Saudi Arabia’s digital transformation is no longer measured simply by the technologies it adopts, but by how confidently people use them. Over the past few years, the Kingdom has become one of the region’s most advanced digital economies. Government investment, a thriving fintech ecosystem, and widespread adoption of digital payments have fundamentally changed how consumers interact with businesses. According to the Saudi Central Bank (SAMA), electronic payments accounted for 85% of all retail payment transactions in 2025, a milestone that reflects the rapid shift toward a more digital economy.
But while technology continues to evolve, consumer confidence remains the factor that will determine how quickly the next chapter unfolds.
Artificial intelligence is perhaps the clearest example.
Only a few years ago, AI in commerce was largely discussed as a future possibility. Today, it is quietly becoming part of everyday shopping. Consumers are using AI to compare prices, research products, summarise reviews and discover new brands before making purchasing decisions.
Visa’s latest Stay Secure study found that 90% of consumers in Saudi Arabia have already used AI-powered tools while shopping, and 93% believe these technologies make online shopping faster and easier.
These findings reflect something bigger than the adoption of a new technology. They point to changing expectations. Consumers increasingly expect digital experiences to be personalized, intuitive, and frictionless.
Yet the same research reveals an equally important insight.
While consumers are comfortable using AI to inform purchasing decisions, they remain cautious about allowing it to make decisions on their behalf. Only 33% currently trust AI agents to complete the checkout process independently.
That trust gap should not be viewed as resistance to innovation. Rather, it demonstrates that consumers continue to value transparency, security, and control whenever money is involved.
The future of commerce, therefore, is not simply about building more intelligent technologies. It is about ensuring those technologies remain trustworthy.
This challenge extends well beyond artificial intelligence.
Shopping itself has changed.
Increasingly, purchases begin not on retailer websites but on social platforms, creator content and digital communities. In Saudi Arabia, 73% of consumers have purchased directly through social media platforms, illustrating how commerce has become embedded within everyday digital interactions.
However, the same environments that make shopping more accessible also create new opportunities for fraud.
Among consumers who reported experiencing a financial scam over the past year, 51% said it originated through social media. Fraud today often begins long before payment. It starts with fake advertisements, cloned websites, impersonated brands, or deceptive messages designed to gain a consumer’s trust before any transaction takes place.
This evolution challenges a long-held assumption about digital security.
For many years, protecting consumers meant securing the payment itself. Today, that is only one part of the equation. Trust must be established throughout the entire customer journey, from product discovery and account verification to payment and post-purchase support.
Consumers understand this reality.
Our research found that only 14% of Saudi consumers believe individuals should carry primary responsibility for protecting themselves from fraud, while most expect governments, financial institutions and payment providers to work together to build safer digital experiences.
That expectation reflects a broader shift in how trust is created. No single organization has complete visibility over today’s commerce ecosystem. A single online purchase may involve a merchant, a financial institution, a payment network, a technology platform and, increasingly, artificial intelligence. Protecting consumers requires collaboration across all of them.
There is another reason why this conversation matters.
Digital commerce is becoming part of everyday life at an increasingly young age. Whether shopping online, playing games, or using digital wallets, younger generations are entering the digital economy earlier than ever. Our Stay Secure study found that 91% of adults in Saudi Arabia believe children struggle to recognize online scams, while 67% say they have seen a child become the victim of a scam while gaming or shopping online.
Building a resilient digital economy therefore requires more than technological innovation. It also depends on education, digital literacy, and the design of experiences that are secure by default.
Saudi Arabia has set ambitious goals for building a globally competitive digital economy under Vision 2030. The foundations are already in place: strong infrastructure, rapid innovation, and consumers who are eager to embrace new technologies.
The next stage of growth will depend on something less visible, but no less important.
Trust.
When consumers trust the technology they use, they adopt it more confidently. When businesses make security and transparency part of every interaction, not just every transaction, they encourage greater participation across the digital economy.
Innovation may shape how commerce evolves.
But trust will determine how far it goes.
Source: Riyadh Daily