Acquirers from South Africa, the UAE and Saudi Arabia were responsible for 80 percent of Visa and Mastercard transactions in the MEA region in 2022. Merchant acquirers are companies that enable card payments from the likes of Visa and Mastercard, and are typically banks or fintechs that facilitate the (local) payment systems. Providers from South Africa, especially, top this particular ranking since its initial release in 2017. Debit cards increasingly took over from cash in POS transactions in South Africa during this time. The share of cash in Saudi Arabia, on the other hand, was much higher still in 2022.
Leading payment card processors for merchants - merchant acquirers - in the Middle East and Africa (MEA) from 2017 to 2022, based on number of transactions processed
(in millions)
Kuwait, Morocco, Saudi Arabia, South Africa, United Arab Emirates, MENA
Survey time period
June 2023
Special properties
Visa and Mastercard transactions only; Figures include credit, debit, and prepaid cards
Supplementary notes
The figures have been taken from several publications and, in certain cases, calculated by Statista. The source sometimes rounded figures, and sometimes did not. No figures were available for other years.
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Statista. (June 30, 2023). Leading payment card processors for merchants - merchant acquirers - in the Middle East and Africa (MEA) from 2017 to 2022, based on number of transactions processed (in millions) [Graph]. In Statista. Retrieved November 10, 2024, from https://www-statista-com.ezproxy.canberra.edu.au/statistics/936155/leading-mea-acquirers-by-number-of-deals/
Statista. "Leading payment card processors for merchants - merchant acquirers - in the Middle East and Africa (MEA) from 2017 to 2022, based on number of transactions processed (in millions)." Chart. June 30, 2023. Statista. Accessed November 10, 2024. https://www-statista-com.ezproxy.canberra.edu.au/statistics/936155/leading-mea-acquirers-by-number-of-deals/
Statista. (2023). Leading payment card processors for merchants - merchant acquirers - in the Middle East and Africa (MEA) from 2017 to 2022, based on number of transactions processed (in millions). Statista. Statista Inc.. Accessed: November 10, 2024. https://www-statista-com.ezproxy.canberra.edu.au/statistics/936155/leading-mea-acquirers-by-number-of-deals/
Statista. "Leading Payment Card Processors for Merchants - Merchant Acquirers - in The Middle East and Africa (Mea) from 2017 to 2022, Based on Number of Transactions Processed (in Millions)." Statista, Statista Inc., 30 Jun 2023, https://www-statista-com.ezproxy.canberra.edu.au/statistics/936155/leading-mea-acquirers-by-number-of-deals/
Statista, Leading payment card processors for merchants - merchant acquirers - in the Middle East and Africa (MEA) from 2017 to 2022, based on number of transactions processed (in millions) Statista, https://www-statista-com.ezproxy.canberra.edu.au/statistics/936155/leading-mea-acquirers-by-number-of-deals/ (last visited November 10, 2024)
Leading payment card processors for merchants - merchant acquirers - in the Middle East and Africa (MEA) from 2017 to 2022, based on number of transactions processed (in millions) [Graph], Statista, June 30, 2023. [Online]. Available: https://www-statista-com.ezproxy.canberra.edu.au/statistics/936155/leading-mea-acquirers-by-number-of-deals/
