Welcome to the State of Payments 2016 by PAYFORT. For the third year in a row we’re releasing our annual report that details the world of payments, eCommerce and innovation across the Arab World. We’ve collected data from both consumers and merchants to provide you with actionable insight you can use to create a more successful, profitable and consumer focused business. Two years ago we released our first State of Payments report, something that evolved out of a desire to increase our own understanding of consumers in the region and share that information with the growing business community throughout the Arab World. In last year’s report, we strive to create something that not only contained the same consumer-centric data but also presented that data in a meaningful way. We wanted to create a fuller picture that incorporated the opinions of hundreds of merchants who interact with consumers on a day-to-day basis. In this year’s report we’ve once again re-imagined how best to share the massive amount of data that is available within the Middle East’s eCommerce sectors. To do this we have refocused the report to not only explore current trends, but also address the real issues that impact merchants on a day to day basis and share meaningful solutions for the future. Over the past three years State of Payments has become our favourite content piece and we’d love to hear your thoughts on the report. Be sure to reach out via social media using the hashtag #StateofPayments or contact us via social@payfort.com to share your thoughts. We have also provided a feedback section within the report where you can share your thoughts. www.stateofpayments.com

1. stateofpayments.com

3. ABOUT THE REPORT
Welcome to the State of Payments 2016 by PAYFORT. For the third year in a row we’re
releasing our annual report that details the world of payments, ecommerce and innovation
across the Arab World.
We’ve collected data from both consumers and merchants to provide you with actionable
insight you can use to create a more successful, profitable and consumer focused business.
Two years ago we released our first State of Payments report, something that evolved out
of a desire to increase our own understanding of consumers in the region and share that
information with the growing business community throughout the Arab World.
In last year’s report, we strived to create something that not only contained the same
consumer-centric data but also presented that data in a meaningful way. We wanted to
create a fuller picture that incorporated the opinions of hundreds of merchants who
interact with consumers on a day-to-day basis.
In this year’s report we’ve once again reimagined how best to share the massive amount of
data that is available within the Middle East’s ecommerce sectors. To do this we have
refocused the report to not onlyexplore current trends, but also address the real issues that
impact merchants on a day to day basis and share meaningful solutions for the future.
Over the past three years State of Payments has become our favourite content piece and
we’d love to hear your thoughts on the report. Be sure to reach out via social media using
the hashtag #StateofPayments or contact us via email social@payfort.com to share your
thoughts. We have also provided a feedback section within the report where you can share
your thoughts.

4. TABLE OF CONTENT
Trends
Marketsize
Marketsize Forecast
Acceptance Ratio
Refunds
Seasonality
Demographics
Population
Internet User
Online Buyers
Social Network
Buyers by Genders
Age Group
Income Level
Survey
Online Shopping in the Arab World
What type of Products are Arab shoppers buying
How Shoppers are Influenced
Payment, Security & Privacy
Challenges
Failure from 3D Secure
Credit Card Penetration
Fraud and Risk Tolerance
Mobile Payment
Trust
E-commerce Utopia
About the Report
Why State of Payments?
Methodology
02
14
26
39
52
63
64
65
66
73
74
81
107
109
89
90
91
92
94
96
98
100
102
105

5. Changes that are shaping Middle East E-commerce

6. 10b
9b
8b
7b
6b
5b
4b
3b
2b
1b
0
20152014
UAE KSA EGYPT KUWAIT LEBANON JORDAN QATAR
8.24b
10.25b
4.63b
6.48b
4.18b
1.09b
1.26b
0.73b0.78b
0.55b
0.65b
0.38b0.42b
MARKETSIZE OVERVIEW
Across the region we saw very strong growth, with
market size increasing by an impressive 23.3%. The
largest growth occurred in Saudi Arabia, with the UAE
and Egypt also performing exceedingly well. The
smallest growth occurred in Lebanon and Qatar,
howeverit is important to note that the market size of all
countries studied is increasing.
Saudi Arabia’s growth was fuelled by a growing
ecommerce market and an increase in online travel
bookings, with these sectors representing the largest
growth in the region. Egypt and the UAE in contrast saw
larger growth in their events and entertainment sectors.
The slowest growth occurred in Lebanon’s Airlines
sector and a similar trend was observed in Kuwait and
Qatar.
2 #stateofpayments
5.06b

7. 6b
5b
4b
3b
2b
1b
0
20152014
AIRLINES TRAVEL ECOMMERCE ENTERTAINMENT
4.70b
5.62b
1.14b
1.65b
2.30b
2.84b
0.09b 0.13b
MARKETSIZE
UNITED ARAB EMIRATES
Across the region we saw very strong growth, with
market size increasing by an impressive 23.3%. The
largest growth occurred in Saudi Arabia, with the UAE
and Egypt also performing exceedingly well. The
smallest growth occurred in Lebanon and Qatar,
howeverit is important to note that the market size of all
countries studied is increasing.
Saudi Arabia’s growth was fuelled by a growing
ecommerce market and an increase in online travel
bookings, with these sectors representing the largest
growth in the region. Egypt and the UAE in contrast saw
larger growth in their events and entertainment sectors.
The slowest growth occurred in Lebanon’s Airlines
sector and a similar trend was observed in Kuwait and
Qatar.
3#stateofpayments

8. 5b
4b
3b
2b
1b
0
20152014
AIRLINES TRAVEL ECOMMERCE ENTERTAINMENT
2.20b
2.67b
0.92b
1.55b 1.50b
2.25b
MARKETSIZE
KINGDOM OF SAUDI ARABIA
Across the region we saw very strong growth, with
market size increasing by an impressive 23.3%. The
largest growth occurred in Saudi Arabia, with the UAE
and Egypt also performing exceedingly well. The
smallest growth occurred in Lebanon and Qatar,
howeverit is important to note that the market size of all
countries studied is increasing.
Saudi Arabia’s growth was fuelled by a growing
ecommerce market and an increase in online travel
bookings, with these sectors representing the largest
growth in the region. Egypt and the UAE in contrast saw
larger growth in their events and entertainment sectors.
The slowest growth occurred in Lebanon’s Airlines
sector and a similar trend was observed in Kuwait and
Qatar.
.001b .012b
4 #stateofpayments

9. 5b
4b
3b
2b
1b
0
20152014
AIRLINES TRAVEL ECOMMERCE ENTERTAINMENT
1.90b
2.18b
0.87b
1.03b
1.40b
1.84b
.006b .009b
MARKETSIZE
EGYPT
Across the region we saw very strong growth, with
market size increasing by an impressive 23.3%. The
largest growth occurred in Saudi Arabia, with the UAE
and Egypt also performing exceedingly well. The
smallest growth occurred in Lebanon and Qatar,
howeverit is important to note that the market size of all
countries studied is increasing.
Saudi Arabia’s growth was fuelled by a growing
ecommerce market and an increase in online travel
bookings, with these sectors representing the largest
growth in the region. Egypt and the UAE in contrast saw
larger growth in their events and entertainment sectors.
The slowest growth occurred in Lebanon’s Airlines
sector and a similar trend was observed in Kuwait and
Qatar.
5#stateofpayments

10. 1000m
900m
800m
700m
600m
500m
400m
300m
200m
100m
0
20152014
AIRLINES TRAVEL ECOMMERCE ENTERTAINMENT
560m
2.5m 2.7m
MARKETSIZE
KUWAIT
Across the region we saw very strong growth, with
market size increasing by an impressive 23.3%. The
largest growth occurred in Saudi Arabia, with the UAE
and Egypt also performing exceedingly well. The
smallest growth occurred in Lebanon and Qatar,
howeverit is important to note that the market size of all
countries studied is increasing.
Saudi Arabia’s growth was fuelled by a growing
ecommerce market and an increase in online travel
bookings, with these sectors representing the largest
growth in the region. Egypt and the UAE in contrast saw
larger growth in their events and entertainment sectors.
The slowest growth occurred in Lebanon’s Airlines
sector and a similar trend was observed in Kuwait and
Qatar.
400m
130m
430m
150m
680m
6 #stateofpayments

11. 1000m
900m
800m
700m
600m
500m
400m
300m
200m
100m
0
MARKETSIZE
LEBANON
Across the region we saw very strong growth, with
market size increasing by an impressive 23.3%. The
largest growth occurred in Saudi Arabia, with the UAE
and Egypt also performing exceedingly well. The
smallest growth occurred in Lebanon and Qatar,
howeverit is important to note that the market size of all
countries studied is increasing.
Saudi Arabia’s growth was fuelled by a growing
ecommerce market and an increase in online travel
bookings, with these sectors representing the largest
growth in the region. Egypt and the UAE in contrast saw
larger growth in their events and entertainment sectors.
The slowest growth occurred in Lebanon’s Airlines
sector and a similar trend was observed in Kuwait and
Qatar.
7#stateofpayments
20152014
AIRLINES TRAVEL ECOMMERCE ENTERTAINMENT
280m
310m
3.7m 4.1m
50m 56m
400m410m

12. 1000m
900m
800m
700m
600m
500m
400m
300m
200m
100m
0
20152014
AIRLINES TRAVEL ECOMMERCE ENTERTAINMENT
MARKETSIZE
JORDAN
Across the region we saw very strong growth, with
market size increasing by an impressive 23.3%. The
largest growth occurred in Saudi Arabia, with the UAE
and Egypt also performing exceedingly well. The
smallest growth occurred in Lebanon and Qatar,
howeverit is important to note that the market size of all
countries studied is increasing.
Saudi Arabia’s growth was fuelled by a growing
ecommerce market and an increase in online travel
bookings, with these sectors representing the largest
growth in the region. Egypt and the UAE in contrast saw
larger growth in their events and entertainment sectors.
The slowest growth occurred in Lebanon’s Airlines
sector and a similar trend was observed in Kuwait and
Qatar.
300m
340m
40m
60m
210m
250m
1.2m 1.5m
8 #stateofpayments

13. 1000m
900m
800m
700m
600m
500m
400m
300m
200m
100m
0
20152014
AIRLINES TRAVEL ECOMMERCE ENTERTAINMENT
MARKETSIZE
QATAR
Across the region we saw very strong growth, with
market size increasing by an impressive 23.3%. The
largest growth occurred in Saudi Arabia, with the UAE
and Egypt also performing exceedingly well. The
smallest growth occurred in Lebanon and Qatar,
howeverit is important to note that the market size of all
countries studied is increasing.
Saudi Arabia’s growth was fuelled by a growing
ecommerce market and an increase in online travel
bookings, with these sectors representing the largest
growth in the region. Egypt and the UAE in contrast saw
larger growth in their events and entertainment sectors.
The slowest growth occurred in Lebanon’s Airlines
sector and a similar trend was observed in Kuwait and
Qatar.
300m
320m
45m 49m
38m 44m
.5m .6m
9#stateofpayments

14. 6b
5b
4b
3b
2b
1b
0
UAE KSA EGYPT KUWAIT LEBANON JORDAN QATAR
4.70b
5.62b
2.20b
2.67b
1.90b
2.18b
.40b .41b
.30b .34b .30b .32b
MARKETSIZE
AIRLINES
Across the region we saw very strong growth, with
market size increasing by an impressive 23.3%. The
largest growth occurred in Saudi Arabia, with the UAE
and Egypt also performing exceedingly well. The
smallest growth occurred in Lebanon and Qatar,
howeverit is important to note that the market size of all
countries studied is increasing.
Saudi Arabia’s growth was fuelled by a growing
ecommerce market and an increase in online travel
bookings, with these sectors representing the largest
growth in the region. Egypt and the UAE in contrast saw
larger growth in their events and entertainment sectors.
The slowest growth occurred in Lebanon’s Airlines
sector and a similar trend was observed in Kuwait and
Qatar.
20152014
.40b .43b
10 #stateofpayments

15. 3b
2b
1b
0
UAE KSA EGYPT KUWAIT LEBANON JORDAN QATAR
1.14b
1.65b
.92b
1.55b
.87b
1.03b
.04b .06b
MARKETSIZE
TRAVEL
Across the region we saw very strong growth, with
market size increasing by an impressive 23.3%. The
largest growth occurred in Saudi Arabia, with the UAE
and Egypt also performing exceedingly well. The
smallest growth occurred in Lebanon and Qatar,
howeverit is important to note that the market size of all
countries studied is increasing.
Saudi Arabia’s growth was fuelled by a growing
ecommerce market and an increase in online travel
bookings, with these sectors representing the largest
growth in the region. Egypt and the UAE in contrast saw
larger growth in their events and entertainment sectors.
The slowest growth occurred in Lebanon’s Airlines
sector and a similar trend was observed in Kuwait and
Qatar.
20152014
.045b.049b.05b
.13b .15b
.06b
11#stateofpayments

16. 3b
2b
1b
0
20152014
UAE KSA EGYPT KUWAIT LEBANON JORDAN QATAR
2.30b
2.84b
1.50b
2.25b
1.40b
1.84b
.28b
.31b
.21b
.25b
MARKETSIZE
ECOMMERCE
Across the region we saw very strong growth, with
market size increasing by an impressive 23.3%. The
largest growth occurred in Saudi Arabia, with the UAE
and Egypt also performing exceedingly well. The
smallest growth occurred in Lebanon and Qatar,
howeverit is important to note that the market size of all
countries studied is increasing.
Saudi Arabia’s growth was fuelled by a growing
ecommerce market and an increase in online travel
bookings, with these sectors representing the largest
growth in the region. Egypt and the UAE in contrast saw
larger growth in their events and entertainment sectors.
The slowest growth occurred in Lebanon’s Airlines
sector and a similar trend was observed in Kuwait and
Qatar.
.03b .04b
.56b
.68b
12 #stateofpayments

17. MARKETSIZE
ENTERTAINMENT
Across the region we saw very strong growth, with
market size increasing by an impressive 23.3%. The
largest growth occurred in Saudi Arabia, with the UAE
and Egypt also performing exceedingly well. The
smallest growth occurred in Lebanon and Qatar,
howeverit is important to note that the market size of all
countries studied is increasing.
Saudi Arabia’s growth was fuelled by a growing
ecommerce market and an increase in online travel
bookings, with these sectors representing the largest
growth in the region. Egypt and the UAE in contrast saw
larger growth in their events and entertainment sectors.
The slowest growth occurred in Lebanon’s Airlines
sector and a similar trend was observed in Kuwait and
Qatar.
150m
100m
50m
0
UAE KSA EGYPT KUWAIT LEBANON JORDAN QATAR
95m
129m
10m
12.4m
6.25m
8.82m
3.75m
4.15m
1.25m 1.52m
20152014
2.5m
2.7m
.50m .58m
13#stateofpayments

18. MARKETSIZE OVERVIEW
(Forecast)
Moving forward into 2020 we expect to see positive
growth throughout the Middle East with countries like
Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates and Egypt
leading the region. With more and more people moving
online, Saudi Arabia is expected to see substantial
growth while smaller countries such as Lebanon and
Qatar are expecting more modest increases.
Both Saudi Arabian and Egyptian growth will likely come
out of their booming travel sectors and increasingly
popular ecommerce businesses. The UAE’s
entertainment and events sector is expected to grow
more than any other sector in the region as a result of
Expo 2020.
30b
25b
20b
15b
10b
5b
0
20202015
UAE KSA EGYPT KUWAIT LEBANON JORDAN QATAR
10.24b
27.13b
6.48b
22.13b
5.06b
14.04b
.65b
1.36b
.42b .65b
1.26b
2.8b
.78b 1.09b
14 #stateofpayments

19. 20202015
15b
10b
5b
0
AIRLINES TRAVEL ECOMMERCE ENTERTAINMENT
5.6b
13.7b
1.6b
4.6b
2.84b
8.09b
0.12b 0.60b
MARKETSIZE (Forecast)
UNITED ARAB EMIRATES
Moving forward into 2020 we expect to see positive
growth throughout the Middle East with countries like
Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates and Egypt
leading the region. With more and more people moving
online, Saudi Arabia is expected to see substantial
growth while smaller countries such as Lebanon and
Qatar are expecting more modest increases.
Both Saudi Arabian and Egyptian growth will likely come
out of their booming travel sectors and increasingly
popular ecommerce businesses. The UAE’s
entertainment and events sector is expected to grow
more than any other sector in the region as a result of
Expo 2020.
15#stateofpayments

20. MARKETSIZE (Forecast)
KINGDOM OF SAUDI ARABIA
Moving forward into 2020 we expect to see positive
growth throughout the Middle East with countries like
Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates and Egypt
leading the region. With more and more people moving
online, Saudi Arabia is expected to see substantial
growth while smaller countries such as Lebanon and
Qatar are expecting more modest increases.
Both Saudi Arabian and Egyptian growth will likely come
out of their booming travel sectors and increasingly
popular ecommerce businesses. The UAE’s
entertainment and events sector is expected to grow
more than any other sector in the region as a result of
Expo 2020.
15b
10b
5b
0
20202015
AIRLINES TRAVEL ECOMMERCE ENTERTAINMENT
7.06b
6.68b
2.30b
8.35b
.012b .036b
2.67b
1.55b
16 #stateofpayments

21. 10b
8b
6b
4b
2b
0
20202015
AIRLINES TRAVEL ECOMMERCE ENTERTAINMENT
2.18b
4.35b
1.03b
2.36b
1.84b
7.30b
.009b .023b
MARKETSIZE (Forecast)
EGYPT
Moving forward into 2020 we expect to see positive
growth throughout the Middle East with countries like
Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates and Egypt
leading the region. With more and more people moving
online, Saudi Arabia is expected to see substantial
growth while smaller countries such as Lebanon and
Qatar are expecting more modest increases.
Both Saudi Arabian and Egyptian growth will likely come
out of their booming travel sectors and increasingly
popular ecommerce businesses. The UAE’s
entertainment and events sector is expected to grow
more than any other sector in the region as a result of
Expo 2020.
17#stateofpayments

22. MARKETSIZE (Forecast)
KUWAIT
Moving forward into 2020 we expect to see positive
growth throughout the Middle East with countries like
Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates and Egypt
leading the region. With more and more people moving
online, Saudi Arabia is expected to see substantial
growth while smaller countries such as Lebanon and
Qatar are expecting more modest increases.
Both Saudi Arabian and Egyptian growth will likely come
out of their booming travel sectors and increasingly
popular ecommerce businesses. The UAE’s
entertainment and events sector is expected to grow
more than any other sector in the region as a result of
Expo 2020.
2b
1b
0
20202015
AIRLINES TRAVEL ECOMMERCE ENTERTAINMENT
.62b
.68b
.002b .004b
.43b
.33b
.15b
1.86b
18 #stateofpayments

23. MARKETSIZE (Forecast)
LEBANON
Moving forward into 2020 we expect to see positive
growth throughout the Middle East with countries like
Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates and Egypt
leading the region. With more and more people moving
online, Saudi Arabia is expected to see substantial
growth while smaller countries such as Lebanon and
Qatar are expecting more modest increases.
Both Saudi Arabian and Egyptian growth will likely come
out of their booming travel sectors and increasingly
popular ecommerce businesses. The UAE’s
entertainment and events sector is expected to grow
more than any other sector in the region as a result of
Expo 2020.
19#stateofpayments
1000m
900m
800m
700m
600m
500m
400m
300m
200m
100m
0
20202015
AIRLINES TRAVEL ECOMMERCE ENTERTAINMENT
310m
494m
4.15m 6.90m
56m
98m
414m
492m

24. MARKETSIZE (Forecast)
JORDAN
Moving forward into 2020 we expect to see positive
growth throughout the Middle East with countries like
Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates and Egypt
leading the region. With more and more people moving
online, Saudi Arabia is expected to see substantial
growth while smaller countries such as Lebanon and
Qatar are expecting more modest increases.
Both Saudi Arabian and Egyptian growth will likely come
out of their booming travel sectors and increasingly
popular ecommerce businesses. The UAE’s
entertainment and events sector is expected to grow
more than any other sector in the region as a result of
Expo 2020.
1000m
900m
800m
700m
600m
500m
400m
300m
200m
100m
0
20202015
AIRLINES TRAVEL ECOMMERCE ENTERTAINMENT
340m
647m
60m
180m
250m
520m
1.52m 4.09m
20 #stateofpayments

25. 1000m
900m
800m
700m
600m
500m
400m
300m
200m
100m
0
20202015
AIRLINES TRAVEL ECOMMERCE ENTERTAINMENT
MARKETSIZE (Forecast)
QATAR
Moving forward into 2020 we expect to see positive
growth throughout the Middle East with countries like
Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates and Egypt
leading the region. With more and more people moving
online, Saudi Arabia is expected to see substantial
growth while smaller countries such as Lebanon and
Qatar are expecting more modest increases.
Both Saudi Arabian and Egyptian growth will likely come
out of their booming travel sectors and increasingly
popular ecommerce businesses. The UAE’s
entertainment and events sector is expected to grow
more than any other sector in the region as a result of
Expo 2020.
320m
480m
49m
83m
44m
86m
.58m 1.26m
21#stateofpayments

26. MARKETSIZE (Forecast)
AIRLINES
Moving forward into 2020 we expect to see positive
growth throughout the Middle East with countries like
Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates and Egypt
leading the region. With more and more people moving
online, Saudi Arabia is expected to see substantial
growth while smaller countries such as Lebanon and
Qatar are expecting more modest increases.
Both Saudi Arabian and Egyptian growth will likely come
out of their booming travel sectors and increasingly
popular ecommerce businesses. The UAE’s
entertainment and events sector is expected to grow
more than any other sector in the region as a result of
Expo 2020.
.48b
15b
10b
5b
0
UAE KSA EGYPT KUWAIT LEBANON JORDAN QATAR
5.62b
13.77b
2.67b
7.06b
4.35b
.41b .49b .34b
.65b
.32b
20202015
.43b
2.18b
.62b
22 #stateofpayments

27. MARKETSIZE (Forecast)
TRAVEL
Moving forward into 2020 we expect to see positive
growth throughout the Middle East with countries like
Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates and Egypt
leading the region. With more and more people moving
online, Saudi Arabia is expected to see substantial
growth while smaller countries such as Lebanon and
Qatar are expecting more modest increases.
Both Saudi Arabian and Egyptian growth will likely come
out of their booming travel sectors and increasingly
popular ecommerce businesses. The UAE’s
entertainment and events sector is expected to grow
more than any other sector in the region as a result of
Expo 2020.
8b
6b
4b
2b
0
UAE KSA EGYPT KUWAIT LEBANON JORDAN QATAR
1.65b
4.66b
1.55b
6.68b
2.36b
.056b
.098b
.06b
.18b
20202015
1.03b
.049b.083b.15b
.33b
23#stateofpayments

28. MARKETSIZE (Forecast)
ECOMMERCE
Moving forward into 2020 we expect to see positive
growth throughout the Middle East with countries like
Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates and Egypt
leading the region. With more and more people moving
online, Saudi Arabia is expected to see substantial
growth while smaller countries such as Lebanon and
Qatar are expecting more modest increases.
Both Saudi Arabian and Egyptian growth will likely come
out of their booming travel sectors and increasingly
popular ecommerce businesses. The UAE’s
entertainment and events sector is expected to grow
more than any other sector in the region as a result of
Expo 2020.
12b
10b
8b
6b
4b
2b
0
UAE KSA EGYPT KUWAIT LEBANON JORDAN QATAR
2.83b
8.09b
2.30b
8.35b
7.30b
1.86b
.25b
.52b
20202015
.68b
1.84b
.04b .09b
.31b
.49b
24 #stateofpayments

29. MARKETSIZE (Forecast)
ENTERTAINMENT
Moving forward into 2020 we expect to see positive
growth throughout the Middle East with countries like
Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates and Egypt
leading the region. With more and more people moving
online, Saudi Arabia is expected to see substantial
growth while smaller countries such as Lebanon and
Qatar are expecting more modest increases.
Both Saudi Arabian and Egyptian growth will likely come
out of their booming travel sectors and increasingly
popular ecommerce businesses. The UAE’s
entertainment and events sector is expected to grow
more than any other sector in the region as a result of
Expo 2020.
800m
600m
400m
200m
0
UAE KSA EGYPT KUWAIT LEBANON JORDAN QATAR
129.3m
605.8m
36.7m
1.52m 4.09m
20202015
8.82m 0.58m1.26m12.4m
23.8m
2.69m3.87m 4.15m6.90m
25#stateofpayments

30. ACCEPTANCE RATIO
OVERVIEW
The average acceptance across the Middle East has
increased dramatically in 2015. This growth was largely
fuelled by Egypt,Jordan and Kuwait however all countries
studied saw impressive improvements.
Egypt saw their largest improvements in the ecommerce
sector which increased by 16% over last year. This is a very
positive sign that the Egyptian population is becoming
more comfortable using ecommerce services in their
daily lives. Another notable area of growth is Kuwait’s
marketplace services sector which increased by 11.1%.
Overall, the increasing acceptance ratio means online
payments are becoming more common and more
accepted in the region.
100%
80%
60%
40%
20%
0
20152014
UAE KSA EGYPT KUWAIT LEBANON JORDAN QATAR
68%
71%
54%
58%
47%
51% 50%
53%
46%
49%
47%
52% 52%
54%
26 #stateofpayments

31. 20152014
100%
80%
60%
40%
20%
0
AIRLINES TRAVEL ECOMMERCE ENTERTAINMENT
60%
65%
MARKETPLACE
70%
78%
60%
63%
69%
71%
80%80%
ACCEPTANCE RATIO
UNITED ARAB EMIRATES
The average acceptance across the Middle East has
increased dramatically in 2015. This growth was largely
fuelled by Egypt,Jordan and Kuwait however all countries
studied saw impressive improvements.
Egypt saw their largest improvements in the ecommerce
sector which increased by 16% over last year. This is a very
positive sign that the Egyptian population is becoming
more comfortable using ecommerce services in their
daily lives. Another notable area of growth is Kuwait’s
marketplace services sector which increased by 11.1%.
Overall, the increasing acceptance ratio means online
payments are becoming more common and more
accepted in the region.
27#stateofpayments

32. ACCEPTANCE RATIO
KINGDOM OF SAUDI ARABIA
The average acceptance across the Middle East has
increased dramatically in 2015. This growth was largely
fuelled by Egypt,Jordan and Kuwait however all countries
studied saw impressive improvements.
Egypt saw their largest improvements in the ecommerce
sector which increased by 16% over last year. This is a very
positive sign that the Egyptian population is becoming
more comfortable using ecommerce services in their
daily lives. Another notable area of growth is Kuwait’s
marketplace services sector which increased by 11.1%.
Overall, the increasing acceptance ratio means online
payments are becoming more common and more
accepted in the region.
20152014
100%
80%
60%
40%
20%
0
AIRLINES TRAVEL ECOMMERCE ENTERTAINMENT
53%
58%
MARKETPLACE
70%
75%
50%
52%
50%
55%
49%50%
28 #stateofpayments

33. ACCEPTANCE RATIO
EGYPT
The average acceptance across the Middle East has
increased dramatically in 2015. This growth was largely
fuelled by Egypt,Jordan and Kuwait however all countries
studied saw impressive improvements.
Egypt saw their largest improvements in the ecommerce
sector which increased by 16% over last year. This is a very
positive sign that the Egyptian population is becoming
more comfortable using ecommerce services in their
daily lives. Another notable area of growth is Kuwait’s
marketplace services sector which increased by 11.1%.
Overall, the increasing acceptance ratio means online
payments are becoming more common and more
accepted in the region.
20152014
100%
80%
60%
40%
20%
0
AIRLINES TRAVEL ECOMMERCE ENTERTAINMENT
52%
55%
MARKETPLACE
43%
45%
39% 40%
50%
58%
50%
55%
29#stateofpayments

34. ACCEPTANCE RATIO
KUWAIT
The average acceptance across the Middle East has
increased dramatically in 2015. This growth was largely
fuelled by Egypt,Jordan and Kuwait however all countries
studied saw impressive improvements.
Egypt saw their largest improvements in the ecommerce
sector which increased by 16% over last year. This is a very
positive sign that the Egyptian population is becoming
more comfortable using ecommerce services in their
daily lives. Another notable area of growth is Kuwait’s
marketplace services sector which increased by 11.1%.
Overall, the increasing acceptance ratio means online
payments are becoming more common and more
accepted in the region.
20152014
100%
80%
60%
40%
20%
0
AIRLINES TRAVEL ECOMMERCE ENTERTAINMENT
45%
50%
MARKETPLACE
52%
55%55%
60%
43%
45%
54%
56%
30 #stateofpayments

35. ACCEPTANCE RATIO
LEBANON
The average acceptance across the Middle East has
increased dramatically in 2015. This growth was largely
fuelled by Egypt,Jordan and Kuwait however all countries
studied saw impressive improvements.
Egypt saw their largest improvements in the ecommerce
sector which increased by 16% over last year. This is a very
positive sign that the Egyptian population is becoming
more comfortable using ecommerce services in their
daily lives. Another notable area of growth is Kuwait’s
marketplace services sector which increased by 11.1%.
Overall, the increasing acceptance ratio means online
payments are becoming more common and more
accepted in the region.
20152014
100%
80%
60%
40%
20%
0
AIRLINES TRAVEL ECOMMERCE ENTERTAINMENT
50%
55%
MARKETPLACE
45%
50%
52%
55%
39% 40%
45%45%
31#stateofpayments

36. ACCEPTANCE RATIO
JORDAN
The average acceptance across the Middle East has
increased dramatically in 2015. This growth was largely
fuelled by Egypt,Jordan and Kuwait however all countries
studied saw impressive improvements.
Egypt saw their largest improvements in the ecommerce
sector which increased by 16% over last year. This is a very
positive sign that the Egyptian population is becoming
more comfortable using ecommerce services in their
daily lives. Another notable area of growth is Kuwait’s
marketplace services sector which increased by 11.1%.
Overall, the increasing acceptance ratio means online
payments are becoming more common and more
accepted in the region.
20152014
100%
80%
60%
40%
20%
0
AIRLINES TRAVEL ECOMMERCE ENTERTAINMENT
50%
55%
MARKETPLACE
50%
55%55%
60%
37%
40%
45%
50%
32 #stateofpayments

37. ACCEPTANCE RATIO
QATAR
The average acceptance across the Middle East has
increased dramatically in 2015. This growth was largely
fuelled by Egypt,Jordan and Kuwait however all countries
studied saw impressive improvements.
Egypt saw their largest improvements in the ecommerce
sector which increased by 16% over last year. This is a very
positive sign that the Egyptian population is becoming
more comfortable using ecommerce services in their
daily lives. Another notable area of growth is Kuwait’s
marketplace services sector which increased by 11.1%.
Overall, the increasing acceptance ratio means online
payments are becoming more common and more
accepted in the region.
20152014
100%
80%
60%
40%
20%
0
AIRLINES TRAVEL ECOMMERCE ENTERTAINMENT
52%
55%
MARKETPLACE
55%
58%
50% 50% 50% 50%51%
55%
33#stateofpayments

38. ACCEPTANCE RATIO
AIRLINES
The average acceptance across the Middle East has
increased dramatically in 2015. This growth was largely
fuelled by Egypt,Jordan and Kuwait however all countries
studied saw impressive improvements.
Egypt saw their largest improvements in the ecommerce
sector which increased by 16% over last year. This is a very
positive sign that the Egyptian population is becoming
more comfortable using ecommerce services in their
daily lives. Another notable area of growth is Kuwait’s
marketplace services sector which increased by 11.1%.
Overall, the increasing acceptance ratio means online
payments are becoming more common and more
accepted in the region.
100%
80%
60%
40%
20%
0
20152014
UAE KSA EGYPT KUWAIT LEBANON JORDAN QATAR
80%80%
49% 50% 50%
55% 54% 56%
45% 45% 45%
50% 51%
55%
34 #stateofpayments

39. ACCEPTANCE RATIO
TRAVEL
The average acceptance across the Middle East has
increased dramatically in 2015. This growth was largely
fuelled by Egypt,Jordan and Kuwait however all countries
studied saw impressive improvements.
Egypt saw their largest improvements in the ecommerce
sector which increased by 16% over last year. This is a very
positive sign that the Egyptian population is becoming
more comfortable using ecommerce services in their
daily lives. Another notable area of growth is Kuwait’s
marketplace services sector which increased by 11.1%.
Overall, the increasing acceptance ratio means online
payments are becoming more common and more
accepted in the region.
100%
80%
60%
40%
20%
0
20152014
UAE KSA EGYPT KUWAIT LEBANON JORDAN QATAR
60%
50%
52%
39%
40%
55%
60%
52%
55% 55%
60%
50% 50%
63%
35#stateofpayments

40. ACCEPTANCE RATIO
ECOMMERCE
The average acceptance across the Middle East has
increased dramatically in 2015. This growth was largely
fuelled by Egypt,Jordan and Kuwait however all countries
studied saw impressive improvements.
Egypt saw their largest improvements in the ecommerce
sector which increased by 16% over last year. This is a very
positive sign that the Egyptian population is becoming
more comfortable using ecommerce services in their
daily lives. Another notable area of growth is Kuwait’s
marketplace services sector which increased by 11.1%.
Overall, the increasing acceptance ratio means online
payments are becoming more common and more
accepted in the region.
100%
80%
60%
40%
20%
0
20152014
UAE KSA EGYPT KUWAIT LEBANON JORDAN QATAR
69%
71%
50%
55%
50%
58%
43%
45%
39% 40%
37%
40%
50% 50%
36 #stateofpayments

41. ACCEPTANCE RATIO
ENTERTAINMENT
The average acceptance across the Middle East has
increased dramatically in 2015. This growth was largely
fuelled by Egypt,Jordan and Kuwait however all countries
studied saw impressive improvements.
Egypt saw their largest improvements in the ecommerce
sector which increased by 16% over last year. This is a very
positive sign that the Egyptian population is becoming
more comfortable using ecommerce services in their
daily lives. Another notable area of growth is Kuwait’s
marketplace services sector which increased by 11.1%.
Overall, the increasing acceptance ratio means online
payments are becoming more common and more
accepted in the region.
100%
80%
60%
40%
20%
0
20152014
UAE KSA EGYPT KUWAIT LEBANON JORDAN QATAR
60%
65%
53%
58%
52%
55%
45%
50% 50%
55%
50%
55%
52%
55%
37#stateofpayments

42. ACCEPTANCE RATIO
MARKETPLACE
The average acceptance across the Middle East has
increased dramatically in 2015. This growth was largely
fuelled by Egypt,Jordan and Kuwait however all countries
studied saw impressive improvements.
Egypt saw their largest improvements in the ecommerce
sector which increased by 16% over last year. This is a very
positive sign that the Egyptian population is becoming
more comfortable using ecommerce services in their
daily lives. Another notable area of growth is Kuwait’s
marketplace services sector which increased by 11.1%.
Overall, the increasing acceptance ratio means online
payments are becoming more common and more
accepted in the region.
100%
80%
60%
40%
20%
0
20152014
UAE KSA EGYPT KUWAIT LEBANON JORDAN QATAR
70%
78%
70%
75%
43%
45%
52%
55%
45%
50% 50%
55% 55%
58%
38 #stateofpayments

43. REFUNDS OVERVIEW
Across the Middle East we observed a positive trend of
reduced refund ratios with the biggest improvements
occurring in Jordan (-31.7%), KSA (-25.5%) and UAE
(-22.4%).
These improvements were largely seen across all sectors
however some of the most exciting improvements were
in ecommerce. Within the UAE, KSA, Egypt and Kuwait
the average improvement was -21%. Ecommerce has
notable variance in refund behaviour within the region; in
Egypt and KSA the refund ratio is improving, indicating
consumers are more certain about their purchases where
as in Lebanon their purchases may be more impulsive.
20152014
4%
3%
2%
1%
0
UAE KSA EGYPT KUWAIT LEBANON JORDAN QATAR
2.62%
1.95%
4.10%
3.44%
2.26%
1.81%
1.74%
1.80%
2.96%
2.02%
1.22% 1.19%
2.52%
1.96%
39#stateofpayments

44. REFUNDS
UNITED ARAB EMIRATES
Across the Middle East we observed a positive trend of
reduced refund ratios with the biggest improvements
occurring in Jordan (-31.7%), KSA (-25.5%) and UAE
(-22.4%).
These improvements were largely seen across all sectors
however some of the most exciting improvements were
in ecommerce. Within the UAE, KSA, Egypt and Kuwait
the average improvement was -21%. Ecommerce has
notable variance in refund behaviour within the region; in
Egypt and KSA the refund ratio is improving, indicating
consumers are more certain about their purchases where
as in Lebanon their purchases may be more impulsive.
40 #stateofpayments
20152014
5%
4%
3%
2%
1%
0
AIRLINES TRAVEL ECOMMERCE ENTERTAINMENT
2.00%
1.14%
MARKETPLACE
.60%
.54%
5.00%
4.00% 4.02%
3.11%
1.00%1.00%

45. REFUNDS
KINGDOM OF SAUDI ARABIA
Across the Middle East we observed a positive trend of
reduced refund ratios with the biggest improvements
occurring in Jordan (-31.7%), KSA (-25.5%) and UAE
(-22.4%).
These improvements were largely seen across all sectors
however some of the most exciting improvements were
in ecommerce. Within the UAE, KSA, Egypt and Kuwait
the average improvement was -21%. Ecommerce has
notable variance in refund behaviour within the region; in
Egypt and KSA the refund ratio is improving, indicating
consumers are more certain about their purchases where
as in Lebanon their purchases may be more impulsive.
41#stateofpayments
5%
4%
3%
2%
1%
0
20152014
AIRLINES TRAVEL ECOMMERCE ENTERTAINMENT
1.80%
1.50%
MARKETPLACE
.30% .30%
5.00%
3.46%
3.00%3.00%
2.00%
2.50%

46. REFUNDS
EGYPT
Across the Middle East we observed a positive trend of
reduced refund ratios with the biggest improvements
occurring in Jordan (-31.7%), KSA (-25.5%) and UAE
(-22.4%).
These improvements were largely seen across all sectors
however some of the most exciting improvements were
in ecommerce. Within the UAE, KSA, Egypt and Kuwait
the average improvement was -21%. Ecommerce has
notable variance in refund behaviour within the region; in
Egypt and KSA the refund ratio is improving, indicating
consumers are more certain about their purchases where
as in Lebanon their purchases may be more impulsive.
42 #stateofpayments
20152014
12%
10%
8%
6%
4%
2%
0
AIRLINES TRAVEL ECOMMERCE ENTERTAINMENT
2.00% 2.00%
MARKETPLACE
.50%
.20%
3.00%3.00%
12.00%
9.00%
3.00%3.00%

47. REFUNDS
KUWAIT
Across the Middle East we observed a positive trend of
reduced refund ratios with the biggest improvements
occurring in Jordan (-31.7%), KSA (-25.5%) and UAE
(-22.4%).
These improvements were largely seen across all sectors
however some of the most exciting improvements were
in ecommerce. Within the UAE, KSA, Egypt and Kuwait
the average improvement was -21%. Ecommerce has
notable variance in refund behaviour within the region; in
Egypt and KSA the refund ratio is improving, indicating
consumers are more certain about their purchases where
as in Lebanon their purchases may be more impulsive.
5%
4%
3%
2%
1%
0
AIRLINES TRAVEL ECOMMERCE ENTERTAINMENT
1.80%
1.50%
MARKETPLACE
.70%
.50%
2.50%
2.00%
5.00%
4.00%
1.29%
1.05%
20152014
43#stateofpayments

48. 20152014
5%
4%
3%
2%
1%
0
AIRLINES TRAVEL ECOMMERCE ENTERTAINMENT
1.00% 1.00%
MARKETPLACE
.22%
.18%
1.50%
1.00%
4.00%
5.00%
2%
1.80%
REFUNDS
LEBANON
Across the Middle East we observed a positive trend of
reduced refund ratios with the biggest improvements
occurring in Jordan (-31.7%), KSA (-25.5%) and UAE
(-22.4%).
These improvements were largely seen across all sectors
however some of the most exciting improvements were
in ecommerce. Within the UAE, KSA, Egypt and Kuwait
the average improvement was -21%. Ecommerce has
notable variance in refund behaviour within the region; in
Egypt and KSA the refund ratio is improving, indicating
consumers are more certain about their purchases where
as in Lebanon their purchases may be more impulsive.
44 #stateofpayments

49. REFUNDS
JORDAN
Across the Middle East we observed a positive trend of
reduced refund ratios with the biggest improvements
occurring in Jordan (-31.7%), KSA (-25.5%) and UAE
(-22.4%).
These improvements were largely seen across all sectors
however some of the most exciting improvements were
in ecommerce. Within the UAE, KSA, Egypt and Kuwait
the average improvement was -21%. Ecommerce has
notable variance in refund behaviour within the region; in
Egypt and KSA the refund ratio is improving, indicating
consumers are more certain about their purchases where
as in Lebanon their purchases may be more impulsive.
45#stateofpayments
20152014
10%
8%
6%
4%
2%
0
AIRLINES TRAVEL ECOMMERCE ENTERTAINMENT
1.00% 1.00%
MARKETPLACE
.30%
.10%
9.00%
6.00%
1.50%
1.00%
3.00%
2.00%

50. REFUNDS
QATAR
Across the Middle East we observed a positive trend of
reduced refund ratios with the biggest improvements
occurring in Jordan (-31.7%), KSA (-25.5%) and UAE
(-22.4%).
These improvements were largely seen across all sectors
however some of the most exciting improvements were
in ecommerce. Within the UAE, KSA, Egypt and Kuwait
the average improvement was -21%. Ecommerce has
notable variance in refund behaviour within the region; in
Egypt and KSA the refund ratio is improving, indicating
consumers are more certain about their purchases where
as in Lebanon their purchases may be more impulsive.
46 #stateofpayments
20152014
3%
2%
1%
0
AIRLINES TRAVEL ECOMMERCE ENTERTAINMENT
1.00% 1.00%
MARKETPLACE
.12%
.10%
2.00%
2.47%
1.50%
1.40%
1.50%
1.00%

51. REFUNDS
AIRLINES
Across the Middle East we observed a positive trend of
reduced refund ratios with the biggest improvements
occurring in Jordan (-31.7%), KSA (-25.5%) and UAE
(-22.4%).
These improvements were largely seen across all sectors
however some of the most exciting improvements were
in ecommerce. Within the UAE, KSA, Egypt and Kuwait
the average improvement was -21%. Ecommerce has
notable variance in refund behaviour within the region; in
Egypt and KSA the refund ratio is improving, indicating
consumers are more certain about their purchases where
as in Lebanon their purchases may be more impulsive.
47#stateofpayments
20152014
3%
2%
1%
0
UAE KSA EGYPT KUWAIT LEBANON JORDAN QATAR
3.00%
2.00%
1.29%
1.05%
2.00%
1.80%
1.50%
1.00%
1.50%
1.40%
3.00%3.00%
1.00%1.00%

52. REFUNDS
TRAVEL
Across the Middle East we observed a positive trend of
reduced refund ratios with the biggest improvements
occurring in Jordan (-31.7%), KSA (-25.5%) and UAE
(-22.4%).
These improvements were largely seen across all sectors
however some of the most exciting improvements were
in ecommerce. Within the UAE, KSA, Egypt and Kuwait
the average improvement was -21%. Ecommerce has
notable variance in refund behaviour within the region; in
Egypt and KSA the refund ratio is improving, indicating
consumers are more certain about their purchases where
as in Lebanon their purchases may be more impulsive.
20152014
5%
4%
3%
2%
1%
0
UAE KSA EGYPT KUWAIT LEBANON JORDAN QATAR
5.00%
3.46%
2.50%
2.00%
1.50%
1.00%
3.00%
2.00%
1.50%
1.00%
3.00%3.00%
5.00%
4.00%
48 #stateofpayments

53. REFUNDS
ECOMMERCE
Across the Middle East we observed a positive trend of
reduced refund ratios with the biggest improvements
occurring in Jordan (-31.7%), KSA (-25.5%) and UAE
(-22.4%).
These improvements were largely seen across all sectors
however some of the most exciting improvements were
in ecommerce. Within the UAE, KSA, Egypt and Kuwait
the average improvement was -21%. Ecommerce has
notable variance in refund behaviour within the region; in
Egypt and KSA the refund ratio is improving, indicating
consumers are more certain about their purchases where
as in Lebanon their purchases may be more impulsive.
49#stateofpayments
20152014
12%
10%
8%
6%
4%
2%
0
UAE KSA EGYPT KUWAIT LEBANON JORDAN QATAR
4.02%
3.11% 3.00%
12.00%
9.00%
4.00%
5.00%
9.00%
6.00%
2.00%
2.47%2.50%
5.00%
4.00%

54. REFUNDS
ENTERTAINMENT
Across the Middle East we observed a positive trend of
reduced refund ratios with the biggest improvements
occurring in Jordan (-31.7%), KSA (-25.5%) and UAE
(-22.4%).
These improvements were largely seen across all sectors
however some of the most exciting improvements were
in ecommerce. Within the UAE, KSA, Egypt and Kuwait
the average improvement was -21%. Ecommerce has
notable variance in refund behaviour within the region; in
Egypt and KSA the refund ratio is improving, indicating
consumers are more certain about their purchases where
as in Lebanon their purchases may be more impulsive.
2%
1%
0
20152014
UAE KSA EGYPT KUWAIT LEBANON JORDAN QATAR
1.80%
1.50%
1.80%
1.50%
1.00%1.00% 1.00% 1.00% 1.00%1.00%
2.00%2.00%2.00%
1.14%
50 #stateofpayments

55. REFUNDS
MARKETPLACE
Across the Middle East we observed a positive trend of
reduced refund ratios with the biggest improvements
occurring in Jordan (-31.7%), KSA (-25.5%) and UAE
(-22.4%).
These improvements were largely seen across all sectors
however some of the most exciting improvements were
in ecommerce. Within the UAE, KSA, Egypt and Kuwait
the average improvement was -21%. Ecommerce has
notable variance in refund behaviour within the region; in
Egypt and KSA the refund ratio is improving, indicating
consumers are more certain about their purchases where
as in Lebanon their purchases may be more impulsive.
20152014
1%
0.8%
0.6%
0.4%
0.2%
0
UAE KSA EGYPT KUWAIT LEBANON JORDAN QATAR
.30%
.70%
.50%
.22%
.18%
.30%
.10%
.12%
.10%
.50%
.20%
.60%
.54%
.30%
51#stateofpayments

56. SEASONALITY
AIRLINES TX NUMBERS
Throughout 2015 there has been positive growth at both
country and industry levels. Shopper behaviour has
shifted slightly with regards to seasonality with major
purchases taking place at different times in 2015.
Airlines saw an increase in both the number of
transactions and overall volume and the distribution of
transactions across the year shifted dramatically. In 2014
we saw selective months significantly outperforming
others, while in 2015 we saw a healthier distribution.
New trends were also observed in the ecommerce sector
with a spike in November shopping relating to the holiday
season and promotions during those times.
4,475
16k
12k
8K
4K
0
-4k
-8k
-12k
-16k
JAN FEB MAR APR MAY JUN JUL AUG SEP OCT NOV DEC
-8,339 -8,479
739
-6,437
-1,227
-2,280
-1,984
2,036
9,328
1,231
10,934
2015
52 #stateofpayments

57. SEASONALITY
AIRLINES TX VOLUME
Throughout 2015 there has been positive growth at both
country and industry levels. Shopper behaviour has
shifted slightly with regards to seasonality with major
purchases taking place at different times in 2015.
Airlines saw an increase in both the number of
transactions and overall volume and the distribution of
transactions across the year shifted dramatically. In 2014
we saw selective months significantly outperforming
others, while in 2015 we saw a healthier distribution.
New trends were also observed in the ecommerce sector
with a spike in November shopping relating to the holiday
season and promotions during those times.
$12m
$9m
$6m
$3m
0m
$-3m
$-6m
$-9m
$-12m
-9.8m
0.68m
-3.4m
1.8m
5.3m
9.3m
10.8m
5.3m
-4.8m
-5.9m
-0.47m
-8.7m
2015
JAN FEB MAR APR MAY JUN JUL AUG SEP OCT NOV DEC
53#stateofpayments

58. SEASONALITY
TRAVEL TX NUMBERS
Throughout 2015 there has been positive growth at both
country and industry levels. Shopper behaviour has
shifted slightly with regards to seasonality with major
purchases taking place at different times in 2015.
Airlines saw an increase in both the number of
transactions and overall volume and the distribution of
transactions across the year shifted dramatically. In 2014
we saw selective months significantly outperforming
others, while in 2015 we saw a healthier distribution.
New trends were also observed in the ecommerce sector
with a spike in November shopping relating to the holiday
season and promotions during those times.
35k
30k
25K
20K
15k
10k
5k
0
-5k
-10k
-15K
-20K
-25k
-30k
-35k
17,777
-25,389
-21,267
-12,637
-11,256
-2,780
4,724 4,844
15,905
13,952
8,683 7,446
2015
JAN FEB MAR APR MAY JUN JUL AUG SEP OCT NOV DEC
54 #stateofpayments

59. SEASONALITY
TRAVEL TX VOLUME
Throughout 2015 there has been positive growth at both
country and industry levels. Shopper behaviour has
shifted slightly with regards to seasonality with major
purchases taking place at different times in 2015.
Airlines saw an increase in both the number of
transactions and overall volume and the distribution of
transactions across the year shifted dramatically. In 2014
we saw selective months significantly outperforming
others, while in 2015 we saw a healthier distribution.
New trends were also observed in the ecommerce sector
with a spike in November shopping relating to the holiday
season and promotions during those times.
$12m
$8m
$4m
0m
$-4m
$-8m
$-12m
-12.1m
-9.7m
-5.5m
-6.7m
-2.9m
5.7m
10.8m
9.0m
5.5m
0.76m
-0.16m
5.3m
2015
JAN FEB MAR APR MAY JUN JUL AUG SEP OCT NOV DEC
55#stateofpayments

60. SEASONALITY
ECOMMERCE TX NUMBER
Throughout 2015 there has been positive growth at both
country and industry levels. Shopper behaviour has
shifted slightly with regards to seasonality with major
purchases taking place at different times in 2015.
Airlines saw an increase in both the number of
transactions and overall volume and the distribution of
transactions across the year shifted dramatically. In 2014
we saw selective months significantly outperforming
others, while in 2015 we saw a healthier distribution.
New trends were also observed in the ecommerce sector
with a spike in November shopping relating to the holiday
season and promotions during those times.
200k
160k
120K
80K
40k
0k
-40k
-80k
-120k
-160k
-200k
46,953
-69,854 -72,958
18,467
-35,760
-27,008
1,815
-37,754 -39,470
21,805
180,913
2015
JAN FEB MAR APR MAY JUN JUL AUG SEP OCT NOV DEC
12,851
56 #stateofpayments

61. SEASONALITY
ECOMMERCE TX VOLUME
Throughout 2015 there has been positive growth at both
country and industry levels. Shopper behaviour has
shifted slightly with regards to seasonality with major
purchases taking place at different times in 2015.
Airlines saw an increase in both the number of
transactions and overall volume and the distribution of
transactions across the year shifted dramatically. In 2014
we saw selective months significantly outperforming
others, while in 2015 we saw a healthier distribution.
New trends were also observed in the ecommerce sector
with a spike in November shopping relating to the holiday
season and promotions during those times.
$40m
$30m
$20m
$10m
0m
$-10m
$-20m
$-30m
$-40m
-12m
-13.6m
-8.1m
-3.5m
-6.6m
-4.5m -4.4m
2.5m
39.7m
-1.4m
5.2m
6.9m
2015
JAN FEB MAR APR MAY JUN JUL AUG SEP OCT NOV DEC
57#stateofpayments

62. SEASONALITY
ENTERTAINMENT TX NUMBER
Throughout 2015 there has been positive growth at both
country and industry levels. Shopper behaviour has
shifted slightly with regards to seasonality with major
purchases taking place at different times in 2015.
Airlines saw an increase in both the number of
transactions and overall volume and the distribution of
transactions across the year shifted dramatically. In 2014
we saw selective months significantly outperforming
others, while in 2015 we saw a healthier distribution.
New trends were also observed in the ecommerce sector
with a spike in November shopping relating to the holiday
season and promotions during those times.
10k
8k
6K
4K
2k
0k
-2k
-4k
-6k
-8k
-10k
5,407
-2,858
-570
1,464
-1,693
-4,533
-2,295
-6
1,028
2,386
6,893
-5,219
2015
JAN FEB MAR APR MAY JUN JUL AUG SEP OCT NOV DEC
58 #stateofpayments

63. SEASONALITY
ENTERTAINMENT TX VOLUME
Throughout 2015 there has been positive growth at both
country and industry levels. Shopper behaviour has
shifted slightly with regards to seasonality with major
purchases taking place at different times in 2015.
Airlines saw an increase in both the number of
transactions and overall volume and the distribution of
transactions across the year shifted dramatically. In 2014
we saw selective months significantly outperforming
others, while in 2015 we saw a healthier distribution.
New trends were also observed in the ecommerce sector
with a spike in November shopping relating to the holiday
season and promotions during those times.
$4m
$3m
$2m
$1m
0m
$-1m
$-2m
$-3m
$-4m
-0.59m
-0.47m
0.07m
0.14m 0.08m
-0.83m
0.08m
0.30m
-0.30m -0.26m
2m
-0.27m
2015
JAN FEB MAR APR MAY JUN JUL AUG SEP OCT NOV DEC
59#stateofpayments

64. SEASONALITY
MARKETPLACE TX NUMBER
Throughout 2015 there has been positive growth at both
country and industry levels. Shopper behaviour has
shifted slightly with regards to seasonality with major
purchases taking place at different times in 2015.
Airlines saw an increase in both the number of
transactions and overall volume and the distribution of
transactions across the year shifted dramatically. In 2014
we saw selective months significantly outperforming
others, while in 2015 we saw a healthier distribution.
New trends were also observed in the ecommerce sector
with a spike in November shopping relating to the holiday
season and promotions during those times.
-8,529
-9,902
-6,201
-4,120
-1,317
-325
378
3,850
4,369
7,683
7,750
10k
8k
6K
4K
2k
0k
-2k
-4k
-6k
-8k
-10k
6,364
2015
JAN FEB MAR APR MAY JUN JUL AUG SEP OCT NOV DEC
60 #stateofpayments

65. SEASONALITY
MARKETPLACE TX VOLUME
Throughout 2015 there has been positive growth at both
country and industry levels. Shopper behaviour has
shifted slightly with regards to seasonality with major
purchases taking place at different times in 2015.
Airlines saw an increase in both the number of
transactions and overall volume and the distribution of
transactions across the year shifted dramatically. In 2014
we saw selective months significantly outperforming
others, while in 2015 we saw a healthier distribution.
New trends were also observed in the ecommerce sector
with a spike in November shopping relating to the holiday
season and promotions during those times.
$1m
$.80m
$.60m
$.40m
$.20m
0
$-.20m
$-.40m
$-.60m
$-.80m
$-1m
-1m
-0.82m
-0.70m
-0.40m
-0.03m
0.54m 0.55m
0.81m
1m
-0.11m
0.74m
-0.54m
2015
JAN FEB MAR APR MAY JUN JUL AUG SEP OCT NOV DEC
61#stateofpayments

66. Understand the population that is Driving Innovation

67. 100m
80m
60m
40m
20m
0
POPULATION
A large portion of the Arab World is concentrated
within the population centers of Saudi Arabia and
Egypt. Though these two markets represent some of
the greatest opportunity for ecommerce in the region,
both present unique challenges for businesses.
Within Saudi Arabia the mobile web is becoming the go
to platform for day to day browsing and ecommerce
alike, but with roughly 1 in 2 Saudi’s still concerned over
online payment security, businesses need to better
communicate their security features if they want to
succeed.
In Egypt desktop browsing remains king with roughly 3
out of 4 shoppers using the platform to complete their
online shopping. Credit card access continues to be a
barrier for online shopping in the country and 40%
shoppers claim it prevents them from exploring online
shopping.
Overall populations in the Arab World are continuing
grow increasing by 2.1% over 2014.
KSA QATAR
30.8m
31.5m
JORDAN
6.6m
6.7m
2.1m
2.2m
2014 2015
UAE
9.0m
9.1m
EGYPT
89.5m
90.6m
KUWAIT
3.7m
3.9m
LEBANON
4.5m
4.6m
63#stateofpayments

68. 40m
30m
20m
10m
0m
8.5m
8.2m
20.8m
19.6m
31.4m
28.3m
3.1m
2.9m
3.6m
3.3m
3.2m
2.9m
2.0m
1.9m
INTERNET USER
Internet users continue to grow at a rapid pace,
increasing by roughly 13.1% over the previous year.
Egypt continues to be the largest internet market in the
region followed by Saudi Arabia and Morocco. Though
these countries represent over ¾ of the regions internet
users, internet penetration remains relatively low;
ranging between 35% for Egypt and 65% for Saudi
Arabia.
In contrast countries like the UAE, Qatar, and Kuwait
have seen further internet penetration and now
represent some of the region’s most mature internet
populations. As more users move online expect to see
more pressure to develop the Arab World’s ecommerce
industry.
2014 2015
UAE KSA EGYPT KUWAIT LEBANON JORDAN QATAR
64 #stateofpayments

69. 20m
15m
10m
5m
0m
UAE KSA EGYPT KUWAIT LEBANON JORDAN QATAR
ONLINE BUYERS
In line with the growth of the region’s online population
the number of online buyers has increased by nearly 14%
over 2014 values. This increase is a positive sign that
ecommerce is continuing to gain traction across the
Arab World.
Egypt continues to represent the region’s largest online
population with an 18 Million customers taking
advantage of online shopping opportunities. Despite this
large number of online shoppers, when looked at in
terms of proportion of population Egypt remains behind
all other countries studied.
Leading the region, the UAE has the highest number of
online buyers as a proportion of the population with just
over 70%. Interesting, when looking at the number of
online buyers as a portion of the internet users in a
country, it is Kuwait that comes out a head with 82% of
its online population shopping online.
7.0m
6.8m
12.0m
10.6m
17.7m
15.2m
2.6m
2.4m
2.1m
1.6m
1.3m
1.6m
1.2m
.94m
2014 2015
65#stateofpayments

70. 100%
90%
80%
70%
60%
50%
40%
30%
20%
10%
0
82.1%
41.3%
46.1%
49.1%
36.9%
55.2%
TWITTER
FACEBOOK
GOOGLE+
LINKEDIN
INSTAGRAM
PINTEREST
WORDPRESS
FLICKR
YOUTUBE
IDONOTUSESOCIALMEDIA
15.2%
5.8%
4.4%
6.1%
SOCIAL NETWORKS
UNITED ARAB EMIRATES
Just like other areas of the world, the Middle East has
embraced social media. It is estimatedthat between 85%
and 90% of the region’s online population use social
media daily representing a potential audience of nearly
100 million people. With such a massive number of
potential customers browsing daily it’s no wonder
businesses are scrambling to improve their social
presence.
The popularity of social networks varies across the
region. Facebook remains the Middle East’s most
popular network however its presence is notability
weaker in the KSA and Kuwait. A fairly new entrant to
the social media landscape, Pinterest is gaining
popularity across the region led by a 21% usage rate in
Qatar.
66 #stateofpayments

71. 100%
90%
80%
70%
60%
50%
40%
30%
20%
10%
0
64.5%
54.6%
44.7%
24.8%
52.2%
52.4%
TWITTER
FACEBOOK
GOOGLE+
LINKEDIN
INSTAGRAM
PINTEREST
WORDPRESS
FLICKR
YOUTUBE
6.6%
3.2%
5.1%
5.2%
SOCIAL NETWORKS
KINGDOM OF SAUDI ARABIA
Just like other areas of the world, the Middle East has
embraced social media. It is estimatedthat between 85%
and 90% of the region’s online population use social
media daily representing a potential audience of nearly
100 million people. With such a massive number of
potential customers browsing daily it’s no wonder
businesses are scrambling to improve their social
presence.
The popularity of social networks varies across the
region. Facebook remains the Middle East’s most
popular network however its presence is notability
weaker in the KSA and Kuwait. A fairly new entrant to
the social media landscape, Pinterest is gaining
popularity across the region led by a 21% usage rate in
Qatar.
IDONOTUSESOCIALMEDIA
67#stateofpayments

72. 100%
90%
80%
70%
60%
50%
40%
30%
20%
10%
0
93.4%
60.5%
70.4%
32.1%
35.8%
6.7%
66.4%
TWITTER
FACEBOOK
GOOGLE+
LINKEDIN
INSTAGRAM
PINTEREST
WORDPRESS
FLICKR
YOUTUBE
9.4%
5.2%
1.4%
SOCIAL NETWORKS
EGYPT
Just like other areas of the world, the Middle East has
embraced social media. It is estimatedthat between 85%
and 90% of the region’s online population use social
media daily representing a potential audience of nearly
100 million people. With such a massive number of
potential customers browsing daily it’s no wonder
businesses are scrambling to improve their social
presence.
The popularity of social networks varies across the
region. Facebook remains the Middle East’s most
popular network however its presence is notability
weaker in the KSA and Kuwait. A fairly new entrant to
the social media landscape, Pinterest is gaining
popularity across the region led by a 21% usage rate in
Qatar.
IDONOTUSESOCIALMEDIA
68 #stateofpayments

73. 100%
90%
80%
70%
60%
50%
40%
30%
20%
10%
0
76.5%
49.0%
51.4%
38.0%
51.8%
61.2%
TWITTER
FACEBOOK
GOOGLE+
LINKEDIN
INSTAGRAM
PINTEREST
WORDPRESS
FLICKR
YOUTUBE
11.0%
5.1%
3.5%
7.5%
SOCIAL NETWORKS
KUWAIT
Just like other areas of the world, the Middle East has
embraced social media. It is estimatedthat between 85%
and 90% of the region’s online population use social
media daily representing a potential audience of nearly
100 million people. With such a massive number of
potential customers browsing daily it’s no wonder
businesses are scrambling to improve their social
presence.
The popularity of social networks varies across the
region. Facebook remains the Middle East’s most
popular network however its presence is notability
weaker in the KSA and Kuwait. A fairly new entrant to
the social media landscape, Pinterest is gaining
popularity across the region led by a 21% usage rate in
Qatar.
IDONOTUSESOCIALMEDIA
69#stateofpayments

74. 100%
90%
80%
70%
60%
50%
40%
30%
20%
10%
0
93.4%
53.0%
43.0%
50.3%
49.7%
47.7%
FACEBOOK
GOOGLE+
LINKEDIN
INSTAGRAM
PINTEREST
WORDPRESS
FLICKR
YOUTUBE
14.6%
4.6%
2.0%
2.6%
SOCIAL NETWORKS
LEBANON
Just like other areas of the world, the Middle East has
embraced social media. It is estimatedthat between 85%
and 90% of the region’s online population use social
media daily representing a potential audience of nearly
100 million people. With such a massive number of
potential customers browsing daily it’s no wonder
businesses are scrambling to improve their social
presence.
The popularity of social networks varies across the
region. Facebook remains the Middle East’s most
popular network however its presence is notability
weaker in the KSA and Kuwait. A fairly new entrant to
the social media landscape, Pinterest is gaining
popularity across the region led by a 21% usage rate in
Qatar.
IDONOTUSESOCIALMEDIA
TWITTER
70 #stateofpayments

75. 100%
90%
80%
70%
60%
50%
40%
30%
20%
10%
0
88.5%
46.0%
54.0%
44.1%
37.5%
51.0%
TWITTER
FACEBOOK
GOOGLE+
LINKEDIN
INSTAGRAM
PINTEREST
WORDPRESS
FLICKR
YOUTUBE
10.3%
3.4%
5.1%
4.9%
SOCIAL NETWORKS
JORDAN
Just like other areas of the world, the Middle East has
embraced social media. It is estimatedthat between 85%
and 90% of the region’s online population use social
media daily representing a potential audience of nearly
100 million people. With such a massive number of
potential customers browsing daily it’s no wonder
businesses are scrambling to improve their social
presence.
The popularity of social networks varies across the
region. Facebook remains the Middle East’s most
popular network however its presence is notability
weaker in the KSA and Kuwait. A fairly new entrant to
the social media landscape, Pinterest is gaining
popularity across the region led by a 21% usage rate in
Qatar.
IDONOTUSESOCIALMEDIA
71#stateofpayments

76. 84.8%
47.7%
55.0%
49.7%
52.3%
60.9%
TWITTER
FACEBOOK
GOOGLE+
LINKEDIN
INSTAGRAM
PINTEREST
WORDPRESS
FLICKR
YOUTUBE
21.2%
6.0%
4.0%
6.6%
SOCIAL NETWORKS
QATAR
Just like other areas of the world, the Middle East has
embraced social media. It is estimatedthat between 85%
and 90% of the region’s online population use social
media daily representing a potential audience of nearly
100 million people. With such a massive number of
potential customers browsing daily it’s no wonder
businesses are scrambling to improve their social
presence.
The popularity of social networks varies across the
region. Facebook remains the Middle East’s most
popular network however its presence is notability
weaker in the KSA and Kuwait. A fairly new entrant to
the social media landscape, Pinterest is gaining
popularity across the region led by a 21% usage rate in
Qatar.
IDONOTUSESOCIALMEDIA
100%
90%
80%
70%
60%
50%
40%
30%
20%
10%
0
72 #stateofpayments

77. 60%
40%
66%
34%
62%
38%
78%
22%
73%
27%
72%
28%
66%
34%
UAE KSA EGYPT KUWAIT LEBANON JORDAN QATAR
BUYERS BY GENDERS
Male shoppers continue to buy more online than
women. This trend is most pronounced in Egypt where
men account for nearly 80% of all online transactions.
The UAE shows more female inclusion in the online
economy with females accounting for 40% of all online
transactions.
With the online economy becoming a critical aspect of
day to day life, it should be a focus of Arab governments
to help extend these technologies to the entire
population.
73#stateofpayments

78. AGE GROUP
UNITED ARAB EMIRATES
30-34 year olds now represent the largest ecommerce
market in the Arab World. Brands looking to succeed in
Middle Eastern markets will have to ensure that large
portion of their marketing efforts appeal to them.
Firms in Saudi Arabia, Egypt, and Lebanon should also
look to target the younger 18-25 bracket as this age
group accounts for a substantial portion of the online
shopping population.
One notable outlierfound in our demographics research
is Qatar’s older, 40+ age group appears to be veryactive
in the ecommerce space. Companies that look to target
this demographic may want to explore Qatar for further
ecommerce expansion.
18-25 26-35 36-40 41-50 51+
23%
17%
23%
13%
24%
50%
40%
30%
20%
10%
0
74 #stateofpayments

79. AGE GROUP
KINGDOM OF SAUDI ARABIA
30-34 year olds now represent the largest ecommerce
market in the Arab World. Brands looking to succeed in
Middle Eastern markets will have to ensure that large
portion of their marketing efforts appeal to them.
Firms in Saudi Arabia, Egypt, and Lebanon should also
look to target the younger 18-25 bracket as this age
group accounts for a substantial portion of the online
shopping population.
One notable outlierfound in our demographics research
is Qatar’s older, 40+ age group appears to be veryactive
in the ecommerce space. Companies that look to target
this demographic may want to explore Qatar for further
ecommerce expansion.
18-25 26-35 36-40 41-50 51+
26%
14%
21%
17%
22%
50%
40%
30%
20%
10%
0
75#stateofpayments

80. AGE GROUP
EGYPT
30-34 year olds now represent the largest ecommerce
market in the Arab World. Brands looking to succeed in
Middle Eastern markets will have to ensure that large
portion of their marketing efforts appeal to them.
Firms in Saudi Arabia, Egypt, and Lebanon should also
look to target the younger 18-25 bracket as this age
group accounts for a substantial portion of the online
shopping population.
One notable outlierfound in our demographics research
is Qatar’s older, 40+ age group appears to be veryactive
in the ecommerce space. Companies that look to target
this demographic may want to explore Qatar for further
ecommerce expansion.
18-25 26-35 36-40 41-50 51+
23%
14%
18%
25%
20%
50%
40%
30%
20%
10%
0
76 #stateofpayments

81. AGE GROUP
KUWAIT
30-34 year olds now represent the largest ecommerce
market in the Arab World. Brands looking to succeed in
Middle Eastern markets will have to ensure that large
portion of their marketing efforts appeal to them.
Firms in Saudi Arabia, Egypt, and Lebanon should also
look to target the younger 18-25 bracket as this age
group accounts for a substantial portion of the online
shopping population.
One notable outlierfound in our demographics research
is Qatar’s older, 40+ age group appears to be veryactive
in the ecommerce space. Companies that look to target
this demographic may want to explore Qatar for further
ecommerce expansion.
18-25 26-35 36-40 41-50 51+
33%
15%
19%
9%
24%
50%
40%
30%
20%
10%
0
77#stateofpayments

82. AGE GROUP
LEBANON
30-34 year olds now represent the largest ecommerce
market in the Arab World. Brands looking to succeed in
Middle Eastern markets will have to ensure that large
portion of their marketing efforts appeal to them.
Firms in Saudi Arabia, Egypt, and Lebanon should also
look to target the younger 18-25 bracket as this age
group accounts for a substantial portion of the online
shopping population.
One notable outlierfound in our demographics research
is Qatar’s older, 40+ age group appears to be veryactive
in the ecommerce space. Companies that look to target
this demographic may want to explore Qatar for further
ecommerce expansion.
18-25 26-35 36-40 41-50 51+
25%
15%
18%17%
25%
50%
40%
30%
20%
10%
0
78 #stateofpayments

83. AGE GROUP
JORDAN
30-34 year olds now represent the largest ecommerce
market in the Arab World. Brands looking to succeed in
Middle Eastern markets will have to ensure that large
portion of their marketing efforts appeal to them.
Firms in Saudi Arabia, Egypt, and Lebanon should also
look to target the younger 18-25 bracket as this age
group accounts for a substantial portion of the online
shopping population.
One notable outlierfound in our demographics research
is Qatar’s older, 40+ age group appears to be veryactive
in the ecommerce space. Companies that look to target
this demographic may want to explore Qatar for further
ecommerce expansion.
18-25 26-35 36-40 41-50 51+
19% 18%
27%
17%
19%
50%
40%
30%
20%
10%
0
79#stateofpayments

84. AGE GROUP
QATAR
30-34 year olds now represent the largest ecommerce
market in the Arab World. Brands looking to succeed in
Middle Eastern markets will have to ensure that large
portion of their marketing efforts appeal to them.
Firms in Saudi Arabia, Egypt, and Lebanon should also
look to target the younger 18-25 bracket as this age
group accounts for a substantial portion of the online
shopping population.
One notable outlierfound in our demographics research
is Qatar’s older, 40+ age group appears to be veryactive
in the ecommerce space. Companies that look to target
this demographic may want to explore Qatar for further
ecommerce expansion.
18-25 26-35 36-40 41-50 51+
23%
19%19%
11%
28%
50%
40%
30%
20%
10%
0
80 #stateofpayments

85. 4%
8%
14%
22%
32%
19%
Less than $266 $266 - 532 $533 - 1065 $1066 - 2665 $2666+ Prefer no to say/Don’t know
INCOME LEVEL
UNITED ARAB EMIRATES
The spread of income distribution remains fairly
consistent across Qatar, Kuwait, the UAE, Saudi Arabia
and Lebanon. These countries all see a large proportion
of their population fall within the higher income
brackets. Qatar tops our list with 67% of respondents
identifying in the top two income brackets.
Egypt and Jordan on the other hand have a larger
proportion of consumers that fall into the lower end of
the income spectrum. For Egypt 68% of respondents
identified in the sub $1,065 per month brackets; in
Jordan this number was 56%.
For businesses looking to break into the various
countries across the region it will be important to
understand the income landscape and provide products
tailored the countries average income level.
50%
40%
30%
20%
10%
0
81#stateofpayments

86. 10%
14% 15%
22%
17%
22%
Less than $266 $266 - 532 $533 - 1065 $1066 - 2665 $2666+ Prefer no to say/Don’t know
INCOME LEVEL
KINGDOM OF SAUDI ARABIA
The spread of income distribution remains fairly
consistent across Qatar, Kuwait, the UAE, Saudi Arabia
and Lebanon. These countries all see a large proportion
of their population fall within the higher income
brackets. Qatar tops our list with 67% of respondents
identifying in the top two income brackets.
Egypt and Jordan on the other hand have a larger
proportion of consumers that fall into the lower end of
the income spectrum. For Egypt 68% of respondents
identified in the sub $1,065 per month brackets; in
Jordan this number was 56%.
For businesses looking to break into the various
countries across the region it will be important to
understand the income landscape and provide products
tailored the countries average income level.
50%
40%
30%
20%
10%
0
82 #stateofpayments

87. 22%
26%
20%
10%
5%
17%
Less than $266 $266 - 532 $533 - 1065 $1066 - 2665 $2666+ Prefer no to say/Don’t know
INCOME LEVEL
EGYPT
The spread of income distribution remains fairly
consistent across Qatar, Kuwait, the UAE, Saudi Arabia
and Lebanon. These countries all see a large proportion
of their population fall within the higher income
brackets. Qatar tops our list with 67% of respondents
identifying in the top two income brackets.
Egypt and Jordan on the other hand have a larger
proportion of consumers that fall into the lower end of
the income spectrum. For Egypt 68% of respondents
identified in the sub $1,065 per month brackets; in
Jordan this number was 56%.
For businesses looking to break into the various
countries across the region it will be important to
understand the income landscape and provide products
tailored the countries average income level.
50%
40%
30%
20%
10%
0
83#stateofpayments

88. 5% 5%
14%
30%
29%
17%
Less than $266 $266 - 532 $533 - 1065 $1066 - 2665 $2666+ Prefer no to say/Don’t know
INCOME LEVEL
KUWAIT
The spread of income distribution remains fairly
consistent across Qatar, Kuwait, the UAE, Saudi Arabia
and Lebanon. These countries all see a large proportion
of their population fall within the higher income
brackets. Qatar tops our list with 67% of respondents
identifying in the top two income brackets.
Egypt and Jordan on the other hand have a larger
proportion of consumers that fall into the lower end of
the income spectrum. For Egypt 68% of respondents
identified in the sub $1,065 per month brackets; in
Jordan this number was 56%.
For businesses looking to break into the various
countries across the region it will be important to
understand the income landscape and provide products
tailored the countries average income level.
50%
40%
30%
20%
10%
0
84 #stateofpayments

89. 5%
8%
14%
30%
32%
11%
Less than $266 $266 - 532 $533 - 1065 $1066 - 2665 $2666+ Prefer no to say/Don’t know
INCOME LEVEL
LEBANON
The spread of income distribution remains fairly
consistent across Qatar, Kuwait, the UAE, Saudi Arabia
and Lebanon. These countries all see a large proportion
of their population fall within the higher income
brackets. Qatar tops our list with 67% of respondents
identifying in the top two income brackets.
Egypt and Jordan on the other hand have a larger
proportion of consumers that fall into the lower end of
the income spectrum. For Egypt 68% of respondents
identified in the sub $1,065 per month brackets; in
Jordan this number was 56%.
For businesses looking to break into the various
countries across the region it will be important to
understand the income landscape and provide products
tailored the countries average income level.
50%
40%
30%
20%
10%
0
85#stateofpayments

90. 5%
19%
32%
28%
7%
9%
Less than $266 $266 - 532 $533 - 1065 $1066 - 2665 $2666+ Prefer no to say/Don’t know
INCOME LEVEL
JORDAN
The spread of income distribution remains fairly
consistent across Qatar, Kuwait, the UAE, Saudi Arabia
and Lebanon. These countries all see a large proportion
of their population fall within the higher income
brackets. Qatar tops our list with 67% of respondents
identifying in the top two income brackets.
Egypt and Jordan on the other hand have a larger
proportion of consumers that fall into the lower end of
the income spectrum. For Egypt 68% of respondents
identified in the sub $1,065 per month brackets; in
Jordan this number was 56%.
For businesses looking to break into the various
countries across the region it will be important to
understand the income landscape and provide products
tailored the countries average income level.
50%
40%
30%
20%
10%
0
86 #stateofpayments

91. 3%
13%
5%
25%
42%
12%
Less than $266 $266 - 532 $533 - 1065 $1066 - 2665 $2666+ Prefer no to say/Don’t know
INCOME LEVEL
QATAR
The spread of income distribution remains fairly
consistent across Qatar, Kuwait, the UAE, Saudi Arabia
and Lebanon. These countries all see a large proportion
of their population fall within the higher income
brackets. Qatar tops our list with 67% of respondents
identifying in the top two income brackets.
Egypt and Jordan on the other hand have a larger
proportion of consumers that fall into the lower end of
the income spectrum. For Egypt 68% of respondents
identified in the sub $1,065 per month brackets; in
Jordan this number was 56%.
For businesses looking to break into the various
countries across the region it will be important to
understand the income landscape and provide products
tailored the countries average income level.
50%
40%
30%
20%
10%
0
87#stateofpayments

92. Inside the mind of today’s Arab shoppers

93. SHOP OFFLINE
RESEARCH ONLINE, SHOP ONLINE
RESEARCH OFFLINE, SHOP OFFLINE
RESEARCH ONLINE, SHOP ONLINE OR OFFLINE DEPENDING ON PRICE
RESEARCH ONLINE
SHOP ONLINE RESEARCH OFFLINE
17%
21%
2%
31%
29%
UAELEA
DS ONLINE SHOP
PINGBY
The role the internet plays in consumer shopping remains varied.
17% of shoppers say they complete their entire shopping journey
online and 67% are doing their research online. For many users the
cost of an item is a major consideration when choosing between
purchasing online or offline, 29% of shoppers say price is the
deciding factor. This is particularly true for the UAE where 39% of
shoppers say the price of a product affects whether they buy
online.
Across the Middle East online shopping continues to grow with 61%
of the population shopping online. The UAE is leading the region
with 71% of the country shopping online; both Jordan and Morocco
remain behind with 50% of the population remaining offline.
SHOPPING BEHAVIOUR
INTHE REGION
ONLINESHOPPING
INTHEARABWORLD
CONSUMER SURVEY INFOGRAPHIC
Understanding the unique demographics and habits of consumers across the Middle East is a powerful tool for businesses
within the region. This year we’ve collected a range of information you can use to better adapt to the Middle East’s unique
consumerbase. With data coveringthe offlineto onlinetransition, preferred payment options, as well as securityand privacy
concerns, this infographic provides everything you need to better understand the Middle Eastern ecommerce market.

94. Online shoppers in the region are slowly increasing their
purchase frequency with 53% of the population making at
least one purchase per month. Though still lagging behind
more developed online marketplaces, this is a positive sign
that confidence in Arab ecommerce is continuing to grow.
KUWAITI
SHOP VIA
MOBILE
56%
EGYPTIANS
SHOP VIA
MOBILE
42%
67%
DESKTOP
24%
TABLETS
49%
MOBILE
ONLINE SHOPPING
FREQUENCY
7%
9%
16%
21%
14%
34%
TWICE A
MONTH
ONCE A
MONTH
TWICE A
WEEK
ONCE PER
WEEK
ONCE IN
2 MONTHS
ONCE IN
3 - 6 MONTHS
53%PURCHASE AT LEAST
ONCE PER MONTH

95. DEVICE OF
CHOICE FOR
ONLINE
SHOPPERS
The introduction of tablets and smartphones has
opened a range of innovative shopping
experiences around the world and the Arab
market is no exception.
Mobile devices are quickly becoming a staple of
ecommerce with nearly 50% of customers using
their phones to complete their online shopping.
In countries with high smartphone penetration
such as Kuwait, mobile based shopping has been
adopted by 56% of the population. In contrast
Egypt currently only has 42% of its population
shopping via mobile devices.
ONLINE SHOPPING IS
COMFORTABLE
8%
FITS MY BUSY
LIFESTYLE
4%
EASY RETURNS
4%
OTHERS
2%
PRODUCT
VARIETY
27%
UNIQUE STUFF
23%
BETTER PRICES
33%
WHYDO YOU
SHOP
ONLINE?
Online shopping can offer many
advantages over traditional brick and
mortar stores. For the Arab world,
the wide variety of products is a
major driver for shopping online.
Other important factors include the
ability to find ‘niche’ products and
overall better deals. Surprisingly
‘convenience’ does not appear to be
a consideration for Arab shoppers.
89#stateofpayments

96. Arab shoppers are buying a range of products and services online. Mobile phones proved to be the most popular products with 45% of shoppers claiming to have
bought their device online. Flight tickets also remain a common product with clothing, bill payments and watch purchases rounding out the top 5.
WHATTYPE OF PRODUCTS ARE
ARAB SHOPPERS BUYING
38%
UTILITIES BILLS
40%
CLOTHES
44%
FLIGHT TICKETS
45%
MOBILE PHONES
33%
WATCHES
24%
BAGS
26%
LAPTOPS
26%
SHOES
29%
HOME APPLIANCES
31%
PERFUMES
3%
OTHERS
13%
HOME FURNISHINGS
15%
COLLECTIBLES
19%
CAMERAS
21%
BOOKS
23%
TABLETS, PCS
12%
TVS
12%
VIRTUAL GOODS
8%
HOME
DXB - HYD
3:26

97. TOP FIVE PRODUCTS
BYCOUNTRY
MOBILE
PHONESEGYPT
UTILITIES
BILLS
LAPTOPS TABLETS CLOTHES
61% 38% 37% 35% 34%
UAE
FLIGHT
TICKETS
CLOTHES MOBILE
PHONES
UTILITIES
BILL
WATCHES
55% 43% 42% 36% 35%
KSA
CLOTHES FLIGHT
TICKETS
WATCHES MOBILE
PHONES
UTILITIES
BILL
41% 40% 38% 38% 38%
KUWAIT
FLIGHT
TICKETS
UTILITIES
BILLS
PERFUMES CLOTHES MOBILE
PHONES
55% 48% 39% 36% 35%
WHAT SITES ARE POPULAR
INTHE ARAB WORLD
90#stateofpayments
Souq.com has found the most success in the region with nearly 75% of
shoppers going to the site for their shopping needs. Despite minimal support
in the region Amazon is the number two site, likely a result of their vast
inventory and range of niche products.
40%
74% 20%
6%8%
4O% 21%
14% 12%
OTHERS

98. With better prices bringing more Arab shoppers into the online realm,
it’s no surprise that when it comes to completing the transaction price
has the biggest influence. Fifty five percent of shoppers say that the
‘best deal’ impacts their final decision.
Past experience with the website as well as product reviews and
recommendations from friends also affect a shopper’s decision to buy.
While ads and email marketing have some impact, price and third
party reviews are what influence shoppers.
WHAT INFLUENCES
ARAB SHOPPERS
BEST
DEALS
PRODUCT
REVIEW
FRIENDS
RECOMMENDATION
HOWSHOPPERSAREINFLUENCED
55% 39% 31%
13%
13%
17%
1%
ADVERTISMENTS
TV ADS
GOOGLE ADS
FACEBOOK ADS
OTHER CHANNELS
EMAIL SUBSCRIPTION 14%
PAST EXPERIENCE WITH THE SAME WEBSITE 41%

99. For many shoppers, the offline experience keeps them from exploring
online shopping options. The ability to touch and interact with the
product before buying remains an important aspect of the shopping
experience for many shoppers.
Though it’s difficult to replicate product interactions in the online space,
providing better return policies and more on site discounts can easily be
translated to an ecommerce platform.
PREFER TO TOUCH
THE PRODUCT
BETTER RETURN
POLICIES
55% 36%
OTHERSNO SHIPPING
FRUSTRATION
30% 2%
IN-STORE
DISCOUNTS
29%
NO PRODUCT
DISAPPOINTMENT
45%
INSTANT
GRATIFICATION
32%
QUALITY TIME
WITH FAMILY & FRIENDS
27%
Reviews play an important role in the online shopping experience globally and this trend is also apparent in the
Arab world. With 9 out of 10 people checking reviews before making an online purchase, they have the
potential to make or break a sale.
While over 90% of individuals rely on reviews to aid in their decisions, only 60% regularly give feedback after a
purchase. This leaves 60% of consumers informing 90% of future shoppers.
REVIEWS MATTERTO
ONLINE SHOPPERS
9/10PEOPLE CHECK
REVIEWS
BEFORE ONLINE
PURCHASE
LEARNING FROM
OFFLINE SHOPPING
BEHAVIOUR
91#stateofpayments

100. PAYMENT,
SECURITY& PRIVACY
Cash on Delivery continues to be the most popular payment option in the region
with 50% of shopper preferring this method of payment. This preference is most
prevalent in Egypt where 70% of the shopping population prefers Cash on Delivery.
The more ecommerce friendly credit card method is beginning to close the gap, with
the UAE seeing 1/3 of shoppers selecting credit card as their preferred payment
method. With credit card penetration growing year on year cash on delivery will
begin to fade.
Cash still dominates offline shopping however with 80% of offline shoppers
preferring to pay with cash at brick and mortar locations. This trend is most
prominenet in Egypt where 91% of offline transactions are settled with cash.
HOW DO ARAB SHOPPERS
WANTTO PAY
WHAT INFLUENCES ARAB SHOPPERS
CASH ON DELIVERY
CREDIT CARD
PREPAID CASH CARDS
DEBIT CARD
NET BANKING
CREDIT CARD INSTALMENTS PLAN
OTHER
51%
26%
8%
6%
5%
3%
1%
PROCEED TO CHECKOUT
91%
OF EGYPT SHOPPERS
SELECT CASH
33%
OF UAE SHOPPERS
SELECT CREDIT CARD

101. Privacy and security remain major concerns for shoppers across the region. While
there have been dramatic improvements over the last five years, confidence in
online shopping is still lower than in more mature markets.
SECURITY& PRIVACY
HOW CONFIDENT ARE YOU THAT YOUR PERSONAL
INFORMATION IS KEPT CONFIDENTIAL
36%
24%
22%
11%
7%
QUITE CONFIDENT
MODERATELY CONFIDENT
EXTREMELY CONFIDENT
SLIGHTLY CONFIDENT
NOT AT ALL CONFIDENT
HOW CONFIDENT ARE YOU THAT YOUR PAYMENT
INFORMATION IS SECURE
35%
23%
22%
12%
9%
QUITE CONFIDENT
MODERATELY CONFIDENT
EXTREMELY CONFIDENT
SLIGHTLY CONFIDENT
NOT AT ALL CONFIDENT
HOW OFTEN DO PRIVACY CONCERNS
PREVENT A PURCHASE
29%
29%
16%
14%
12%
MOST OF THE TIME
ABOUT HALF THE TIME
ONCE IN A WHILE
ALWAYS
NEVER

102. Those shoppers that remain offline cite not having a credit card and a lack of trust
in the payment systems as their main reasons for not embracing online shopping.
In Egypt for example low credit card penetration continues to disrupt ecommerce
with 39% of the population remaining offline due to a lack of credit card. The
Kuwaiti population exemplifies online payment trust issues with 56% of shopper
claiming they do not trust online payments.
For businesses, communicating security features and educating consumers remains
critical to the success of ecommerce in the region. At the same time banks need to
find solutions that enable more consumers to participate in the digital marketplace.
As these two critical issues are addressed a greater shift to ecommerce will be seen
across the region.
HOWTO BRINGTHE REMAINING
ARAB SHOPPER ONLINE
WHAT DO YOU THINK ABOUT THE 3D SECURE SYSTEM?
3D Secure is an internationally recognised security
standard for online credit card payments which
has recently made its way to the region; It adds an
additional security layer for online credit and debit
card transactions and aims to prevent online fraud.
Though still new to the region the security feature
is resonating well with the population. It is proving
most popular in the UAE, KSA and Kuwait where
well over 50% of shopper say it makes them feel
more secure. Egypt is still catching up however
with only 43% of the population feeling more
secure and 36% concerned about entering banking
details on a 3rd party site.
HOW DOES 3D SECURE IMPACT
SHOPPER CONFIDENCE?
I LIKE BECAUSE
MORE SECURE
HATE FORGETTABLE
MORE PASSWORDS
52% 29% 19%
50%
UAE, KSA & KUWAIT
SHOPPERS FEEL SECURE
USING 3D SECURE
LOCAL ONLINE
SERVICES ARE
NOT GOOD
11%
OTHERS
10%
DON’T TRUST
ONLINE PAYMENTS
44%
DON’T HAVE
CREDIT CARDS
35%
WHY DON’T YOU
SHOP ONLINE
DONT TRUST 3RD
PARTY SERVICES
92#stateofpayments

103. Overcoming E-Commerce Challenges in the Middle East

104. FAILURE FROM 3D SECURE
In the ongoing fight to prevent fraud, credit card companies and banks are working with
online retailers to implement 3D secure technologies – namely Verified by Visa and
MasterCard Secure Code.
3D Secure offers an extra layer of protection for both cardholders and merchants. It
works byrequiring customers to enteran additional password aftercheckout completion
to “verify” that they are the cardholder.
CHALLENGE
Even with the extra security benefits, 3D Secure has seen mixed responses from
retailers. Adding an additional step to what is for many already a complicated process
means online businesses are being forced to make a tough decision; adopt 3D secure
technology and risk abandoned sales or avoid the technology and take responsibility for
fraudulent transactions.
So how can you determine if it’s right for your business and how can you minimize the
impact 3D Secure has on your conversion rate?
94 #stateofpayments
If you are startups or any business that don't
have resources, you could go for 3D Secure
option, you could tie up with 3rd party who helps
you monitor transaction that's one of the
possible solution, if you are a big merchant you
can definitely hire your own team, integrate with
a PSP who helps you monitor you transaction,
you can connect with specialized 3rd party
solution provides you a tool to help you in your
risk management to save your conversion rate
and don't forget 3D secure is not your only
protection against fraud.
MAARID FAZILI - Risk Manager / PAYFORT
http://stateofpayments.com/sop16_vp/maarid_video.html
http://stateofpayments.com/sop16_vp/maarid_video.html

105. FAILURE FROM 3D SECURE
POSSIBLE SOLUTIONS
It’s important to rememberthat your business’s particular situation will vary according to
a unique mix of industry, markets, preferred card types, customer payment preferences,
mobile/desktop experience, and many more.
To remain competitive while implementing 3D secure technology we encourage
merchants to consider a dynamic approach, which includes the following points:
Take the time to customize your strategy: The first and most important step to
effectively implementing 3D secure is to customize which transaction types should be
routed through the technology. Take some time to think about what transactions pose
the highest risk for your business and consider implementing 3D Secure as an extra
security layer just for those specific purchases.
Make sure you educate your shoppers: As we discussed above, one of the main reasons
3D Secure has a high rate of abandonment is that shoppers are unaware of the process
and become concerned it is a security threat. Merchants who work to proactively
educate their shoppers about 3D secure and the security benefits it brings are far less
likely to experience the drop off.
Regularly re-evaluate: As your businesses continues to grow and expand to new markets,
you’ll likely need to accept different card types, and roll out new products, what works
today may not necessarily be valid tomorrow. This is also true for attempted fraud, as
fraudsters constantly change tactics in an attempt to beat the system.
PAYFORT INSIGHTS
Unfortunately 3D secure has proven to be an obstacle for many merchants across the
region. But as difficult as it has been, it is important to recognize the importance security
plays in the online marketplace and how neglecting these technologies can lead to larger
trust issues in the region. Overall businesses should be prepared to help consumers adapt
and work with them to integrate better security options.
95#stateofpayments

106. CREDIT CARD PENETRATION
Credit card penetration across the MENA region varies wildly between countries. Some
countries such as Kuwait have nearly ubiquitous adoption with 97% of the population
claiming to have access to a credit card while others, such as Egypt, see credit card
penetration levels in the single digits. Other countries across the region see varying levels of
adoption; the UAE has card penetration of 89%, KSA and Qatar ~45%, while Lebanon falls
towards the lower end with 15%.
CHALLENGE
With all that said, on average the MENA region remains behind many areas of the world of
the in terms of credit card usage.
As a large percentage of adults across the Middle East still do not utilize a bank account,
online retailers in the region are often forced to accept cash payments for online
transactions.
This brings a range of challenges for merchants such as:
Unexpected Returns – These comes as a loss for merchants when customers change their
mind between the time of purchase and the time of delivery.
Fear of Theft – The agents responsible for delivery a required to handle large amounts of
cash making them targets for potential thefts.
Slow Payments – COD payments take substantially more time to reach a company’s bank
account, particularly if you are using third party services for collection.
Though for many businesses, credit card penetration isn’t something that they can address
directly, there are opportunities for improving the landscape.
96 #stateofpayments
For us we saw opportunity in the
restrictions to allow people to pay the way
they want to pay and just cater to local,
Arabian or emerging market mentality.
FOUAD JERYES - Co-Founder / CASH Basha
One of challenges is to convert the local
payments methods such as: Fawry in Egypt, Sadad
in Saudi Arabia, KNet in Kuwait and others in all
the Arab world to the online world.
AHMED ORABY - Ecommerce Manager / Nile Air
http://stateofpayments.com/sop16_vp/fouad_video.html
http://stateofpayments.com/sop16_vp/fouad_video.html
http://stateofpayments.com/sop16_vp/ahmed_video.html
http://stateofpayments.com/sop16_vp/ahmed_video.html

107. CREDIT CARD PENETRATION
SOLUTION
For businesses, working with banks to encourage a wider range of credit card solutions is
a strong first step. It is important that businesses communicate demand and offer their
insight into was modern consumer need to access the online market place. Finally,
educating consumers on credit card payments and lobbying payment gateways to
innovate on their behalf should be a top priority of all ecommerce businesses.
In the meantime ecommerce businesses need to work hard to understand what solutions
which are preferred locally. Credit cards may not be popular but e-commerce businesses
are already making significant headway in introducing alternative payment solutions to
the region.
PAYFORT INSIGHT
The Middle East is still finding its comfort level for digital forms of payment. With a large
portion of the population still without bank accounts it is likely that a portion of the
population will remain inaccessible for some time. At the same time, it is interesting to
see that while some resist digital, another portion of the Arab World is very eager to
embrace it.
As result businesses will need a diverse range of payment products if theywant to tap the
full potential of the Arab market. As merchants grow they should constantly be
identifying gaps in their payment services and working with gateways to find the best
solutions for customers and online businesses alike.
97#stateofpayments

108. FRAUD AND RISK TOLERANCE
As consumers continue to demand simpler solutions and push towards ‘ease of
use’, security is becoming a more difficult challenge for big and small businesses
alike.Today’s consumers are placing more value on speed and convenience, leading
to a ‘convenience culture’ that is driving the cashless revolution. Whether it’s using
contactless cards to payfora coffee, ora one-click purchase on Amazon, quick and
easy is winning the war over secure.
CHALLENGE
Unfortunately, as the new convenient technologies become widely accepted, risks
to both businesses and consumers grow in parallel. In the case of ecommerce and
online payments, the risks have materialized primarily in the form of identity theft
and fraud.
Fighting fraud and safeguarding transactions remains a minefield, with each
payment type bringing its own risks. Whether the transaction is made using the
well-established credit card or more novel technologies like the virtual wallet,
security remains a constant concern.
What can you do to safe guard your business and how can you minimize daily risks
of accepting online payments?
1000100001
98 #stateofpayments
ATISH THAPA - Business Head OTA / Musafir
If I really had to choose to pick a problem so
Fraud and Risk would be the biggest challenge
that I see right now in regards of online payments
specially where 3D secure system is not in place
but I could see lot of banks now opting for OTP
which is one-time password generation.
MOHAMMAD AL-ANSARI - VP / Flyin
The most challenge in my opinion the acceptance
ratio where the issuers sometimes reject the cards
without a clear reason and all that affect the
acceptance ratio. If you have a potential with a
good revenue weekly so I could say that 65% of it
roughly might be rejected sometimes for no clear
reasons or sometimes less awareness from clients...
http://stateofpayments.com/sop16_vp/atish_video.html
http://stateofpayments.com/sop16_vp/atish_video.html
http://stateofpayments.com/sop16_vp/mohammed_video.html
http://stateofpayments.com/sop16_vp/mohammed_video.html

109. FRAUD AND RISK TOLERANCE
POSSIBLE SOLUTION
The steps you need to take to safeguard your business will depend on a range of factors
including the products you provide, frequency of transactions, and whether you deal in
the B2B or B2C space.
While you will need to constantly monitor and re-evaluate your risk management
procedures to stay safe; implementing the below strategies will give you a strong
foundation to build off of.
Educate and train your staff on e-commerce risk: As we mentioned above, the amount
of risk your business faces will depend largely on internal practices as well as the fraud
detection and preventiontools you use. It is importantthat everyone in yourorganization
understands that online transactions can pose a risk to your business and that they are
trained to follow established risk management procedures.
Focus on risk reduction: A well designed sales order process is an essential tool to help
you address a wide range of risk concerns. Make sure you clearly label all required fields
in your online payment acceptance form and verify all cardholder information that you
receive from your customers over the internet.
Develop internal fraud prevention structure: For many businesses in ecommerce, the
success and profitability of your organization depends on your internal fraud
management strategies. Developing a strong risk management structure, that
incorporates transaction controls and fraud prevention tools, will greatly reduce
fraud-related losses.
Ensure PCI compliance: The Payment Card Industry(PCI) Data SecurityStandards (DSS)
provide standard procedures and tools to help ecommerce businesses protect sensitive
account information. To comply, you will need reliable encryption capabilities for data
transmission and if you are storing cardholderinformation, effective internal controls. Be
sure to check the DSS regularly and review your own security measures frequently.
PAYFORT INSIGHT
The move towards more streamlined shopping experiences has put a lot of pressure on
merchants. Today’s consumer expects a faster and easier checkout while simultaneously
enjoying more security. With such a focus on speed and convenience, it is difficult for
merchants to meet the needs of shoppers without making some compromises.
Businesses that can afford the investment to develop secure databases will likely stand to
benefit from features like ‘One Click Checkout’ and detailed user profiles. Those that
can’t must be careful not to sacrifice security in the interest of convenience. Establishing
trust toward ecommerce and digital should be a priority for all merchants in the region.
1000100001
99#stateofpayments

110. MOBILE PAYMENT
Over the past 5 years, the proliferation of mobile devices, particularly smartphones and
tablets, has transformed the way people interact with the internet. Through streamlined
mobile websites and dedicated applications, consumers have more control than ever
over how they shop. Now this rapidly growing technology is poised to dramatically
change the payment ecosystem, bringing new players such as mobile operators and
handset manufacturers into the mix.
CHALLENGE
While mobile payments bring a lot of exciting opportunity for consumers, this fledging
payment method is causing mixed responses amongst businesses. Difficult challenges
such as perceived security threats, cross platform support, and slow user adoption make
it difficult to justify the investment.
Unfortunately failure to adopt is not an option and ignoring new payment methods can
quickly put companies at a competitive disadvantage. As we’ve seen with many modern
technologies, the landscape often shifts rapidly and with little warning. To stay ahead
businesses need to be prepared for quick changes and remain aware of how mobile
payment technology is evolving.
100 #stateofpayments
ANKIT SHUKLA - Relationship Manager / PAYFORT
ATISH THAPA - Business Head OTA / Musafir
Mobile penetration has grown up in the
middle east thanks to the compatibility &
users of the smart phones as well as the
credit card penetration which is really high
and that’s for simple reasons: Confidence
Increased, More Responsive & a lot of choices
given to customers.
In my opinion and based on my experience with
Merchants that Mobile payments are the biggest
advantage plus the biggest challenge in the
ecommerce industry and there are 3 main
challenges for mobile payments which are:
Security, Awareness and cross border payments.
http://stateofpayments.com/sop16_vp/atish_video.html
http://stateofpayments.com/sop16_vp/atish_video.html
http://stateofpayments.com/sop16_vp/ankit_video.html
http://stateofpayments.com/sop16_vp/ankit_video.html