Saudi Arabia has issued rules for “buy-now-pay-later” firms operating in the Kingdom.
The Saudi Central Bank (SAMA) set “Rules for regulating buy now pay later (BNPL) companies”, as part of its role in supervising and controlling BNPL companies.
The move reflects SAMA’s continuous efforts to develop the financial sector as a whole and empower the Fintech sector in particular.
Buy-now-pay-later in Saudi Arabia
Under these rules, BNPL activity is defined as “a type of financing that allows a consumer to purchase goods or services without a term cost payable by the consumer”.
The rules aim to regulate the licensing of BNPL companies and set minimum standards and procedures required to offer BNPL services.
They will contribute to the growth and sustainability of the sector while safeguarding consumers’ rights.
The rules include various provisions related to:
- Licensing requirements
- Internal regulatory measures, such as policies and procedures
- Information security standards
- Measures to combat financial crimes
Regulatory obligations designed to safeguard consumers, and establish boundaries for activities and credit, as well as provisions pertaining to supervision and compliance are also among the new rules.
The draft rules were published earlier for public consultation, and relevant suggestions and observations were taken into consideration in the final version.
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