mada is the new identity of the Saudi Payment Network (SPAN) and the advanced generation of the electronic payments in Saudi Arabia. it connects all automated teller machines (ATMs) and point-of-sale (POS) terminals throughout the country to a central payment switch that in turn re-routes the financial transactions between a merchant’s bank and the card issuer bank.
mada card is a debit card issued by local banks that allows a cardholder to access funds in their accounts. And it works in the same mechanism of regular ATMS cards with newer standards of security and added-value features.
mada can be used in all automated teller machines (ATMs) and point-of-sale (POS) terminals offered by local banks throughout the country. Additionally, it can also be used regionally and globally through connecting with other payment systems such as GCC Net, VISA, MasterCard, and American Express to provide mada cardholders with a wider acceptance locally and overseas
This service allows customers to request a cash amount of up to SAR 400 right at point of-sale terminals compatible with mada standards. There is no need to visit the ATM, the cash amount will be deducted directly from your personal bank account along with your purchase amount.
Your bank will either replace your current SPAN card or will issue a new card ( if you currently do not have a SPAN card) upon your request
Yes. using of mada cards is permissible regionally within the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) through GCCnet, and globally when the card is co-branded with other global payment systems such as “Visa”, “MasterCard”, “Cirrus”, “Plus”, and “Maestro”.
No. The bank will issue mada card when opening a new account and renewing card free of charge in accordance to SAMA’s rules and regulations.
No. The service is completely free of charge for both merchants -on the cash part- and cardholders.
Yes, cash given away is only in Saudi Riyals.
No. Naqd service is only avilable to mada cards
The maximum cash amount that can be claimed per day is SR 400 and the minimum is SR 1
No as long as the accumulated amount of cash received during the day is SR 400.
Yes
In the PoS receipt it will appear as the following:
Yes. Transactions through this service appear on bank statements of both merchants and cardholders
In cases where mada card is lost or stolen, contact your bank directly to report the incident and to have a new mada card issued for you.
No. making payments through POS erminals is completely free of charge on cardholders.
The commercial sector is supervised by the Ministry of Commerce and Industry, and complaints can be filed through the ministry’s website.
No. No limit is set on the frequency of using your bank card as long as the accumulated amount of purchases equal or below SAR 60,000.
No. It is illegal practice and in case occurred then it is a violation of the applicable rules and policies that entail the merchant to its consequences.
Yes. The terminal will accept wither SPAN or mada debit cards
Merchants perform the reconciliation activity to ultimately deposit the payments processed during the day into their bank accounts. This process is ideally performed daily when the sales cycle is done.
It is a mutually signed document that defines the responsibilities of merchants and the bank detailing all elements in relation to the POS service being offered.
A merchant service provider (MSP) is a 3rd party agent assigned by the merchants’ banks in accordance to SAMA procedures to provide a full suite of merchant services and support within the context of POS installation and on-going maintenance.
POS service has been offered by banks with specific fees. After all, this fees is subject to the commercial contract signed by both sides. The fees interchange model was recalculated to be in line with global best practices. As a result, acquiring banks are permitted to levy a maximum of 0.80% of purchase value for each transaction up to an Merchant Service Charge (MSC) of SAR 40 (maximum) applies.
MSC is calculated (if applicable) on the basis of the transaction value, For example:
If you already provide the POS service you may contact your bank directly to upgrade it with mada standards or to enquire on when the bank will approach you to do so. If you want to provide the service for the first time, you can choose to do so through any of the banks listed under the Merchants tab.
Depending on your business sector, your bank will tailor your POS device to suit your business needs through different connectivity options (mobile (GPRS), dial-up, Internet Protocol (IP)) and a wide choice of POS models.