Saudi Arabia, UAE accelerate cashless payment push in 2026: What to know

Saudi Arabia, UAE accelerate cashless payment push in 2026: What to know

Dubai is targeting 90% cashless transactions by the end of 2026, while Saudi Arabia is now set to enforce an e-payments rule for domestic workers.

Saudi employers must pay domestic workers via bank transfer

Cash payment banned by law Up to 4m domestic servants in Saudi Transparency to wages and remittances Saudi Arabia has started enforcing a law requiring all employers to pay their domestic workers through banks or an online government platform.  At the start of 2026, the country announced the full enforcement of the law, affecting all Saudis and foreigners employing domestic servants. The move followed rules introduced in early 2025 that required…