Qatar Payments Market- Growth, Trends, COVID-19 Impact and Forecasts (2022 - 2027)

Qatar payments market is expected to grow at a CAGR of 14.21% over the forecast period (2022 - 2027). Interest in real-time payments has been robust in the Middle East region, where a number of faster payment initiatives have started up or are about to introduce. Certain Middle Eastern governments are actively encouraging people to drop cash.

Key Highlights

• The QNB Visa credit card provides cardholders with a lot of opportunities and exclusive offers, and a seamless payment experience when using their physical cards or making digital transactions through QNB Pay digital wallets.
• As Qatar moves toward a cashless economy in processing for the 2022 World Cup, the Qatar Central Bank (QCB) has used electronic wallets to develop the environment further and increase the country's electronic payments. Qatar Central Bank has also issued a unified QR code specification and standard. Users can pay by scanning the response code (QR code) with their mobile phones at retail stores or public transportation.
• E-commerce adoption in Qatar increases as more consumers expect their goods and services to be provided digitally, seamlessly, and quickly. Companies are striving for a piece of the e-commerce payment spend. The payments market in Qatar is expected to grow steadily in the coming years, particularly in the services sector.
• Credit cards are one of the most popular and common ways for Qatari consumers to make online purchases. Payments are processed between merchants and card-issuing banks by multinational financial corporations such as Visa, MasterCard, Maestro, American Express, and Discover, allowing millions of users worldwide to make purchases using branded credit cards.
• The COVID-19 pandemic has accelerated the shift to electronic payments in Qatar, as consumers and merchants have attempted to decrease their use of cash in some situations due to health concerns about controlling banknotes and coins. Many vendors inspired the use of contactless cards and mobile banking for in-store purchases, and consumers altered their payment habits to avoid using cash and coming into contact with payment terminals.
• Qatar people are using digital payment plans to avoid contact and the spread of infection through direct cash processing and adhere to social distancing to limit the spread of COVID-19. People prefer online purchases of essential supplies due to the closure of local marketplaces and avoiding public gatherings, increasing demand for the digital payments market.

Key Market TrendsIncreasing smartphone penetration

• Previously a cash-based citizen, the dual pressures of COVID-19 and the FIFA World Cup have forced financial institutions in Qatar to go digital. As a result, there has been a massive increase in cashless payments, which the new Qatar Mobile Payments System now supports.
• Cross-border payments have significant growth in the Middle East, with the UAE and Saudi Arabia hosting two of the world's three most large remittance corridors. Over the next five years, agreements between countries for real-time settlement and the expansion of digital money-transfer operators will be critical drivers in cross-border transactions.
• Qatar has one of the highest smartphone penetration rates in the Middle East. With rising internet penetration and the introduction of highly engaging mobile shopping apps, m-commerce is undoubtedly an emerging business avenue for Qatari companies. While still in its infancy, mobile shopping in Qatar is expected to grow in popularity as consumers become more aware of the safety and security features and become more acquainted with the numerous benefits of being able to shop on the go.
• Retail transactions are increasingly being conducted electronically, owing to factors such as poorly developed digital-payments infrastructure and services, underbanked consumer and merchant segments, and a cultural preference for cash. However, new government and regulatory initiatives, as well as the entry of new local, regional, and global payment networks, are bringing about rapid change.

Growth in online advertisement expenditure.

• Open banking in Qatar differs from the other reforms mentioned in it not only allows payments to be digitized, but it also creates conditions in which other performers can disintermediate banks. Open banking will drive the decoupling of savings account balances and payment capabilities in the future.
• The ease of the approval process is one of the features that has made BNPL so popular, particularly among younger consumers in Qatar. The softer credit checks used by BNPL providers result in more approvals when compared to bank and premium brand credit cards and pre-BNPL retail installment plans. The absence of credit bureau reporting is another factor driving endorsements. Many BNPL providers do not report new accounts to credit bureaus, making it difficult to assess a consumer's overall credit exposure. This is becoming an increasingly complex issue as BNPL expands.

Competitive Landscape

Qatar e-commerce payments market is moderately fragmented, with a few significant players. Furthermore, new entrants in the country deliver innovative online payment technologies and solutions, increasing competition.

• December 2021- QNB, the Middle East and Africa's largest financial institution, has launched WeChat Pay, China's premier mobile payment solution, to retailers in Qatar, demonstrating its commitment to assisting retail sector clients seeking to attract Chinese customers.
• March 2021- Visa Inc., in partnership with the ENTERTAINER business, a global loyalty and rewards solutions provider, launched the new experience with the ENTERTAINER app for its premium cardholders in the MENA region. The free app will allow Visa Platinum, Visa Signature, and Visa Infinite cardholders to take advantage of a wide range of incredible deals until January 31, 2023.

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• The market estimate (ME) sheet in Excel format
• 3 months of analyst support

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