Which instant payment systems exist in the GCC?
sarie in Saudi Arabia, Aani in the UAE, Fawran in Qatar, WAMD in Kuwait, Fawri+ in Bahrain and Oman's mobile payment switch. Usage is growing fast. Aani reported a sixfold year-on-year increase in transfers in April 2026.
In detail
All six Gulf Cooperation Council states now run a national instant payment system, usually operated by the central bank or a bank-owned switch, with transfers by mobile number and, in most cases, QR codes.
- Saudi Arabia: sarie, alongside mada and SADAD.
- UAE: Aani, launched in 2023, with more than 12.5 million registered users and around 774,000 merchants in April 2026. It supports QR payments and Request to Pay.
- Qatar: Fawran, with 3.61 million registered accounts in December 2025.
- Kuwait: WAMD, run by KNET, launched in June 2024.
- Bahrain: Fawri+, with 467.9 million transactions in 2025, mostly through the BenefitPay app.
- Oman: the mobile payment switch, MPCSS, with 224.2 million instant payments in H1 2026.
Fast growth
Usage is rising quickly. Aani reported a sixfold year-on-year increase in transfers in April 2026, and in Oman instant payments now exceed card payments on OmanNet by value.
What it means for payment operators
Instant payments are becoming a checkout option in the Gulf, especially through QR codes and request to pay. For operators, each system comes through a different local provider. Connecting them as payment methods next to local debit schemes and wallets lets merchants follow adoption country by country.