2018-03-19
The Saudi Arabian Monetary Authority (SAMA) issued this circular to authorize all domestic banks to activate MADA bank cards for online payments, effective April 1, 2018. The directive mandates that domestic e-commerce transactions be processed through the national MADA system following technical approvals, while cross-border purchases utilize international payment networks under established rules. Additionally, banks must adopt the attached pricing schedule for local transactions, ensure cardholders can manage online spending limits via electronic channels, and maintain SMS notifications in compliance with existing circulars.
In the Name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful Saudi Arabian Monetary Authority Head Office
General Department of Payment Systems Reference No.: 391000075005 Date: 1439/07/02 AH Attachments: 1
Subject: Enabling Online Purchases via MADA Bank Cards.
Circular
To the Esteemed, Greetings,
With reference to the five-year strategy of the national payment system "MADA", which includes several pathways, including the growth and expansion pathway. One of its initiatives is enabling payment services via the Internet through MADA bank cards to target new sectors within e-commerce, in alignment with Saudi Arabia's Vision 2030 goals regarding digital transformation.
The Authority has therefore decided to permit all banks to begin activating MADA bank cards for completing online payments, effective from April 1, 2018 CE, subject to the following considerations:
--1-- Phone: +966 (11) 4662015 Fax: +966 (11) 4662851 P.O. Box: 2992, Riyadh 11169, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia GDPS@SAMA.GOV.SA
In the Name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful Saudi Arabian Monetary Authority Head Office
General Department of Payment Systems Reference No.: Date: Attachments: Corresponding Date:
The Authority further expects all banks to actively contribute in the coming period by educating their customers, both individual and e-commerce segments, on how to benefit from the service and how to subscribe, including dedicating specific marketing and awareness campaigns for this purpose.
Yours sincerely,
Ahmed bin Abdullah Al-Sheikh Deputy Governor for Supervision
Distribution Scope:
--2-- Phone: +966 (11) 4662015 Fax: +966 (11) 4662851 P.O. Box: 2992, Riyadh 11169, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia GDPS@SAMA.GOV.SA
In the Name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful Saudi Arabian Monetary Authority Head Office
General Department of Payment Systems Reference No.: Date: Attachments: Corresponding Date:
Approved Pricing Schedule for MADA Bank Card Transactions in the E-commerce Environment
| (1) MADA Switch Fees | |
|---|---|
| Brief Definition | Fees paid by banks to the Authority for e-commerce transactions via MADA cards, consisting of (a) Settlement Fees and (b) Authorization Fees. |
| Pricing Model | |
| • Authorization Fees | Same as the basic pricing schedule for MADA POS terminal transactions regarding mada debit cards and mada prepaid cards. |
| • Settlement Fees |
| (2) Bank Interchange Fees | |
|---|---|
| Brief Definition | Fees paid between banks, specifically fees paid by the Acquiring Bank to the Issuing Bank for each transaction conducted in the e-commerce environment, calculated based on transaction value. |
| Pricing Model | |
| • Interchange Fees | • 0.70% of the purchase transaction value is paid by the Acquiring Bank to the Issuing Bank for each transaction conducted via MADA cards in the e-commerce environment. |
| • No Cap on Bank Interchange Fees. |
| (3) Merchant Service Charge (MSC) | |
|---|---|
| Brief Definition | Fees paid by the e-commerce merchant to the Acquiring Bank for each purchase transaction conducted via MADA cards in the e-commerce environment, calculated based on transaction value. |
| Pricing Model | |
| • Merchant Service Charge (MSC) | • 1.75% as the maximum rate per purchase transaction paid to the Acquiring Bank, where the fee rate is negotiable between the Acquiring Bank and the merchant. |
| • No Cap on Merchant Service Fees. |
--3-- Phone: +966 (11) 4662015 Fax: +966 (11) 4662851 P.O. Box: 2992, Riyadh 11169, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia GDPS@SAMA.GOV.SA