Riyadh, Saudi Arabia – September 17, 2025:
Paymentology, the global issuer processor powering banks and fintechs, has officially deepened its presence in Saudi Arabia, completing its commercial registration in Riyadh. Speaking at Money 20/20 Middle East, Jeff Parker, CEO of Paymentology, outlined why Saudi Arabia is central to the company’s global growth strategy.
“Saudi Arabia is one of the most exciting fintech markets globally. To truly serve our clients, we needed local infrastructure, regulatory alignment, and—most importantly—Saudi talent on the ground,” said Parker.
Localization Beyond Language
Parker highlighted three pillars of localization for Paymentology in the Kingdom:
- Technology: Building on-soil infrastructure and integrating with Mada, the national payment switch.
- Product: Designing card programs that reflect Saudi consumer needs.
- People: Hiring Saudi leadership to build trust and lasting client relationships.
Cloud-First Edge
Paymentology’s cloud-native platform, built as a single global codebase, offers high configurability. This allows Saudi banks and fintechs to launch and iterate card products faster than traditional processors.
AI Roadmap for Fraud & Risk
The company is investing in AI to strengthen its fraud prevention decision engine, enhance transaction monitoring, and improve customer implementation support.
Opportunities & Challenges
With fintech companies in Saudi Arabia growing tenfold in just two years, Parker acknowledged both the opportunities and challenges ahead. Scaling responsibly and partnering with the right banks, BIN sponsors, and core platforms remain key priorities.
Driving Financial Inclusion
Rooted in its African heritage, Paymentology has long championed financial inclusion. In Saudi Arabia, the company aims to leverage mobile wallets and digital payments to extend access to underbanked communities, SMEs, and youth.
Roadmap & Global Ambition
Looking ahead, Parker identified three milestones:
- Building a Saudi leadership team.
- Scaling new and existing clients in the Kingdom.
- Launching a Shariah-compliant version of its new cloud-based credit ledger.
He added that Saudi Arabia’s rapid digital adoption makes it the most strategic region for Paymentology’s global ambition to become the world’s most digitally advanced issuer processor.
Paymentology also announced a new partnership with NJAS, expected to go live early 2026.
