Mastercard and Amazon Payment Services Sign Multi-Year Partnership to Digitize Payments Across the Middle East and Africa
Partnership to boost digital payment acceptance in Bahrain, Egypt, Jordan, Kuwait, Lebanon, Oman, Qatar, South Africa, and the UAE.
Mastercard and Amazon Payment Services (APS) have entered a multi-year commercial partnership aimed at revolutionizing digital payment acceptance across the Middle East and Africa. The collaboration will integrate Mastercard Gateway, a secure and seamless payment solution, into APS’s platform to enhance transaction efficiency for merchants and consumers alike.
Under this strategic agreement, Amazon Payment Services, a leading payment service provider (PSP), will adopt Mastercard Gateway as a unified touchpoint for payment processing. This integration will empower merchants across 40 markets in the region with fast, seamless, and secure transactions, providing consumers with more convenient payment options, including digital wallets, wearables, and QR codes.
The Mastercard Payment Industry Insights Index reveals that 95% of consumers in the Middle East and Africa are considering the adoption of emerging payment methods. Moreover, 61% of consumers in the region would avoid businesses that do not offer electronic payment options. As digital payments surge, banks that have transitioned to digital channels have seen the share of digital transactions grow from 70% to 90% within two years.
Amnah Ajmal, Executive Vice President of Market Development, EEMEA at Mastercard, commented on the partnership: “We are proud to partner with Amazon Payment Services to scale payment acceptance and accelerate the digitization of payments with innovative solutions.”
Peter George, Managing Director of Amazon Payment Services for the Middle East and North Africa, added: “We are delighted to strengthen our collaboration with Mastercard to shape the future of online payments in the region. Implementing Mastercard Gateway will enable us to expand our reach as a PSP, while reducing the integration burden, as the solution is connected to all major acquirers globally.”
This partnership is expected to benefit thousands of APS merchants, including Amazon’s online stores in the UAE and Egypt, by enabling faster and more secure transactions. It will also open doors for synergies with telecom operators and government entities, enhancing their checkout experiences and driving higher transaction efficiency for customers.
The two companies have also signed an innovation agreement aimed at developing cutting-edge solutions like Secure Card on File, Click to Pay, and token authentication services. These offerings will provide multi-rail checkout options to merchants and a streamlined, frictionless checkout experience for end customers.
Mastercard Gateway is recognized as a trusted solution that connects businesses globally, helping them expand into new markets with ease while protecting them from fraud risks. By integrating advanced digital checkout solutions, it eliminates the need for manual card and password entry, offering a smooth payment experience for online shoppers.
Amazon Payment Services, which currently supports over 4,000 businesses in the MENA region, offers its services in key markets such as the UAE, Saudi Arabia, Egypt, Jordan, Lebanon, Qatar, Kuwait, Oman, and Bahrain. Through this partnership, APS aims to further expand its footprint and enhance digital payment adoption across the region.