Qatar’s Digital Payments Hit QR16.1bn in July: QCB

Doha: The Qatar Central Bank (QCB) reported strong growth in digital payments during July 2025, with a combined value of QR 16.133bn processed across 51.697 million transactions, according to figures the regulator published on its X platform yesterday.

The data highlights the deepening role of electronic transactions in Qatar’s financial system, spanning card payments, instant transfers, and mobile wallets.

Card-based payments continued to dominate consumer spending, accounting for the majority of transactions and value. QCB’s breakdown shows QR12.584bn worth of card activity during the month.

Within this, point-of-sale (POS) transactions remained the backbone of retail spending, totaling QR8.221bn across 40.328 million transactions, while e-commerce activity reached QR4.363bn from 9.180 million online transactions.

Together, POS and e-commerce accounted for more than three-quarters of all transactions processed during the month, underscoring both the resilience of in-store spending and the rapid rise of online commerce.

Beyond card payments, Qatar’s instant payment system, Fawran, demonstrated significant momentum.

The platform handled QR3.272bn through 1.869 million transfers in July, supported by a growing base of 3.239 million registered accounts.

Fawran is increasingly being used for real-time peer-to-peer transfers, utility bills, and government payments, reflecting its versatility as a payment rail complementing traditional card channels.

The Qatar Mobile Payment (QMP) service also contributed to the digital ecosystem, recording QR277.052m in transaction value and 320,000 transactions during the month.

While QMP’s share of overall activity remains modest at just 2 percent, the platform now counts 1.2 million registered wallets, suggesting room for further adoption as merchant acceptance expands and consumer familiarity grows.

A breakdown of the ecosystem by transaction volume illustrates the dominance of card payments.

POS transactions made up 51 percent of total activity, e-commerce accounted for 27 percent, Fawran represented 20 percent, and QMP contributed 2 percent.

Analysts note that while cards remain entrenched in everyday retail spending, the growing contribution of instant transfers signals shifting payment preferences among consumers seeking speed and convenience.

The overall figures also emphasise the importance of non-card channels in Qatar’s payment landscape.

While card transactions totaled QR12.584bn, the wider system, including Fawran and QMP, pushed the total monthly value up to QR16.133bn.

That gap highlights how instant transfers and mobile payments are filling specific use cases such as household bills, government services, and person-to-person payments.

Industry observers say the QCB’s latest snapshot provides timely insights into consumer behavior as Qatar continues to advance its national digital payments strategy.

Strong card activity signals continued confidence in retail and e-commerce spending, while rising instant transfer volumes reflect progress in building fast, reliable, and inclusive infrastructure.

QCB underscored that these trends mark steady progress toward its broader goals of financial inclusion and a cash-light economy.

By publishing monthly figures on its official accounts, the regulator aims to provide both policymakers and industry stakeholders with real-time visibility into how the Qatari payments ecosystem is evolving.