RIYADH: The Saudi Central Bank’s August bulletin offers a snapshot of how people across the Kingdom are buying homes, shopping, transferring money and saving.
Mortgage contracts jump 23 percent as average financing falls
Banks issued 9,807 new residential mortgage contracts in August, while total financing remained almost unchanged at SR5.87 billion ($1.5 billion).
The average contract value consequently fell 18.8 percent to about SR598,000 as the Kingdom works toward its 70 percent homeownership target by 2030.
Mada e-commerce spending rises 26 percent to nearly SR37 billion
Online sales using Mada cards reached SR36.95 billion, while transaction volumes climbed 27.3 percent to 196.9 million.
The growth follows SAMA’s launch of a new e-commerce payments interface in July 2025 to integrate Mada with global payment networks and expand payment options.
Bank cards reach 71.2 million as cash withdrawals decline
The number of cards issued rose 18.9 percent, while cash withdrawals fell 5.4 percent to SR39.38 billion and the number of ATMs declined 3 percent to 14,365.
The trend reflects a wider move away from cash, with electronic methods accounting for 85 percent of Saudi retail payments in 2025, up from 79 percent in 2024.
Instant-payment transactions surge 39 percent
Saudi Arabia’s instant-payment system processed 93.7 million transactions worth SR96.87 billion, with their value increasing 21 percent.
The system, known as sarie, allows round-the-clock transfers, with transactions below SR20,000 credited instantly and quick transfers below SR2,500 available without first activating a beneficiary.
Time and savings deposits rise 24 percent
Time and savings deposits increased to SR1.4 trillion, while demand deposits declined 5.2 percent to SR1.42 trillion.
The shift toward longer-term deposits comes amid elevated borrowing and savings rates, with SAMA raising its repo rate by 25 basis points to 4.5 percent in September.
Restaurants and cafes record 264 million card transactions
Consumers made 263.8 million point-of-sale transactions at restaurants and cafes, up 6.9 percent, with spending rising 6 percent to SR7.9 billion.
Accommodation and food services were among the leading sectors for new commercial registrations in June 2026, according to the Ministry of Commerce.
Card spending on clothing and accessories reached SR5.73 billion, while the number of transactions rose 24.7 percent to 48.1 million.
The Fashion Commission estimates that the Kingdom’s fashion ecosystem accounts for 1.4 percent of gross domestic product and supports around 230,000 jobs.
Health and utilities lead sector lending growth
Bank credit to health and social-work activities rose 29.8 percent to SR34.46 billion, while lending to electricity, gas and water suppliers increased 23.4 percent to SR258.19 billion.
The growth comes as the Kingdom seeks to expand private-sector participation in healthcare and generate 50 percent of its electricity from renewable sources by 2030.
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