Doha, Qatar: Qatar’s digital payments ecosystem continued its rapid expansion in May 2026, with the figures released by the Qatar Central Bank (QCB) showing robust growth across card payments, bank transfers and instant payment services.
The data highlights the country’s accelerating adoption of cashless transactions and digital banking platforms as consumers and businesses increasingly embrace electronic payment solutions.
According to the QCB statistics, the total value of card transactions reached QR24.408bn in May this year, while the total number of card transactions climbed to 72.344 million, reflecting sustained growth in retail spending and electronic payments.
Card transaction volumes increased by 24 percent compared with May 2025. Point-of-sale (POS) transactions remained the dominant payment channel, accounting for 53.820 million transactions, up from 42.736 million a year earlier.
The online e-commerce transactions also registered significant growth, rising from 9.449 million in May 2025 to 12.615 million in May 2026, underlining the continued expansion of digital shopping and online services.
ATM transactions, meanwhile, remained relatively stable. The number of ATM transactions stood at 5.909 million in May this year, slightly lower than the 6.066 million recorded during the same month last year.
In terms of transaction value, card payments posted a 3 percent year-on-year increase. ATM transactions continued to represent the largest share by value despite lower transaction volumes, reaching QR10.683bn in May 2026 compared with QR11.220bn a year earlier.
The POS transaction values increased from QR8.547bn in May last year to QR9.815bn in May 2026, reflecting stronger spending through retail payment terminals across the country. The online e-commerce transaction values remained broadly stable at QR3.909bn, compared with QR3.965bn recorded in the previous year.
The central bank’s figures also revealed remarkable growth in Qatar’s Tahweel interbank transfer system, which facilitates transfers between bank accounts. The total value of transfers processed through the system surged to QR64.241bn in May this year, representing a 58 percent increase from QR40.781bn in May last year.
Transaction volumes through the Tahweel platform expanded even more rapidly. The number of transfers reached 3.809 million, up from 1.465 million during the corresponding month in 2025, marking a substantial 160 percent increase. The sharp rise reflects growing reliance on electronic bank transfers for both personal and commercial transactions.
Qatar’s instant payment platform, Fawran, also maintained its impressive growth trajectory. The total value of transactions processed through the system rose to QR6.705bn in May 2026, compared with QR2.586bn a year earlier, representing a 159 percent year-on-year increase.
The volume of instant payment transactions climbed from 1.645 million in May 2025 to 4.100 million in May 2026, an increase of 149 percent, highlighting the increasing popularity of real-time digital payments among individuals and businesses.
QCB data further showed that the number of registered accounts on the Fawran platform reached 3.858 million by the end of May 2026, underscoring the rapid adoption of instant payment services across the country.
The statistics demonstrate Qatar’s continued progress toward a digitally driven financial ecosystem, supported by expanding payment infrastructure, greater consumer confidence in electronic transactions and wider use of innovative banking services.
The strong performance across card payments, bank transfers and instant payment systems reflects evolving consumer preferences, increased digital commerce activity and the country’s ongoing efforts to strengthen financial technology and payment innovation.
The sustained rise in electronic transaction volumes also aligns with Qatar’s broader strategy of promoting financial inclusion, improving payment efficiency and reducing dependence on cash.
