payment to use the Merchant Category Codes assigned to this sector, and to circulate internally to their employees of this decision to ensure that they adequately understand it.