Saudi Arabia achieved a new digital economic milestone, with e-commerce sales via Mada cards reaching unprecedented record levels in October 2025. The monthly statistical bulletin issued by the Saudi Central Bank (SAMA) revealed that total sales exceeded SAR 30.7 billion, marking the highest monthly level in the history of digital transactions in the Kingdom.
Huge annual growth reflects a shift in consumer behavior
Official data revealed that this record figure represents a remarkable annual growth of 68%, a substantial increase of approximately 12.4 billion riyals compared to the same period in 2024, when sales stood at around 18.3 billion riyals. This significant rise not only reflects increased purchasing power but also clearly indicates a fundamental shift in consumer behavior in Saudi Arabia towards complete reliance on digital channels to meet their daily needs.
Upward quarterly performance and positive indicators
Growth wasn't limited to the year-on-year level; it extended to both quarterly and monthly performance. Sales during the third quarter of this year reached approximately SAR 88.3 billion, achieving quarterly growth of 15.2% compared to the second quarter, which recorded SAR 76.6 billion. On a monthly basis, October 2025 saw growth of 6% compared to the preceding September, an increase of SAR 1.6 billion, confirming the continued upward momentum of the e-commerce sector.
Economic context and Vision 2030
This accelerated growth comes in the context of the economic transformation led by the Kingdom’s Vision 2030, specifically through the Financial Sector Development Program, which aims to reduce reliance on cash and raise the percentage of non-cash transactions to 70% by 2030. The advanced digital infrastructure in which the Kingdom has invested, in addition to the legislation enacted by the Saudi Central Bank, has contributed to enhancing confidence in the electronic payment system.
The development of the "Mada" digital payment system
It is worth noting that the published figures include payments and purchases made using Mada cards on e-commerce websites, mobile applications, and digital wallets, and do not include transactions made using credit cards. This increasing reliance on Mada debit cards reflects the success of the Saudi Payments Network in providing secure, fast, and reliable payment options, which has encouraged broad segments of society and small and medium-sized enterprises to participate in the digital economy.
Comparing performance since the beginning of the year
Looking at the overall performance of the current year, data from January to October 2025 showed a cumulative growth in e-commerce sales of 47.3%, an increase of approximately 9.9 billion riyals compared to the levels of January of the same year, which bodes well for closing the current fiscal year on record numbers that enhance the Kingdom’s position as a leading regional center in the digital commerce and financial technology sector.
